=.  Major policy and personnel changes at Malibu City Hall.

=.  City staff will no longer offer conclusions about whether projects meet city codes.

=.  Decision makers will be on their own… This after commission staff came under heavy fire recently.

=.  An interim planner is hired to replace Richard Mollica …an assistant director too. 

=.  a Malibu Park family wins permission to build a huge house… and they swear they’re going to live in it

=.  The woman who kidnapped a little girl from a Panda Express in Santa Monica may have been staying at a motel on a voucher for homeless people. 

=.  Sadie the parrot is home!

SEA CHANGE IN PLANNING DEPT: STAFF WILL NO LONGER MAKE PREFERENCES KNOWN TO COMMISSIONERS

Malibu has new leadership in the city Planning Department … and some major changes in policy from the old guard as he heads for the doorl.

The new policy is that planners will no longer make recommendations on projects that come before decision makers. 

Planning Director Richard Mollica says … from now on … it will be up to the planning commissioners … and city council members … to make their own conclusions.

  70433 MPARK DECISION RM 

“Whichever the majority of the commission would like to do this evening with this project – if you could deny it or approve it – if you could please give that direction to staff and then discuss which findings you can or can’t make.”

City staff is in an uproar after nasty personal attacks were levied on an assistant planner this summer…. over his analysis of the proposed hotel at Surfrider beach.

That staffer’s analysis was widely viewed as flawed … but the level of personal attacks against the city employee was viewed as unprofessional and demeaning … by some.

Mollica … whose last day on the job is this week … has now taken city staff out of the decision making process … and is letting the planning commission and city council make its own conclusions. 

At least one planning commissioner said the change will mean a delay for the applicant … because city staff will now have to return to the commission with final language after every vote.

Skylar Peake says this is a bad idea … he wants recommendations from city staff to return.

GIGANTIC HOUSE APPROVED AFTER LARGE FAMILY SHOWS UP TO DEFEND IT

The big issue at hand last night was a gigantic house … … criticized by some neighbors as being too big.

The house … on Harvester Road … burned down in the Woolsey Fire. 

The replacement house … at 85 hundred square feet … would be three or four times the size of the average nearby house … according to neighbors. 

Robert Brinkman .. who lives near the site … said the Malibu Park neighborhood is made up of  smaller homes … and this mansion would be the size of a small hotel. 

70436 MPARK BRINKMAN 

“It’s a neighborhood, and the proposed project is way out of proportion. It does not adhere to the character of the neighborhood at all. 

“I don’t know of any family that needs eight or nine bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. 

“I know they’re playing for sympathy here, talking about my family moments. But nobody is stopping them from rebuilding their house.”

The question framed by the Planning Commission last night was this…

It’s a two acre lot.

The gigantic house complies with all of the city’s square footage requirements …  so on what grounds can it be rejected???

One Malibu architect testified that … if it meets the square footage rules … the planning commission is obligated to approve it. 

Doug Burdge.

70437 MPARK BURDGE 

“It’s all based on the size. An applicant has the right to be able to do this and build on their property. Until that code changes, that’s it.

“Let this client, let this homeowner, they’re sitting right there. They are a family. They are not a developer.

“You have to let these families build their homes.”

An applicant has that right ???   Planning Commissioner John Mazza blasted that … as exactly backwards. 

70435 MPARK MAZZA 

“There was a mistatement by an architect who should know better.

“The code is very, very clear that the maximum square footage on a lot is calculable on a table, but is the maximum allowable, it is not the minimum.”

Some Malibu people opposed the huge house because they feel it is destined to become a rehab center.

But commissioner Dennis Smith noted the home’s extended family of owners was present in City Hall. 

70434 MPARK SMITH 

“One of the reasons are probably the main reason that we had folks show up here with pushback is because of what they thought the house was going to be: a rehab center of some sort. 

“That’s why everybody got so upset, but that’s exactly what they thought was going to happen and that’s not what’s going to happen. So these folks with these families, all these different families part of the family … they’re all here.”

2 NEW CAFES IN CIVIC CENTER GET LIQUOR LICENSE OVER OBJECTIONS ABOUT TOO MANY

The Planning Commission last night also approved liquor licenses for Wallys Wine Restaurant in the new Cross Creek Ranch shopping center.

Scotts Kitchen also won tentative approval on its liquor license … on Cross Creek Road … where the old Malibu kitchen was. 

Commissioners John Mazza and Kraig Hill opposed the beer and wine license … they say there are too many places to buy beer and wine in Malibu.

John Mazza.

70440 SCOTTS 

“Let’s reduce the amount of liquor on the highway. You know we turned down the gas station across the street from the liquor store at Las Flores, because there was one already out there. Just one. We have 12 or something like that at the Civic Center.”

SKYLAR PEAK: “I would make the argument that the product would be sold from a gourmet sandwich company in Malibu would be different than what is sold at a gas station there.”

Commissioner Skylar Peak interceding there. 

Just down the street and around the corner … Wally Wines also went before the planning commission for a liquor license. 

There was a lengthy debate over the addition of more liquor licenses in the Malibu civic center area.

