Upcoming
(NEW) CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022-23, MAY 23
The City Council will hold a virtual public hearing on the Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2022-23 on Monday, May 23 as part of the regular Council meeting beginning at 6:30 PM. The agenda, viewing and commenting instructions will be posted in advance on the website. The City’s annual Budget is based on the City Council’s Work Plan that carries out the City’s mission to maintain its rural residential character by establishing programs and policies that avoid suburbanization and commercialization of its natural and cultural resources.
The Proposed Fiscal Year 2022-23 Budget addresses three main paths to achieve the City’s mission through the City’s organization:
- Staffing
- Technology
- The protection of natural and cultural resources
As part of the Proposed Budget, organizational changes to the City's Environmental Sustainability and Planning Departments are being proposed to improve customers service, efficiency and transparency. The proposed Budget, past Budgets, dates for upcoming meetings, and other Budget documents are available on the Budget webpage.
(NEW) VIDEOS: annual BUDGET WORKSHOP AND PROPOSED REORGANIZATION
The City Council held the annual Budget Workshop on April 27, offering community members a chance to see the presentation of the Proposed Budget and participate with public comment. Video of the Budget Workshop is available online (starts at 2:02:41). Written comments may be sent to the City Council at any time at CityCouncil@MalibuCity.org. A video clip from the Budget Workshop about the proposed reorganizations is available to watch online.
(NEW) CITY COUNCIL APPROVES TEMPORARY DAY-USE IMPOUND YARD ON CITY-OWNED PROPERTY AT HEATHERCLIFF AND PCH
On May 9, the City Council moved to allow a temporary day-use impound yard on City-owned property at Heathercliff Road and PCH to facilitate towing of illegally parked vehicles in Malibu. Vehicles parked illegally in front of fire hydrants, in traffic lanes, and blocking driveways impact public safety, traffic mobility and the quality of life of the community. An urgency ordinance was needed so that the lot could be used during the busy summer beach season.
The location was chosen after the Public Safety Commission examined numerous other locations and properties, including Malibu City Hall, which cannot be used by large flatbed tow trucks due to the steep driveways. The ordinance only allows the temporary impound yard to be used between Memorial Day, May 30, and October 3, daytime and weekends only, to minimize the impacts on surrounding neighborhoods and the environment. The ordinance requires the use of the lot to end on October 3.
A temporary day-use impound yard in Malibu will allow Sheriff-approved tow operators to store towed vehicles temporarily until they are claimed or transferred to their regular impound yards in Thousand Oaks. Not having to make a round trip to Thousand Oaks for every vehicle greatly increases the number of illegally parked vehicles that can be towed away per day in Malibu. Watch video of the discussion of the item in the City Councill meeting (starts at 1:41:04). For more information, see the staff report.
(NEW) CITY HIRES TWO NEW FIRE SAFETY LIAISONS AS PART OF WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE EFFORTS
The City has hired two additional Fire Safety Liaisons as part of its efforts to enhance Malibu’s wildfire preparedness and response. Retired Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACOFD) Assistant Fire Chief Greg Hisel and retired LACOFD Fire Fighter Paramedic Brad Yocum will be joining the City’s current Fire Safety Liaison Gabe Etcheverry this week. The City is committed to addressing Malibu’s number one public safety threat, wildfire, and the Fire Safety Liaisons are crucial components of this effort. They design and implement wildfire preparedness and mitigation programs such as the City’s free Home Wildfire Hardening Assessment Program for residents, and the recent free Hazard Tree Removal Program, and conduct general fire safety public education. They also monitor fire conditions, update the City Council and staff, and respond to incidents as the City’s liaisons to the incident command. Having three part-time Fire Safety Liaisons, each with their own specialized knowledge, will provide greater coverage and expertise during Red Flag fire conditions and fires. Hisel and Yocum replace full-time Fire Safety Liaison Chris Brossard, who left the City in February. For more information about the City’s Fire Safety efforts and to schedule a free Home Wildfire Hardening Assessment, visit the Fire Safety webpage.
CITY HALL REMAINS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON A LIMITED BASIS - FACEMASKS ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED WHILE INSIDE
City Hall remains open to the public on a limited basis. Regular City Hall hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM and Fridays 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Members of the public may come to City Hall without an appointment during public counter hours. An appointment will be needed for in-person assistance during any other hours. Visitors will be asked to remain outside the building until they can be helped by staff. Appointments can be made online. Facemasks are no longer required, but are strongly recommended, while inside, in line with the updated Los Angeles County Health Officer Order.
Public Counter Hours
- Planning: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, walk in. Other times by appointment only.
