Support for KBUU Radio comes from Rancho del Cielo.

For 8 years … Rancho del Cielo has been a partner to public radio in the Malibu.

=====

Norm Haynie’s Hotel Gets OK From Coastal, No One Opposes $800,000 Payoff To MRCA For Malibu Campground

A proposed hotel across the PCH from Nobu won its final regulatory permit yesterday at the California Coastal Commission.

And Malibu gets a two for one bonus … the hotel will also fund the creation of the first public campground within city limits in its 31 years of existence. 

Malibu developer Norm Haynie won approval of his conversion of a three story office building … on the hillside above Billionaire’s Beach … into a 39 room luxury hotel.

And rather than provide low cost overnight rentals … as required by the Coastal Act … Hainey’s luxury hotel will give the MRCA 800 thousand dollars to build a campground … just off Kanan Dume Road in upper Ramirez Canyon … 1 mile inland from Paradise Cove.

Malibu’s usually loud anti-campground noisemakers were conspicuously quiet at the Coastal Commission meeting yesterday … as members of the public lined up to support the hotel and campground combo.

NEWSCART A73923 PROCAMPING

“Hi I am Jane Connolly.  Um. I am a parent and also somebody who lives relatively close to Malibu and this proposed project . 

“I’m very excited about the proposition of 50 to 70 campsites.

“I think this is going to be much more valuable to the community than a couple of extra hotel rooms.”

Other speakers were even more enthusiastic …. praising the 250 thousand dollar grant that the hotel developer will give to an East L-A  group that brings inner city kids to the beach for surfing lessons. 

Norm Haynie will have to pay 250 thousand dollars to a group called Los Courage Camp … which takes kids from the barrios to Surfrider Beach and lends them surfboards. 

One of them … Isabel de Leon.

NEWSCART A73922 PROSURFING ISABERL DE LEON

“Before my mom found Los Courage Camps … I never had access to a board… Or lessons on how to surf… or how to maintain a board.

“All these things are so expensive … and as a kid … you don’t think about the lack of resources or how your socio-economic status determines the things that you can or can’t do.”

No one opposing the hotel … or the campground. … appeared before the Coastal Commission …. 

With one exception.

A lawyer for the hotel down the street read a letter on behalf of its owners … the Mani Brothers.

Steve Camp:

NEWSCART A73911 MANI BROS ATTY STEVE CAMP

“In our view this is an example of an applicant and local government trying to throw deliberate Coastal land use planning out the window.

“The proposed LCPA would modify a the maximum FAR that has been a part of Malibu’s Coastal planning for 20 years.”

FAR … that’s the floor to area ratio … the density … that is objected to by the existing hotel. 

But the density at the new hotel across the street would be less than at the existing Mani Brothers hotel … which was built before Malibu adopted the coastal regulations.

Steve Wiseman noted the hypocrisy.

NEWSCART a73920 ANTIMANI STEVE WISEMAN 

“It appears the purpose of the opposition by the Mani Brothers to this hotel … is they don’t want competition. 

“The Mani Brothers are opposed to any hotel project that competes with the Malibu Beach Inn and puts downward pressure on their room rates even though over 15 million tourists visit Malibu each year. 

“It is interesting to read that the Mani brothers are opposed to the hotel based on the increase in the FAR … when their hotel has an FAR substantially greater than  the proposed hotel.”

But the hotel will have definite benefits for Malibu.

Bill Curtis … testifying in favor of the deal.

NEWSCART A73919 HOTEL Bill Curtis

“For approving this project we get rid of an embarrassing eyesore in the old abandoned blue gas station. 

“With this development it becomes a significant positive for the street.

“We have watched as Mister Haynie has worked and cooperated with the city and others to optimize the project for everyone concerned … including signing a deal with the union … United 11 [the hotel workers union, which had opposed the project].

“Over a million dollars annually in occupancy tax for the city every year and the replacement of a half million dollar plus water main valve at Topanga and PCH.”

Hainey’s funding to replace that water valve at Topanga Beach will allow Waterworks District 29 to send emergency water into Malibu from reservoirs in Topanga Canyon … if the main pipeline from Culver City goes down. 

Like it did last week.

And Haynie’s replacement of the water valve is a big deal for all of Malibu … not just the hotel.

City public safety commissioner Chris Frost.

NEWSCART A73918 CHRIS FROST

“The owner Mr. Haynie has agreed to fix the water check valve at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway at Topanga Canyon Boulevard. 

“When this check valve is fully functional … (it will provide) an additional access to 4,000,000 gallons of water to the 30 inch water main that provides water to most of Malibu.

“Norm has agreed to spend the $600,000 to fix the check valve that will surely save the cost of resources homes and probably peoples lives.”

In addition to the 250 thousand dollars for surf campers … and 800 thousand dollars for the campground … Haney will have to write a check for 800 thousand dollars to the city for general use.

That’s about 2.5 million dollars in civic benefits before the hotel starts construction. 

