Paradise Cove Sewer Plant OK’d But Kissel Co Investigated For Big Time Permit Error – Planning Commission Sees Light, OKs Busch Drive Water Tank
Written by 991KBU on May 19, 2020
A new water tank to serve 300 houses and dozens of fire hydrants in the Malibu Park neighborhood was approved by the Malibu Planning Commission last night.
The commission brushed back objections from a handful of neighbors … that the tank was too big and blocks ocean views.
The new tank is essentially the same size as the existing tank … a little bit bigger in some places … a little bit smaller in others.
The old tank was built in 1947 … and its crumbling and in danger of collapse in an earthquake.
The new tank will have a portable generator stationed there … so that homes in the Horizon Hills area we’ll have water pumps up from the tank during power outages.
The existing water tank … and the new one … are fed by water pushed up the hill from a pumping plant in the Malibu Civic Center.
Three and a half years ago … a similar proposed new tank was shot down by the planning commission.
The county redesigned it slightly … it took 3-1/2 years for that.
In the meantime … the Woolsey fire destroyed about 200 houses in the neighborhood.
This time … the critics on the planning commission saw the light … it was a five to nothing vote in favor of the new tank.
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The Paradise Cove trailer park last night won a permit to build a new sewer pipe and sewage treatment center … which are both already built.
Planning commissioners we’re told that the city is going to do some sort of enforcement action against the Kissel company … which owns Paradise Cove and built the new sewage project without benefit of city plan reviews or inspections.
When planning commissioner … John Mazza … abstained from the vote.
He noted that the new plant might cause a water pollution problem down the road … just like a similar replacement project did 15 years ago.
NEWSCART 75616 SEWER MAZZA
“This is 258 houses … ok?
“A 300 seat restaurant … and we’re going to rush this through?
“I don’t get it.”
But a design consultant who worked on the news sewer plant assured the planning commissioners that the state water board and other agencies reviewed the project for sufficiency.
Barbara Bradley send it is a state-of-the-art System.
NEWSCART 75617 SEWER BARBARA BRADLEY
“John I really appreciate you asking this because this is really very heavily regulated and there are many constraints on this and our ability to shut off if there’s a pipe break.
“We automate so many of those things already and we have alarms that go out to the operator day and night if something happens.”
City officials say an enforcement effort may end up in a fine being levied against the Kissel company for violating requirements that they get city permit to construct something.
But enforcement efforts are confidential.
The Kissel company says it was risking huge fines from the state water board.
It appears they gambled at the city would not mind.
That gamble may have failed.