- Permit Services: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, walk-in and appointment. Other times by appointment only.
- Building Plan Check: Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, walk-in and appointment. Other times by appointment only.
- Environmental Health: Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, walk-in and appointment. Other times by appointment only.
- Geology / Coastal Engineering: Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, walk-in and appointment. Other times by appointment only.
- Public Works: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, walk-in. Other times by appointment only.
To make virtual appointments with City staff and Departments, please call or email:
MALIBU SENIOR CENTER AT CITY HALL OPEN FOR IN-PERSON SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES
The Senior Center is open for general and various in-person services and programs Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Face coverings are not required, but are strongly recommended in Malibu City Hall, in line with the updated Los Angeles County Health Officer Order. Seniors can use the general use areas of the Center, including the computer lab, library and various recreation programs. Staff is also available to assist with Dial-A-Ride questions and program registrations. Fresh coffee will be available daily from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. For more information, call 310-456-2489, ext. 357 or visit the webpage.
INTERIM CITY MANAGER STEVE MCCLARY APPOINTED AS PERMANENT CITY MANAGER
The Malibu City Council voted April 28 to develop a contract to make Interim City Manager Steve McClary the City’s permanent City Manager. “On behalf of Malibu, I am proud to welcome Steve McClary as our permanent City Manager, and I look forward to continuing our work together to serve the community,” said Mayor Paul Grisanti. “Malibu is fortunate to have such a well-qualified professional to fulfill this difficult and important role. Over the last year, Steve has been a pleasure to work with, and has shown his competence, leadership, demeanor and ability to build good relationships with staff, the Council and the community.” Steve was hired as Interim City Manager on April 29, 2021. He formerly worked as Assistant City Manager for the City of Camarillo, California, and City Manager for the City of Ojai, California. He started his career in local government in the City of Fillmore in 1997. Steve will assume the role as permanent City Manager after his contract is approved by the City Council. On May 9, the City Council continued the item to allow time to explore some of the terms of the employment agreement. Community members may contact the City Manager at SMcClary@MalibuCity.org or 310-456-2489.
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS RETURN TO ZOOM-ONLY FORMAT STARTING MAY 23.
The City Council approved returning to holding City Council, Commission, Committee and Board meetings via Zoom starting May 23, after hearing concerns form the community about ongoing COVID-19 conditions in LA County. The May 23 agenda, viewing and commenting instructions will be posted on the website in advance. Written comments may also be sent to the City Council at CityCouncil@MalibuCity.org. The City Council had voted on March 28 to resume in-person City Council meetings starting May 9, 2022, and directed the City’s Commissions, Committees and Boards to return to in-person meetings at their next regular meeting after May 9. Because of noticing deadlines, the May 9, 2022 City Council meeting took place in-person at City Hall.
PLANNING COMMISSION TO MEET ONE TIME IN-PERSON MAY 16
The Planning Commission will hold one in-person meeting at City Hall on Monday, May 16, 6:30 PM. The agenda is posted on the website. The meeting can be viewed live or later on-demand on the YouTube channel or live on Malibu City TV Ch. 3. Public Comment may only be given in-person during the meeting at City Hall. Written comments can be sent to the Commission at planningcommission@malibucity.org. All other subsequent public meetings will continue to be held via Zoom, with the same instructions and procedures for participation and public comment, until further notice. All public meeting agendas are posted online. To sign up to receive notifications by text message and/or email whenever an agenda is posted, amended or cancelled for a City Council, Commission, Committee or Board meeting, visit the Notifications webpage, scroll down to Agenda Center, and select the desired meeting body. Agendas, together with viewing and commenting instructions for virtual meetings are posted on the Virtual Meetings webpage. After the May 16 in-person meeting, the Planning Commission will return to virtual meetings until further notice.
(NEW) UPDATES ON EFFORTS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS
With summer around the corner, the threat of wildfires will grow as vegetation dries and temperatures increase. In an effort to prevent wildfires, the City’s Homeless Outreach Team, which consists of two outreach workers and one housing navigator from The People Concern, is conducting outreach to educate people experiencing homelessness about the dangers of living unhoused in wildfire zones, to urge them to refrain from setting fires, and to leave from areas that are at high risk of wildfire spreads.
In April 2022, the Outreach Team engaged with 137 unhoused people, and helped six get into permanent or temporary housing. There are currently 125 people living unhoused in Malibu, of whom 62 are in various stages of engagement, and 63 are refusing services. The Outreach Team continues to engage these individuals with the goal of ultimately getting them off the streets and into housing. The most recent report and past reports from the Homeless Outreach Team are posted on the webpage.