That bought a lot of support in Malibu for the hotel conversion … and even the campground aspect did not get any protests.

Former city council member Jefferson Wagner testified in favor of Haynie.

NEWSCART A73921 NORMHOTEL WAGNER

“When we put this project together through the city… when I was on the city council and mayor… we had very little opposition to the project. 

“So I encourage you to once again to consider this project as a positive plus for the visitors to Malibu … all visitors … all incomes.

“And I hope you will approve it in the future … and I hope you will continue with your good efforts on behalf of the the citizens of California and visitors to California.”

Also testifying in favor of the hotel …  Malibu city council member Paul Grisanti..

NEWSCART A73917 HOTEL GRISANTI

“I have no complaints I just want to let you know that it was a pleasure to be on the council that approve this and hear all the testimony and have so little of it be even borderline negative.”

But notice what you do not hear.

Not one person from Malibu spoke against the 800 thousand dollar campground payment to the MRCA.

That may be because it was a last minute addition

Coastal executive director Steve Hudson.

NEWSCART A73924 

“Our additional money which will be directed to specifically low cost overnight accommodations is critical in this case.

“That most likely to be directed to the MRCA for the site that we mentioned in the  Santa Monica Mountains for low-cost overnight camping.”

That site … for the campground to be funded by the hotel … is upper Ramirez Canyon … just below Kanan-Dume Road and above the old Streisand Estate …. less than one mile north of Paradise Cove.

The lack of opposition probably wouldn’t have mattered … as the Coastal Commission appeared anxious to approve the project.

And so it did… on a unanimous vote.

Haynie still needs to find a corporate partner … or sell the hotel project to one.

Once that happens. … and the hotel deposits 800 thousand dollars in an escrow account. … the  Norm Haney hotel project will be cleared for construction.

And the MRCA will have a direct connection to funding …. from Haynie and his backers … to build its campground on Kanan Dume Road … a deal set up by the Malibu city council.

CORRECTION:  This article was corrected on Feb. 14 to spell Haynie’s name correctly.

=======

LA To Convert Santa Monica Bay Power Plant To Hydrogen, Some Enviros Say ‘That’s Not Green’

In news from down the coast ….

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to move forward with an $800-million plan to convert the city’s largest gas-fired power plant to hydrogen.

They call it green hydrogen … some environmentalists turn red with anger when they hear hydrogen described as a green fuel.

Critics call this a greenwashing boondoggle.

City Council President Paul Krekorian tells the L A Times that hydrogen as crucial to meeting L.A.’s goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2035.

The decision was to have the L.A. Department of Water and Power begin converting the  Scattergood Generating Station … an electric generating plant that sits between LAX and Manhattan Beach.

Turbines that would be capable of burning a mix of methane and hydrogen would be installed.  

This has never been done before on such a large scale. 

Where would the hydrogen come from???
The Southern California Gas Company has big plans for that … but they won’t say where exactly the hydrogen will be coming from.

Oh … they say it will come from water …. as electricity from solar panels or wind turbines will split H2O molecules into hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

Where will. The water come from?

And how can it possibly make sense to use electricity to generate hydrogen … pump the hydrogen into LAX … and then use the hydrogen to make electricity.

The hydrogen plants would not be fired up often, but they would help Los Angeles keep the lights on during times when there’s not enough solar and wind power to go around.

And LA officials have acknowledged the technology might not be ready right away. 

The initial fuel mix at Scattergood might include more planet-warming natural gas …. Also known as methane … than hydrogen.

The LA Times reports that many climate and environmental justice activists oppose the scheme. 

They raise the possibility that DWP’s experimental hydrogen project could fail, leaving L.A. stuck burning natural gas.

High be more cost effective to invest more heavily in battery storage, energy efficiency and other strategies to ditch fossil fuels.

Last year … the City of L.A. got one-quarter of its electricity from natural gas — a major contributor to the worsening fires, droughts and heat waves of the climate crisis. 

=====

Southwest Transforms Santa Barbara Airport

In news from up the coast, they are calling it the southwest effect at Santa Barbara Airport.

Southwest Airlines as replaced Delta at the Santa Barbara Airport terminal… The entry of southwest at Santa Barbara has driven prices down for airfares on the other three airlines… American United and Alaska.

The Ventura County Star reports that United is still the Santa Barbara airport’s No. 1 most used airline … with more than 450,000 passengers coming and going last year.

Southwest has quickly staked out the No. 2 position with nearly 350,000 customers.

Santa Barbara Airport is 65 miles up the coast from Zuma Beach.

Driving there usually takes about as long to drive as does the 30 mile trip to Los Angeles international airport … although the afternoon drive from Santa Barbara east to Ventura can often get very trafficky.

Southwest offers $59 fares to Oakland… making it almost cheaper for one person to drive to Santa Barbara and park there… then use Southwest and BART in the Bay Area.

