Soho Given Another Reprieve on PCH Jam
Written by 991KBU on July 16, 2019
The city of Malibu may be unable to fix the Soho House – Nobu traffic jam … but the L A County sheriff’s department is whipping out its ticket books to get traffic moving.
Last night … the city Planning Commission voted to again postpone substantive action on the restricting the overcrowding at the Soho House and Nobu parking lots.
The commission bent over backwards to try to broker a compromise between the Soho House and nearby residents.
And in fact … peace broke out over the issue of noise.
More on that in a second.
But traffic was the major issue.
Last night the city planning commission was scheduled to act on the Soho House’s continued violations of its city permits.
The private club has without approval changed its entrance and exit pattern … and it frequently allows trucks to park in the middle of Pacific Coast Highway.
Sheriff Lieutenant Jennifer Seetoo says there has been a traffic enforcement crackdown … starting with those trucks parked in the center of P C H in th emiddle of a beach day.
NEWSCART 75201 SEETOO 111 QQQ OVER 200 TICKETS.
“A Saturday .… at 3 PM … during summer … in the middle of the street. “Guess what???
“They got a ticket.
“My deputies that weekend gave over 200 tickets.”
Both Soho House and Nobu’s parking valets continue to park cars across the highway … in garages under office buildings or elsewhere.
That’s illegal … under the current permits.
Seetoo says the sheriff’s office has taken up the cause … after years of city efforts.
One major issue … the parking valets are using a pedestrian traffic signal to cross … a lot.
Again .. Lt Seetoo.
NEWSCART 75202 SEETOO 222 QQQ PUSHING MY PEDESTRIAN BUTTONS
“Every time that pedestrian button is hit it stops in traffic. So I said, no more. No more hitting my pedestrian button.
“what I want is those valets to go across the street, and [to valets:] ‘you wait there until you get a car called out, and then you come out.’
“I don’t want anymore valets crossing the street and pushing my pedestrian buttons.”
The sheriff’s lieutenant says she is pushing long term solutions … such as offsite employee parking and a shuttle to the oceanfront restaurants.
The Soho House request to switch its parking lot entrances and exits was will be studied.
A camera will be installed across the highway to see how the temporary steps work.
One major problem … the Soho House and Nobu are supposed to share a joint parking lot and operate a joint valet parking system.
Nobu now refuses to do that.
In fact … Nobu was not at the meeting last njght.
The city has given Nobu an ultimatum about solving the problem … and has threatened to yank its operating permit.
Getting back to Soho … and its permit.
The company plans to install a high end interior sound system … in an teempt to win permission for live music performances inside.
But neighbors like John Graham went before the commission to say … no outdoor concerts … he wants to continue to hear the ocean.
NEWSCART 75203 JOHN GRAHAM QQQ INSIDE MUSIC, WE THINK THAT’S GREAT
“They’ve been around for three years.
“They have a very avid population base, which is awesome.
“They’ve done it without the music.
“Now they want to put the music outside … in addition to the inside music. “We’re all in favor inside music … we think that’s great.”
And that was music to the ears of the planning commissioners … like Kraig Hill.
NEWSCART 75205 KRAIG QQQ BARELY EVEN HEAR IN THE PARKING LOT.
“You know a rock drum set is completely out of the picture here, I think.
“But on the other hand … maybe you know like a cocktail jazz set or something … you would barely even here in the parking lot.”
Soho House thus will be able to have quiet concerts … inside the club.
Planning commission chair Steve Uhring.
NEWSCART 75204 UHRING QQQ BITCH YOU TAKE THEM OUT
“Put your money where your mouth is if you think that thing is not going make any noise.
“Pay to put the speakers in.
“If the neighbors bitch … take them out.”
Of course … the other piece of the puzzle is Nobu.
The sheriff’s lieutenant says she is talking with them.
The city’s been doing that for years … and threatening them.
We will see.
