Malibu May File Two Lawsuits, Defendants TBA

Malibu’s city council has set aside some time at its next meeting …. to talk about filing lawsuits.

Two lawsuits … to be precise.

The details are secret … the city council agenda was amended yesterday to add … and we quote … “Initiation of litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956 point 9(d)(4). Number of cases: 2.”

The city manager has been reporting that legal negotiations have been under way for months with the two owners of adjacent restaurants … near the Malibu Pier.

Nobu and Soho House share a parking lot … and that parking lot has become a major point of frustration for many Malibu residents.

Particularly … the Nobu restaurant …. a source of frustration for the Planning Commission and the public alike.

Too many cars … and the restaurant is in apparent violation of its use permit.

A cease a desist letter has already been served on the adjacent Nobu hotel … which installed a swimming pool without a permit.

The Planning Commission has been told that the city attorney is handling a zoning enforcement caee.

That may be the reason why the city council will discuss filing two lawsuits next week,

Or … it could be another legal volley against the Coastal Commission … over parks being plopped on private streets in Malibu.

Or .. it could be something else …

Or … the council may reject the possible lawsuits and we may never find out what is happening.

We do know this.

The city council meeting was already scheduled for Wednesday at 5 p-m.

The secret session with the city attorney is the first item… and it has been amended to include possible filing of litigation … something that is highly unusual.

No telling how long that meeting will be.

The controversial short term home rental ordinance will get pushed back … to after that.