On April 22, the Outreach Team conducted a focused effort to reach people living in RVs and other vehicles in anticipation of the summer beach season, when the number of people living in vehicles in Malibu usually increases. In April, the Outreach Team collaborated with the LA County Department of Health Services on a vaccination and health clinic for people living on the streets. The clinic was set up on Malibu Road and provided testing and vaccinations for COVID, flu, meningitis, polio, hepatitis and STD, with referrals for follow-up appointments. For more information, visit the webpage.
(NEW) FREE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SERIAL NUMBER ETCHING MAY 19
Malibu residents can get their catalytic converters etched with an ID number for free on Thursday, May 19, 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM at Malibu Auto Care (in the Chevron Gas Station at PCH and Webb Way). To schedule an appointment for this event, email Deputy Knott at bmknott@lasd.org. Etching serial numbers on catalytic converters helps law enforcement to fight converter theft in the community.
SAVE THE DATE FOR THE CITY'S ANNUAL PUBLIC SAFETY AND PREPAREDNESS EXPO, JUNE 4
The City of Malibu will host the fourth annual Public Safety and Preparedness Expo on Saturday, June 4, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at City Hall. Attendees can take a ride in an earthquake simulator at the expo to learn about the importance of making your home earthquake safe. Meet first responders, find local volunteer opportunities, and learn about emergency preparedness equipment and services from vendors. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's and Fire Departments and other public safety agencies will have equipment and vehicles displays. No RSVPs are required for this free, family-friendly event. It is an excellent opportunity for households or businesses to get started on or improve upon their emergency preparedness plans and supplies. More information will be posted on the Public Safety webpage.
SANTA MONICA COLLEGE ANTENNA TOWER UPDATE
An Emergency Communications Facilities tower was erected in April at the Santa Monica College Campus and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Substation, currently under construction in the Civic Center. The 75-foot replacement tower was built in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines, which require lights and colors, since it is adjacent to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department helipad. In response to complaints from community members, the City Council directed staff to prepare a memorandum to inform the Council and the community about the project's chronology and permits. City staff notified the Project Manager that, except for necessary safety-related work, no further work can be done on the tower, including installation of antennas, until the Conditional Use Permit is obtained, as required by Condition No. 17 of Planning Commission Resolution No. 16-30. The Project Manager agreed to stop all work. For more information about the Santa Monica College Malibu Campus, visit the project webpage.
(NEW) MALIBU REBUILDS - STATISTICS
Staff continues to work with homeowners to rebuild. Here are the current Woolsey Fire rebuild statistics. See continuously updated statistics on the Rebuild Portal.
- Single Family Dwellings building permits issued - 233
- Single Family Dwellings complete – 77
- Multifamily building permits issued - 18 units
- Multifamily building units complete- 12 units
MALIBU REBUILDS - PLANNING CONSULTATIONS AND REBUILD RESOURCES
The Fire Rebuild team is available Monday through Friday at City Hall for complimentary one-on-one consultations about any fire rebuild project. Contact Aakash Shah at ashah@malibucity.org to set an appointment for a meeting by phone or online. For ideas about how to get started with your project, as well as numerous handouts, forms and resources, visit the Rebuild webpage.
(NEW) COVID-19 RESPONSE UPDATE
City staff continues to monitor and respond to the pandemic by participating in regular briefings and conference calls with partner agencies and issuing alerts and notifications regarding changes to the situation. On May 11, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH) confirmed 7 new deaths and 2,997 new cases. Other key updates from the County’s COVID-19 Dashboard as of May 11, 2022 include the following:
- 2,216 confirmed positive cases and 13 deaths in the City of Malibu to date
- 290,0449 confirmed cases and 32,007 deaths in LA County to date
- 249 current hospitalizations in LA County, a decrease of 15 since April 27
(NEW) MALIBU MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL SPECIFIC PLAN PROJECT
The Planning Commission will hold a virtual Special Meeting on Tuesday, May 31, 6:30 PM to make a recommendation to the City Council on the Specific Plan, EIR, and code amendments for the Malibu Middle and High School (MMHS) Campus Specific Plan. The Specific Plan establishes the development standards and plans for the redevelopment of the MMHS Campus to be implemented in four phases over the next 10 to 15 years. The District’s proposal is currently under review by the City of Malibu. See the Notice of Public Hearing for meeting and project details. Following the Planning Commission meeting, the City Council will consider the project and if approved, it will be forwarded to the California Coastal Commission for final certification of the Specific Plan. Please note that the coastal development permit and other entitlements for the MMHS redevelopment will be considered by the Planning Commission at a later date. For more information, visit the project webpage.
