Epic Battle Over Pt Dume Parking Reignites – Coastal Says ‘Where’s The Bus?’
Written by 991KBU on January 31, 2020
The California Coastal Commission says Malibu had no right to discontinue operation of a shuttle bus on Point Dume … and does not have the right to install a parking barrier to close the small parking lot at the tip of the point at sunset.
And so … a battle that began 23 years ago has reignited.
Back in 1997 … the city installed boulders on the public street at the Point Dume State Beach and Nature Reserve.
Residents were tired of the heavy parking demand by surfers … parkgoers … the general public.
Malibu took action … but without a state coastal permit.
The city dumped giant boulders along the park … preventing parking.
Coastal went ballistic.
They won a court settlement that required the city to remove the boulders …. install a small lot with 12 parking spaces … and run a shuttle bus up and down the point to accommodate visitors.
O-K.
The bus rain for 10 years … no one rode it … the city discontinued it.
Flash forward to 2019.
Residents are again upset with late night partying on that 12-space parking lot … which is supposed to be closed after sunset.
They convince the city to install a barrier gate to keep cars out after it is closed at sunset … and alligator teeth to allow cars to leave.
Kasn’t been installed yet … but that was enough to trigger the Coastal Commission back into action.
The staff objects to the point out that … as part of the 20 year old settlement … the city was supposed to be running a shuttle bus.
As we said … the shuttle bus ran for 10 years and was widely regarded as a joke .. because virtually no one was ever seen riding it.
The city says its agreement with California State Parks allowed it to stop running the ghost bus if it was impractical.
Coastal says the deal is still in force … and the bus has to be running.
And of the bus isn’t running … the city has to install 22 more parking spaces at the point.
Coastal also says the new parking restrictions installed on Grasswood and Fernhill streets is illegal.
And residents have planted landscaping and put rocks in parking spaces in front of their houses … also in violation of the city agreement and coastal act.
All of this leads to a substantial issue … a bad precedent … and a violation of the Coastal Act … according to commission staff.
The matter goes before the Coastal Commission for a preliminary decision … on February 13th … at its meeting in Long Beach.
