This is Malibu’s Only Local Daily News … the day edition … I’m Hans Laetz reporting. 

At Least One Killed At Mugu Rock On PCH

Another fatal crash on Pacific Coast Highway west of Malibu. 

This one was last night .. one person killed … near Mugu Rock.

CHP officers say it was a single vehicle crash … with heavy fire in one of the vehicles. 

Heavy smoke billowed from the vehicle.

Preliminary reports indicate at least one person was pronounced dead as a result of the incident.

PCH was closed for one hour in both directions. 

Malibu WIll Challenge Coastal Staff On Hosted BandBs, Claims Overnight Beach Rentals Are Illegal Already

Malibu’s city council is telling the California Coastal Commission staff to stuff it… on the issue of short term vacation rentals – Air B and Bs.

A unanimous city council voted Monday night to take a head-on collision course … with Coastal .. one the issue of short term rentals. 

The Coastal staff says short term rentals are a guaranteed right to California beach visitors …

But a significant number of Malibu residents says they are an obnoxious intrusion into a rural residential city.

Malibu has a Local Coastal Plan … written by the Coastal Commission more than 20 years ago … that governs land use in the city. 

And some legal experts say that … under that Coastal Plan … vacation rentals are illegal businesses in residential zoning areas.

Some residents … and some out of town investors … own houses or condos that have been rented out on a short term basis.

The city has crafted a careful compromise that would allow short term rental under Betty tight conditions.

One condition … is an overnight host must be on tHe premises to handle complaints.

Coastal staff says that will cause too many owners to drop out of the short term rental business … unconstitutionally tightening the supply of so-called affordable beach rentals. 

The city council Monday night decided to take its chances … and try to convince the 12 commission members that its staff is wrong on the issue of short term rentals in Malibu.

Mayor Paul Grisanti says the city should get ready to call the Commission staff’s bluff.

NEWSCART A73426 STR PG 

“If you don’t like this … then have the commissioners go ahead and vote it down and then we will be back to our original Coastal plan which has no short term rentals in it.”

All five council members voted for Bruce Silverstein’s legal plan. 

NEWSCART A73427 STR BS 

“We decline the Coastal Commission’s staff’s invitation to further weaken the ordinance. 

“We explain to the staff that the hosted ordinance actually increases the availability of short term rentals in Malibu … and does not narrow that availability because of the way our laws actually does work..

“We further explain that we will be forced to begin the strict enforcement of our existing zoning laws that prohibits short term rentals in residential neighborhoods if the Coastal Commission does not approve the legislation that we have approved…  that would establish for the first time in Malibu’s history grants that authority … in a limited way.

“That’s my proposal.”

The assistant city attorney … Trevor Russin … says Malibu is not the first coastal city to sue the Coastal Commission like this.

Manhattan Beach and Santa Barbara have both tried to make similar arguments. 

Both lost in the Court of Appeal.. 

NEWSCART 73425 STR TREVOR RUSSIN 

“The current state of the appeals is that these type of arguments have been not accepted by the court. The most recent one being with the city of Manhattan Beach – the Keane decision. 

“In that case the court determined that since long-term rentals are at properties, then short-term properties are allowed at properties. And also the argument that it was a hotel what is discarded as well. 

“And so the court in that case ruled against the city of Manhattan Beach.”

Silverstein says the facts are different in Malibu … and the state Supreme Court may agree that year-round housing is more important than short-term housing. 

Some people who several beachfront condos in Malibu says he will lose the ability to rent two thirds of his beachfront condos to vacationers. 

And that he has rented out the units for years … with zero complaints.

But the council also heard Monday night from Malibu resident Barbara Ann Goldstein … who has gad it with beachfront parties in the B and B next door to her windows. 

NEWSCART A73428 STR BARABRA ANN GOLDSTEIN

“I do not like living around strangers. I absolutely love Malibu. I love the sound of the ocean in my master bedroom.”

The city currently has a temporary ordinance … that requires overnight hosts.

City officials say it has dramatically reduced the number of complaints.

Since the temporary ordinance was enacted … there have been only six complaints of short term rental violations … zero verified violations.

Also Monday night … with almost no discussion … the city council approved the city’s 44 million dollar budget.

And it also approved reducing the speed limits on major Malibu streets.

