New Planning Director Overrides Old Planning Director: Proposed Multistory Malibu Inn Must Erect Story Poles
Written by 991KBU on August 30, 2021
Malibu’s news planning director has reversed an exemption given to proponents of a multistory hotel proposed for across the street from the Malibu Pier, and ordered that story poles and flags be set up to show what the mass will look like.
Residents and the decision makers on the Planning Commission will get a better idea of what a proposed multistory hotel next to the Jack In the Box in Malibu will look like, said Planning Director Richard Mollica
The proposed Malibu Inn goes before the Planning Commission on Tuesday, September 8. It was supposed to go before the Planning Commission last week … but it was pulled at the last minute.
The previous planning director …. Bonnie Blue … had decided that story poles would not be necessary … because they would block parking needed by the Casa Escobar restaurant. Blue has since left the city, to care for her parents in Florida.
Casa Escobar is gone,,, a casualty of the pandemic.
And Aviator Nation is downsizing the size of the restaurant … they say they don’t need to park cars on the vacant lot hotel site after all.
The proposed motel would be terraced into the hill.
Since no major zoning changes or variances are being requested, any yes vote by the Planning Commission’s cannot be appealed to the city council. A no vote, however, can be appealed by the applicants. And any person may appeal the project to the California Coastal Commission, where staff in the past has stated that Malibu does not have enough hotel rooms to serve coastal visitors.
Planning Director Richard Mollica tells KBUU that staff decided to continue the item to gather additional information that would be important for the Planning Commission to make their decision.
