Caltrans Entertains Ideas To Calm PCH, State Mentions a ‘Pacific Coast Boulevard’

One person thinks a 65 mile an hour speed limit on PCH is the answer.  Others want 35 mph signs in the business section of Malibu.

Caltrans wants to know whatever other ideas the general public has.

Tonight from 6 to 8 … at Malibu City Hall … the state agency that runs Malibu’s main street will hold a workshop on what they are calling the Caltrans’ PCH Master Plan Feasibility Study.

And whatever comes out of this … it appears the state is finally rounding there curve on the supremacy of the car … on the road … on this road.

For the first time … the state is making a commitment to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists on PCH.

24 years ago … state traffic engineers said there would never be bike lanes on PCH. And that moving traffic was their job… vehicle traffic. 

The highway engineers said that at PCH Safety Task Force meetings that we attended in the year 2000.

The city of Malibu’s traffic superintendent in 1999 said … at a city council meeting … “there will never be sidewalks on PCH.  What would they connect to?”

Close quote.

Times have changed … he retired … and state laws and policies have changed. 

The legislature is now requiring that “safe streets” be implemented on all Caltrans projects … even mere repaving.

Safe streets equals lower speed limits … crosswalks … traffic calming … narrower lanes.

Caltrans is listening.  It says “The PCH Master Plan will include community stakeholder engagement activities and community outreach meetings to gather input…”

But the agency is already signaling where they are going. 

It goes on to say they are looking at “various traffic calming measures and other street improvements … including a ‘boulevard’ roadway.”

The state says it is looking at projects on the short term … medium term … and long tern horizons. 

What are your ideas??

Traffic circles?

Bike lanes?

Express lanes? 

Tonight at 6 … no idea too wacky.

‘Wally’s Wines’ Stumbles Into A Downtown Malibu Swimming In Liquor Licenses

Talk about bad timing.  A small chain of wine shops wants an alcohol sales license from the Planning Commission, just as the number of liquor licenses in Malibu has long been a sore spot for some. 

The July 4th death of a man … which may be linked to a booze-soaked party at Nobu … is fresh on peoples’ minds.

Next Monday night .. the Malibu Planning Commission its being asked to approve another liquor license in downtown Malibu.

Wally’s Wine Restaurant is being proposed for part of the new shoppjng center on Civic Center Way … next to the Malibu Library.

It’s an offshoot of Wally’s Wine Market… a small regional chain, with a retail store in Santa Monica.

Liquor stores are not allowed in the Civic Center zoning area… and Wally’s is proposing a restaurant with indoor and outdoor dining areas.

Wally’s is asking for two liquor licenses … one for onsite restaurant consumption ,… and one to sell bottles of wine and other alcohol for take out.

They propose a market that would sell gourmet food, and wine and spirits for offsite consumption. 

That will likely encounter a hornet’s nest.

Malibu’s General Plan calls for far fewer liquor outlets than already exist.

Some planning commissioners … especially John Mazza … have already voice public concern about the number of places selling alcohol along the Malibu.

The liquor license for the proposed Wally’s restaurant is similar to the liquor license for Nobu … just a mile away. 

There are more than a dozen similar liquor licenses within close proximity to the proposed Wallys.

Is Malibu oversaturated with places that sell liquor to patrons … for consumption on the premises. .. or for take way?

Case Yet To Be Filed By DA On What Looks Like A Nobu-Related  Drinken Crash

It’s been 6 days since Martin Okeke was killed in what may have been a drunk driving crash.

The other driver … Summer Wheaton … has not been charged as of this morning.

The district attorney and sheriff’s offices are carefully gathering evidence.   

If charges are filed… maybe expect an announcement late this week or early next week. 

Mansion-Sized Fire Rebuild in Malibu Park Morphs Into Gigantic Megamansion Proposal

The Malibu Planning Commission is being asked to reject a proposed house on Cuthbert Road … above Malibu High School … because it is too big.

An owner wants to rebuild a house that burned down in the Woolsey Fire .. with a structure than is more than twice as large.

The giant house would come in at 85 hundred square feet. 

Neighbors worry that it would be turned into a rehab center … because it is so big.

City staff says the house. Is big … but so are some other houses on Cuthbert.