====

Former SMMUSD Board Member Appointed Judge

In news from down the coast … longtime Santa Monica and Malibu politician Richard Bloom has been appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to serve as a Judge in the

State Superiror Court in downtown Los Angeles. 

Bloom at one time represented part of Malibu in the State Assembly … representing the 50th District in Sacramento from 2012 until 2022,

Before that … Bloom served on the Santa Monica City Council for 13 years, with multiple stints as mayor, between 1999 and 2012. 

And he served on the Santa. Monica Malibu school board in the 1990s.

=====

Mountain Lion Shielded From Death By Bay Area Ranch Owner Against State Game Agents

California wildlife officials have called off the search for a mountain lion that attacked a 5-year-old boy who was on a hiking trail in rural Northern California, saying there was little chance of capturing the animal.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said Friday that DNA testing confirmed that a mountain lion was responsible for the attack last Tuesday near Tunitas, in San Mateo County.

But efforts to track down and capture the lion were hampered because investigators have been denied access to private property near the attack site.

“This lack of access, combined with worsening weather and the nomadic nature of mountain lions, has diminished the chances for a successful capture,” said Capt. Patrick Foy, a department spokesman.

=====

Burt Bacharach, Former Malibu Resident, Dies At 94

Burt Bacharach, 94, Former Malibu Resident, Dies

Former Malibu resident Burt Bacharach has died at the age of 94.

In all, he scored 73 Top 40 hits in the United States.

Songs like  “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” and “I Say a Little Prayer”.

Bacharach died Wednesday at his L.A. home of natural causes, according to his publicist.

He cowrote  composed the score for “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” which included ‘Raindrops.’ 

He won 2 Academy Awards for the film’s soundtrack.

Bacharach’s hit rate tailed off after the mid-80s, but he continued to pursue eye-catching collaborations, with, among others, Ronald Isley, Dr Dre and Sheryl Crow. 

He made a pair of albums with Elvis Costello, plus a version of I’ll Never Fall in Love Again with him for the 1997 movie, Austin Powers.

=

Warm, Warm Days, and Cold Nights, But Maybe Some Rain Saturday

Santa Anas will arrive this morning … and continue through Friday. And this will be a warm one.

We may see highs above 75 on the beaches today … with wind gusts up to 40 at times and in places.
The Santa Anas will be with us into Friday … off and on.

At night … in wind-sheltered locations … overnight low temperatures will be quite cold the next couple of nights and mornings. 

This weekend … a weak and cold storm system will move over the region. With it … a chance of rain and mountain snow along with gusty winds.

Support for KBUU radio comes from Mad Interior Art.

Based in the fashion capital of the world, Milan, Mad Interior Art selects remarkable crystal, porcelain and stone art objects with a remarkable artistic depth …  created by the biggest names on the Italian and international scene.

Shop from home.  Fast shipping.

Mad Interior Art dot com … from Milan to Malibu … supporters of Radio Malibu. … KBUU.

=====

Support for KBUU Radio comes from Sea N Soul Surf, at Zuma Beach Plaza

A coffee barista … the locals’ place to find entry level surfboards for a grom … or a handshaped blade for a pro. 

Sea N Soul Surf… clothing, coffee and boards for the Malibu lifestyle … under Spruzzo’s …across from Zuma Beach.

=====

Support for Radio Malibu KBUU comes from the Mark and Grether Real Estate Group.

Combining the talents of Tony Mark and Russell Grether… 

The Mark and Grether Group offers concierge-level service… personalized attention… to buyers and sellers… landlords and tenants … here in Malibu.

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

======

Support for KBUU Radio comes from the Malibu Brewing Company.

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

The tap room at Trancas Country Market is open… 

And the Malibu Brewing Company is serving its Oktoberfest fest beer … a traditional lager with notes of toffee … moderate malt flavors and delicate hops. 

A chef prepared menu to enjoy on the patio or inside.

Malibu Brewing Company Malibu California

=====

Support for KBUU radio comes from Saguaro Technology.

Based in Malibu … Saguaro Technology offers software development and other engineering services across the entire product life cycle… and across several industries.

Life sciences, automation, robotics. 

Saguaro Technology engineers work side-by-side with the client to extend engineering teams… to create and launch products faster… and more cost effectively. 

Saguaro Technology can be reached at saguarotech.net

=====

=====

Support for KBUU Radio comes from the Malibu Foundation.

The Malibu Foundation underwrote the KBUU solar panels and batteries at the transmitter … which keeps KBUU’s FM transmitting on 99.1 during storms and blackouts… 24 seven… on clean renewable Malibu sunshine.

====

You can hear the news live every morning until 9:30 on KBUU.

FM 99.1 in western Malibu.  Also: streaming at www.radiomalibu.net

Between 10 and 2 … you can hear the newscast playback loop on KBU2. That’s on FM 99.1 HD2 in your car, or streaming at s7.viastreaming.net/6500

If humanly possible, the KBUU NewsScript is usually published at around midday at www.radiomalibu.net