Patt Healy Is Lone Voice Against Converting Abandoned Gas Station And Office Building Into Lucrative Hotel

Opposition has surfaced to the proposal to convert an abandoned gas station and modern office building … with an underground garage … into a hotel.

The “Sea View Hotel” is proposed for across the street from Nobu.

Developer Norm Haynie wants to convert the interior of the multistory office building into a luxury 39-room hotel,

The abandoned gas station would become a landscaped entry way and driveway … with a hotel gateway office set back 40 feet from the highway … and connected to the existing office building that sits up the hill.

The office building would be the new hotel … and it would not be enlarged.

Plans went for review by the Environmental Review Board yesterday.

“Preserve Malibu” activist Patt Healy raised the only objections … yesterday … as the city Environmental Review Board looked at the proposal.

She said … she doesn’t like it.

NEWSCART 73353 HEALY NO OPEN SPACE

“A project should have much more landscaping than this one does … and from the pictures that I’ve seen it looks like a waterfall just cascading down of cement and concrete … and there’s really no natural open space.”

Haynie pointed out the project is the repurposing of an existing office building that was legally built more than 30 years ago … in the center of the city.

He says the exterior dimensions of the office building are not going to be changed.

The entrance-way building that will replace the abandoned gas station …. will not be visible from surrounding houses up the hill.

And it will be set back 41 feet from PCH in the heart of the Billionaires Beach commercial district … by far the largest setback of all buildings.

Norm Haney says it will be an enormous improvement on the views from Pacific Coast Highway

NEWSCART 73352 HAYNIE

“If visual impact is a consideration of the ERB (Environmental Review Board) … then I think it should take notice that when the project is completed the part that is adjacent to the scenic highway is going to be very very nice in comparison to what it is now … and probably in comparison to any other commercial building that is on PCH.”

Numerous Malibu residents have gone before the city council to endorse that proposed hotel … including some who generally oppose development in Malibu.

All five city council members have said in public that they want the city to fasttrack consideration of the project.

Possibly coloring that … the proposed hotel conversion has the possibility of becoming a real moneymaker for the city.

Not only in terms of millions of dollars in hotel tax revenues … but a one million cash payment to the city for the rezoning.

Haynie also would be required to install a huge valve for the city water supply … over in Topanga Canyon … to ensure an adequate water supply for firefighting at the hotel if a big earthquake cuts the only supply pipeline.

Haynie’s hotel proposal goes on to the Planning Commission … and then the city council … for decisions later this year.

One other new hotel is proposed …. that one for the vacant lot next to the Malibu Inn … near the Malibu Pier.

The public comment period for that hotel has been extended … due to a screwup in legal advertising about the comment window.