Kanan Dume … Civic Center Way … Dume Drive … and a few other streets will see their speed limits cut by five miles per hour each.

Not affected … Pacific Coast Highway. 

PCH is controlled by the state of California. 

Gigantic Homeless Camp Demolished In Venice

In news from down the coast … a major homeless encampment in Venice has been cleared by City of Los Angeles crews.

The Westside Current newspaper reports that the homeless encampments at Centennial Park have been cleared.

This is the park in the center of Venice Boulevard … between the beach and Lincoln Boulevard.

Homeless persons had taken over the park nine months ago.

More than 60 tents and makeshift homes has been cleared. 

A city worker told the Westside Current that “it was a group effort. 

Park rangers, LAPD, sanitation and St. Joseph Center workers were on the scene for about a week before the park was finally vacant and taped off Monday late afternoon.

A wire fence went up late in the day yesterday..

Colorado River Lakes Are Drying Up – Malibu Water Imperiled

If you think the California drought is bad now … we are about to get much much worse.

If the water level in lake Powell and Lake Mead drops by a combined 150 feet … Southern California will lose access to it largest water supply. 

“We are 150 feet from 25 million Americans losing access to the Colorado River, and the rate of decline is accelerating,” …  a U-S Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner told U S Senators yesterday.

Protecting “critical levels” at the country’s two largest reservoirs — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — will require much larger reductions in water deliveries to Southern California.

Federal officials now believe a new emergency agreement to cut water deliveries from the Colorado is essential … now.

We are going to have too cut between 2 million and 4 million acre-feet next year.

California is entitled to 4.4 million acre-feet of Colorado River water per year, while Arizona’s allotment is 2.8 million.

With the almost total cut off of Sacramento Delta water into Southern California… This leaves Malibu relying on ground water being pumped from below the Los Angeles basin for our drinking water.

Some of that is rainwater… Most of it is treated sewage that is injected into the underground aquifer.

Lake Mead is near Las Vegas … Lake Powell is on the Utah-Arizona line.  

Together they are just 27% full.

Spaaaaaaace Forrrrrrrce Lands At Point Mugu

The U-S Space Force has landed near Malibu. 

The satellite operations center at the Naval Air Station at Point Mugu has been handed over from the U S Navy to the US Space Force.

The Naval Satellite Operations Center has become the 10th Space Operations Squadron.

215 military and 259 civilian personnel from units across the nation  are now reporting to Space Force…. but it’s not clear how many from Point Mugu will be switched over.

The satellite communications center on top of Laguna Mountain … towering above the Navy airfield … is now part of the U-S Space Force.

The biggest impact locally might be a new highway sign on Route 1.

Forest Fire East Of LA Is Pretty Much Stopped AT 2,000 Acres

The Sheep Fire burning east of L A is now 35% contained … at  just under one thousand acres. 

This is just east of the Moiutnain High Ski Area and north of the village of Wrightwood … on the LA County line with San Bernardino County. 

The forest fire grew by only 7 acres yesterday.

It’s a hundred miles east of Malibu … but using firefighting resources from across the nation. 

Red Cross Blood Drive Today At City Hall

There is a blood drive in Malibu today.

The American Red Cross will be set up at City Hall today from 10 until 4 in the afternoon.

The city is sponsoring the drive. 

As of yesterday … appointments were still available … and almost every time … walk-ins are welcome. 

Donors should always bring a photo ID … drink plenty of water and eat well before and after giving blood.

10 to 4 at City Hall. 

Free cookies. 

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The Mark & Grether Group is a small tightly knit team… based in Malibu… with full-time marketing and operations staff to deliver exceptional results and smooth real estate transactions.

Mark & Grether Group… a top producing team with 35 years of experience and over $1 billion of real estate sold and leased …. from Malibu’s coastline to the canyons.

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Malibu Brewing Company is a locally owned craft brewery, proudly supporting our community, and local public radio.

Their Happy Days Honey Blonde is a light dry traditional blonde ale… Brew with local wildflower honey from the Santa Monica mountains.

Find Malibu Brewing Company premium craft beer in select retailers, or order direct at brew malibu dot com

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When choosing someone to represent you when you buy … sell or rent a house … local knowledge is very important.

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Members of the Malibu Association of Realtors are local experts.

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You are listening to the latest news from Radio Malibu.

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