City Planning Commissioner Goes Around City Council In Attempt To Overturn Decision, But Coastal Staff Says ‘No State Issue’
Written by 991KBU on June 22, 2021
KBUU NEWS MON JUNE 21
POSTED TUES JUN 22 WITH ADDITIONS, BELOW
A Malibu city planning commission was so unhappy that the city council overruled his vote on a house remodeling project … that he appealed the city council’s vote to the California Coastal Commission.
Commissioner Kraig Hill’s argued against the house remodeling … for an oceanfront project on Pacific Coast Highway west of Broad Beach … and his arguments were rejected by the city council.
The city planning commissioner appealed the city council’s decision to the California Coastal Commission. And the commission staff rejected those arguments, and said Hill’s complaints are not worth consideration by the Commission.
They said … not of statewide interest.
Hill made three arguments.
Hill argued that the city council had relied on an outdated wave uprush study …
He argued that the city allowed too much TDSF…. Total Developed Square Footage ,,, because the city did not count a rock revetment as developed area.
And Hill argued the design was too boxy.
All three of Hill’s objections are being recommended for rejection by the staff at the Coastal Commission.
In a report issued late last week … they say the homeowner at first used an old wave study … but then switched to a correct new one.
The Commission staff says the outside rock walls do not count as house development footage … like Hill claimed.
And they say the boxy design may be too boxy … but that is not the state’s problem.
The recommendations go to the Coastal Commission … where it is highly unusual for a staff recommendation to be overturned.
It is also highly unusual … if not unprecedented … for a city planning commissioner to try to make an end run around a city council decision.
It’s not the first time Hill has run counter to the city council.
Hill was appointed to the commission by Mikke Pierson two years ago … but was then asked to resign.
At the time … Pierson said Hill was raising too many technicalities and obstacles … and was creating problems for homeowners by needlessly, bogging things down in technicalities.
After that … Hill was put back on the Planning Commission by a new city councilman … Bruce Silverstein.
After this news was broadcast, Hill told KBUU News that it was inaccurate, and that two of the three recommendations for denial accomplished his goal of “putting staff on notice” at Malibu City Hall.
“Yes, I lost on one claim but got something constructive out of the other two. So far. I got the applicant to do a better wave uprush, and I got CCC staff to agree that the unauthorized City staff interpretation of the 2/3 Rule is incorrect.”
KBUU News stands by its characterization of the recommended denials, of being recommended denials of the claims made by Hill.