DARK SKY ORDINANCE AMENDMENT PUBLIC HEARING, MAY 16
On May 16, the Planning Commission will hold an in-person public hearing at Malibu City Hall to consider an amendment to the City's Dark Sky Ordinance to allow "light trespass" onto the public right-of-way for commercial and institutionally zoned properties, as initiated by the City Council at the recommendation of the City’s Lighting Consultant. The staff report will be available online prior to the meeting. Residents, building professionals and businesses are encouraged to attend and make public comment. The meeting can be viewed live or later on-demand on the YouTube channel. Written comment can be sent to TEaton@malibucity.org. For more information, see the Notice of Public Hearing and the Dark Sky Ordinance webpage.
FREE SPRINKLER TIMER AND INSTALLATION THROUGH MALIBU SMART
California is in a serious statewide drought, so it's a good time to implement water-saving measures. Malibu residents may be eligible for a free smart sprinkler timer with installation, which can help save water and money. The timers ($200 value) make it easy to control your sprinklers from your phone and automatically adjust water levels based on the weather conditions. Plus, Malibu Smart is offering free installation (worth $300). Timers are available for a limited time only, on a first- come, first-served basis. For more information and to sign up, visit the website.
(NEW) RED CROSS LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATION TRAINING FOR CITY POSITIONS AT MALIBU COMMUNITY POOL
The Community Services Department is offering a Red Cross Lifeguard Certification Course on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22 to train Lifeguards, Pool Managers, and Learn-to-Swim Instructors to work at the Malibu Community Swimming Pool at Malibu High School. Working as a lifeguard or swim instructor is a fun, active, outdoor job, and is an important service to the community, ensuring that people can learn to swim, and safely enjoy the fun and healthy sport of swimming. The deadline to apply is May 15. For more information and to register, visit the Aquatics webpage.
(NEW) CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR “ART OF SURF” EXHIBITION AT CITY HALL GALLERY. OPENING RECEPTION JUNE 25
In tribute to Malibu’s deep roots in surfing culture, the Malibu Arts Commission invites local Malibu artists to submit original artwork for consideration to be featured in the next public art exhibition in the City Hall Gallery, “Art of Surf.” The exhibition will be on display from July through August 2022, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. No tickets or RSVPs are needed. Community members are invited to the opening reception at City Hall on Saturday, June 25, 11:00 AM. The Commission will celebrate the artists and Malibu’s surf culture and provide complementary food and beverages.
MALIBU LIBRARY SPEAKER SERIES AND POETRY SUMMIT AT MALIBU CITY HALL, MAY 14
Join Malibu Poet Laureate Ann Buxie for "Calling All Creatures" on Saturday, May 14, 4:00 PM at City Hall. The free, in-person event is part of the 2022 Malibu Library Speaker Series, and features poetry readings, music, dance and visual art by local artists and poets. The event is free to attend, and reservations are not required. For more information, visit the Poetry website.
(NEW) SPECIAL EVENTS REPORT
Currently, there are permitted events on May 7, May 16, May 21 and July 9, as well as every Sunday for parking for the Farmer's Market. The City of Malibu Planning Department posts a weekly report of approved event permits on the website. In order for members of the public to be informed of pending event permit applications and to provide an additional opportunity for public input, the City has changed the Event Permit Report format to include all event permit applications deemed complete for review for consistency and compliance with the requirements of the Malibu Municipal Code and the Planning Director’s action on each application. The updated Event Permit Report has been posted to the City's website. To sign up to receive an email or text message when an updated Event Permit Report is posted, visit the e-notifications page (scroll down to the "Special Event Permit Report" category).
(NEW) CURRENT BIDS
The City has several bids and Requests for Proposals/Qualifications currently out. For more information about all of the City's current bids, visit the webpage.
Contractor / Construction - Marie Canyon Green Streets Improvements Project - Installation of stormwater Fabco Helix Filters within the existing catch basin facilities, cleaning and clearing the existing catch basin, and all other work in the Contract Documents and Specifications. Due June 9, 2022.
Request for Proposals (RFP) - Government Relations and Lobbying Services - The City is requesting proposals from qualified firms registered in the State of California to provide government relations and lobbying services. Due May 16, 2022.
Request for Proposals (RFP) - Homeless Outreach Services - The City is requesting written proposals from qualified homeless service providers to provide outreach, emergency and interim housing options, and housing navigation services for homeless individuals and families in the Malibu community. Due May 20, 2022.
E-Notifications
The City maintains a robust e-notification system so the community can stay informed about all the City’s activities. Sign up to receive messages by text or email on the City’s e-notifications page.
Further Questions
For questions or comments, contact the City Manager at SMcClary@MalibuCity.org.
See Past City Manager Updates