And they say the project complies with the maximum allowable TDSF, … the square footage allowed by the size of the lot.

Staff says there are no indications that the project would have any adverse effect on neighborhood character.

Kebab Stand With Open Brazier Sends Delicious Smoke Onto Highway, Until Fire Truck Arrives

Just as fire season is getting serious … some guys last Sunday set up a kebab stand at one of the view point pullouts on Kanan Dume Road.

With a barbecue … with open flame.

Smelled good … mesquite wood. 

Fragrant smoke was wafting across the highway.  

The chef told KBUU News he had permits.

Doubtful.

The Santa Monica Mountains are a no open flame area.

A fire truck was sent up from Malibu … 

On scene for 11 minutes.

No more kebabs on Kanan Dume. 

Kenneth Hahn Speaks From the Grave To Endorse Expanding Board Of Supervisors

LA county supervisors held a public hearing Tuesday… About their proposal to expand the number of county supervisors from 5 to 7.

Here’s how that started:

70412 SUPE HAHN 1972

SUPERVISOR CHAIR: “I would like to first hear from supervisor Hahn.”

HAHN: “ Now there is nothing new in these studies whatsoverver.

“You do not need to study study study.  They have been studying county governments since 1851 and there’s time for change.

And the change and the time for change is now “

That was LA county supervisor Kenneth Hahn … speaking in 1972.

“There is a basic need for overhaul in 1972 and it is not too much to ask that the people of this county should be entitled to have five supervisors like they have in Alpine County… where they have five supervisors for only 1,000 people.”

Kenneth Hahn’s daughter … Janice Hahn … holds that South Bay seat on the five member board of supervisors.

70414 SUPV JANICE HAHN 

“it’s amazing that 52 years later some people thought we would never get to this this changed and this this reform of County government”

Hahn and Malibu’s county supervisor … Lindsay Horvath … have introduced a measure to allow voters to decide on expanding the number of supervisors from 5 to 9.

Their measure would also set up government reforms … including a powerful and independent ethics commission for elected county officials….

That would include the sheriff … attention … former sheriff Alex Villanueva. 

It would also include an elected chief executive officer … sort of a countywide mayor.

TheL:A Times reports today that the proposal has ruffled the feathers of some members of the board of supervisors …. Who say they were blindsided by the proposal.

Bear Makes 80-Mile Trek To Hang Out At Malibu, Then Gets Busted In Valley

They call her Yellow 2291.

She’s a female bear who has been hanging out without much notice along PCH west of Malibu.

Yellow 2291 was captured this week in a trap in an industrial park not far from Cal State Northridge.

More details are coming in about this bear’s travels …

From Claremont to Pasadena to Newhall … to Malibu … spent dome time here … then back to the San Fernando Valley. 

She was just saying, ‘Yeah, I’m just gonna take a little trip across Southern California,’” … 

So said Jessica West,… a state wildlife conflict specialist … quoted in the Los Angeles Times.

Wildlife researchers are studying Yellow 2291’s history … with the idea of adding wildlife crossings in addition to the one being built above the 101 Freeway north of Malibu.

The big worry is in the mountains between Malibu and the 101l.

Researchers say the Woolsey Fire caused a dramatic increase in the number of potentially lethal road and freeway crossings by radio-collared mountain lions.

The fire also has caused mountain lions to roam twice as much as they did before Woolsey … greatly increasing the risk of deadly clashes between mountain lions over shrinking territory.

What about Yellow 2291 … how is she doing???
She got trucked back into the mountains above Claremont … and may be planning to walk 80 miles out to Malibu again.

Highs Above 100º In Malibu Mountains, High Tides Of 8 Feet This Weekend

Malibu will be 10 degrees cooler today than yesterday.

Right on there beach … at least. 

The marine layer will be thick… And the Malibu coast may not see sun today.

But on the lands side of PCH … the long lasting and extreme heat wave in interior. Los Angeles County will continue this week… Has a strong high-pressure system remains clamped down over southwestern California.

Cooling may arrive Friday… But that’s relative. It will still be well above normal for this time of year.

Looking ahead … some major high tides are coming this weekend.

High tides of 8 feet or more … that’s very very high … are likely Fri through Sunday night.