City planning director Richard Mollica said Wallys Wine will primarily be a restaurant … and will only be selling liquor as a small part of the business.

70439 WALLYS RM 

“If it were to be a standalone liquor store that is something that is prohibited in the Malibu town center overlay district. 

“However, in your municipal code, we do not have a definition for what is a standalone liquor store. 

“The square footage allocated for the sale of alcohol, 380 square feet, comprises 15 percent of the entire building, and therefore it does not make alcohol the primary use of the operation … and therefore perhaps, not a standalone liquor store.  (3X)”

The lone vote against Wallys came from commissioner Kraig Hill … who said there are too many restaurants serving alcohol in Malibu.. 

70439 WALLYS HILL 

“We need to experience a sea change in town in terms of alcohol. We should be dialing it back wherever we can and not expand it, and this is a great place. I love it under different circumstances and different times, it would be a good spot. But we have to be fair and we have to be somehow cutting back where we can.”

The Planning Commission removed a requirement that the restaurant’s tables be bolted to the floor… apparently a city effort to restrict the size of the liquor shelves.

Wallys won its liquor license … on a 3 to 1 vote … with John Mazza abstaining and Kraig Hill voting no.

NEW TEMPORARY PLANNING DIRECTOR NAMED

One last note from the Planning Commission last night.

Malibu city manager Steve McClary appeared, to say goodbye rRicjard miollica … who is moving to new career challenges after about 3 decades working for the city.

70442 MCCLARY FARWELL 

“Good luck to you, Richard and we will miss you here greatly. 

The second reason I’m here is I’m happy to introduce today Jack Wong, who will be serving as an interim Planning Director.”

Wong has been an interim city planner, taking over temporarily, in more than a dozen cities.

Wong emphasize that he’s only here until a permanent planning Director is hired. He has experience filling in under similar circumstances at more than a dozen cities across Southern California.

Last night … Wong  said “it’s going to be a tough task to fill his shoes” … referring to city planner Richard Mollica

 70441 JACK WONG 

“I think you’re right: it’s going to be a tough task to fill his shoes. 

“I’ll do what I can. I hope to be of service to you while you’re looking to fill the permanent position. Thank you very much. 

JOHN MAZZA: “Can I ask you a quick question?  Do you have any coastal experience?

WONG: “I do not .

MAZZA: “OK thank you very much.”

That was planning commissioner John Mazza with the question.

Welcome to the Malibu Planning Commission … Mister Wong.

GRISANTI IS FIRST CANDIDATE TO PULL NOMINATING PETITIONS

Campaign 2024 has arrived in Malibu. 

Yesterday was the first day for city Council candidates to pull petitions from the city clerk.

Paul Grisanti, and incumbent who is running for election… Is the only candidate to pull the petitions so far.

We will keep you posted.

IT APPEARS THE WOMAN WHO KIDNAPPED A 4-YEAR-OLD IN SM WAS HOMELESS

The woman who kidnapped a four year old girl from a Panda Express on Lincoln Boulevard has a detailed criminal history, including prior arrests for spousal abuse and drug-related probation violations.

Breanna Shields, 31, was arrested at the Holiday Motel & Suites where she had been staying. 

It is not clear of her stay at the motel was facilitated through the county’s motel voucher program. 

Her criminal record includes a 2016 arrest for spousal abuse and multiple court appearances for probation violations related to her drug use.

She was not related to the child ..,. the kidnapping appeared to be random.

The child was found unharmed. 

THE BIGGEST MURDER IN MALIBU HISTORY? 2 DEAD IN 1982

It was the biggest murder in Malibu history.

And now … it’s largely forgotten.

The deaths off a Malibu Park woman and her son … in 1982… affected most everyone in what was then a quiet beach suburb.

Fred Roehler is still in prison for the murder of his new second wife. … and her son. 

Ivor Davis was living in Malibu …  in the middle of the sensational murder trial/

Fred Roehler and Ivor Davis were both soccer coaches for AYSO.

Half of Malibu believed Fred Roehler had killed his wife and her son. ,.. during a staged boating disaster at Santa Cruz Island.

Verna Jo Roehler, 36, the Malibu man’s second wife … and her son, Douglas Johnson, 8, died in a boating disaster near Bird Rock at Santa Cruz Island.

But Ivor Davis was one of many in Malibu who believed his friend Fred Roehler was innocent.

What happened that night at the island?? 

And what happened in Malibu?

We’ll have more from Ivor Davis tomorrow. 

The author will be having a public talk about his new book … “The Devil In My Friend” … about the now forgotten Malibu murder.

That will be this Sunday at 2 at the Malibu Library.

SADIE THE PARROT SPOTTED AT CALABASAS MALL FOUNTAIN, FLIES BACK TO OWNER 

You may have heard about Sadie the parrot.

The bird flew out the back door of a vets office … in Calabasas … after it was accidentally left open.

The heartbroken residents. … formerly Malibu residents… asked for the public’s help to find their beloved family member. 

Sadie was spotted by somebody at the mall in Calabasas at the fountain, drinking water.

The person recognized the macau from posters. The owner rushed to Calabasas … put her arm out, and Sadie jumped right on it..