Unhappy City Council Approves Candelabra Radio Antenna, But It Will Be Painted Neutral Color

The city of Malibu finds itself painted into a corner … as the city council Wednesday night reluctantly gave permission for the county to finish building … and then use the gigantic county radio tower in the civic center.

County sheriff’s officials … the sheriff himself … had pressured the city council hard. 

Sheriff Robert Luna this week personally called the city council members …. before the meeting … to campaign for the tower.

The tower will not be allowed get any higher … but 17 vertical antennae … each about 5 feet long … will be hung on it.

Radio engineers who designed the tower said there is only one place where it can be placed … and that would be right next to what the city hopes will be a new sheriff’s station at the college building.

Sheriff’s Captain Dustin Carr last night said … Malibu needs a local sheriff’s station … and the tower is mandatory for that.

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“Ultimately that tower will allow it (the station) to function as a fully-functional sheriff’s station.

“But for our county for our safety – for our community – for what we need to do. It’s in the it’s in the position to do.

“And so … we are definitely willing to make aesthetical changes to the tower, to make it less impactful on the skyline and on the eyesight of the people as they are passing by.”

One big issue for council members was the fact that the tower was built too high … violating the city permits … 

A Santa Monica College vice president spoke for the college on the failure to obtain the “CUP” … the city Conditional Use Permit ….for their tower. 

Chris Benvenuto:

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“We did not purposefully build it in ignoring the requirements. 

“There was a miscommunication between us and the county.

“We thought the county was going to get the CUP… They thought we were going to get the CUP…

“The county put it up as part of our overall construction plan.

“We missed the oversight.”

The CUP is the conditional use permit … the City’s permit to actually use the tower. 

Council members said they were really concerned … that LA County bypassed city permits when it suddenly installed the tower three years go.

Residents were shocked when the tower suddenly appeared … an ugly industrial candelablrearight in front of the beautful park and new college campus. 

UNLAWFUL BS 

“I was very concerned about the fact that this tower was unlawfully constructed.

“I accept the gracious answer realize the gracious answer that ‘we screwed up … we wouldn’t have done this had we known’.”

The tower is a monument to government miscommunication.   

It was paid for by taxpayers … through the Santa Monica College.

It was designed by the county radio department… for the sheriff.

It was inspected by the California Division of the State Architect … 

And now … the sheriff says it needs to be big … and right where it is.

City councilman Steve Uhrng. 

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“I came into this thing in the more I learn the more I am upset. I mean, we’ve been jammed on this thing. 

“This has not been … I didn’t know that the sheriff substation couldn’t be open until the tower was approved. 

“They built the tower without permission. 

“It’s been going on for God knows how long.

“They could’ve changed the colors a long time ago and they didn’t do that. 

“I just have a hard time believing that there’s not another place that they could put this thing …”

By the way … Uhring’s hilltop house looks right over on the radio tower.

The vote last night was 4 to 1 … with council member Uhring the lone dissent. 

The tower will be repainted a neutral color … something like dark grey or olive or brown or maybe white.

The final color selection will be up to a two-member council subcommittee … that will be looking at paint chips.

Joe Irvin Voted In As Next City Manager

Malibu has a new city manager … after five years of turmoil at City Hall … all five city council members have inked a deal with Joe Irvin to run the city.

He is walking away from a brand new contract at his current job … city manager at South Lake Tahoe …

And he made his first public appearance … last night. 

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“South Lake Tahoe has so much alignment with Malibu … with regards to preserving natural open spaces, working with Caltrans to manage a highway that essentially serves our main street, as well as planning evacuations from wildfire and emergency preparedness efforts.

“These are all things I have been working on the last eight years of my career.

“And I am just ecstatic to be able to come here and share my expertise with Malibu.”

As KBUU had reported last week … the city last night confirmed that he will be paid 310 thousand dollars per year… 

Councilman Bruce Silverstein said it’s been five years since he led the ouster of longtime city manager Reva Feldman.  

The city hired a mere caretaker … he said … in the form of Steve McClary. 

But he left about two years ago … a new city manager was recruited … vetted and offered the job.

But she withdrew in a cloud of political smoke from her old job in Palmdale. 

Silverstein Malibu will find it worth the late to find the right person.

BS IRVIN HIRE 71772 

“We have taken over a year. A very tough search. 

“I think that Joe has all of the qualities and qualifications that make me want him to be our city manager and not just satisfied that he is going to be our city manager. 

“He is going to live in Malibu .. which is something that a lot of our residents have been wanting for a number of years.”

That was part of the deal  … a 45 thousand dollar per year housing subsidy … to help out with the rent on a house in Malibu.

Malibu got more than 200 resumes for the job … according to one city council members. 

And Irvin stood out … no one at his current employer s mad at him.

Again … city council member Bruce Silverstein. 

BS RE IRVIN 71776 

“Many of the otherwise well-qualified people who had problems being where they were and they were all on the ropes had already gone. 

“Joe was recently offered a very unusual six year contract. And he wanted to come here. 

“This is not somebody who needed a place to go. This is somebody who was attracted here … which made this appointment even more easy to make.”

Joe Irvin has the strong support of all five city council members … which is usually a 3-2 split along deep personality and policy issues.

So what is Joe Irvin’s agenda???

A balancing act.

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“I respect and completely concur with the vision statement and the mission statement of Malibu … that we need to focus on preserving our rural character and protecting the environment. 

“I also recognize the importance that cities have in providing those sustainable accommodations for the visitors … that want to come visit those of us that are able to live here.”

And Irvin says he looks forward to meeting Malibu residents at the supermarket.

Prior to serving as the City Manager of South Lake Tahoe, he served as the Assistant City Manager for the city of Healdsburg in the Napa Valley. 

He is a graduate of Cal State Channel Islands, and often frequented Malibu while a local student.

And until he formally moves in next year … January to be exact … Malibu has yet another different city manager in the meantime.

The current interim city manager … Candace Bond … its taking the holidays off … and she is effectively leaving City Hall.

And the new “temporary, acting, interim, for the time being, until further notice city manager is Rob du Boux.

The veteran public works director … du Boux is in charge if anything should  happen until Irvin moves in after the Christmas holidays.