Planning Comm Pie Fight Over Nobu Permit Violations = Law Firm Threatening Neighbors = B-and-B Ordinance Will Come Up ‘Soon’
Written by 991KBU on June 17, 2020
The Nobu restaurant was cited by the city six years ago for overcapacity … overpacked parking lots …and otherwise violating its city permits.
And after six years … the city has been unable to come up with a solution.
That really bothers at least two members of the Malibu Planning Commission …
And Monday night that resulted in some flailing arms and raised voices at the Planning Commission Zoom telemeeting.
Planning commissioner Steve Uhring and assistant city attorney Trevor Russin had a bit of a Zoomshout.
City staff getting peppered by questions from Uhring about the city non-response …
Russin says the matter is up to Nobu … to come up with a solution.
NEWSCART 75669 NOBU 111B
RUSSIN: “This is the applicant …it’s the applicant and how they want to use their property.
“So it’s up to them what they are willing to apply for.
“The city can work with them about about solutions …”
UHRING TALKING OVER RUSSIN / FRANTICALLY WAVING HIS ARMS: “No Trevor.
“Trevor.
“Trevor!”
“That’s totally …”
PLANNING CHAIR JEFF JENNINGS TALKING OVER BOTH OF THEM:
“Wait.
“Wait.
JENNINGS SHOUTING NOW: “WAIT STEVE.
“ONE AT A TIME.
“ONE. [pause]
“AT. [pause]
“A. [pause]
“TIME.” [pause]
RUSSIN: “So, the city can’t impose anything on them.”
Planning Commission chairman Jeff Jennings … the the middle there … trying to maintain order.
That was the assistant city attorney … saying that the city cannot impose anything on a restaurant that has been cited for violating its city permits.
And that set off Uhring even further.
He asked repeatedly … who is in charge at City Hall … to make sure Nobu plays by the rules it agreed to.
The assistant city attorney said Nobu has hired its own experts.
NEWSCART 75668 NOBU 222 B
“They also have their own traffic engineer who are providing…. “
UHRING CUTS HIM OFF: “Simple question Trevor.
“Simple question.
“Who is in charge?”
PLANNING DIRECTOR BONNIE BLUE: “I’m trying to answer your questions … Mister Uhring.
“The city manager is working directly with the owners and public works and with planning reach a solution.
“We realize this is a crucial issue and we are working to get a solution.”
And that was Planning Director Bonnie Blue … saying that the city manager and Nobu management are very close to announcing an agreement.
But planning Commissioner John Mazza pointed out that was the same story we had been given three months ago.
That’s when the city traffic engineer said he was working with Caltrans to install some sort of traffic devices on P C H to prevent traffic from making left turns from travel lanes into Nobu.
The whole mess has been percolating for six years.
What will the final brew taste like?
An answer may be coming soon.
——
Also Monday night … the issue of B and Bs came up … once again.
Short term rentals continue to operate .. without significant city regulations … in Malibu … despite resolve from the city council to drastically reduce their operations.
The city council has already asked the city staff to draft an ordinance …. to substantially reel in the overnight rental industry.
But the whole process was upended … put on hold … by the COVID 19 paralysis.
The city council and planning commission had planned to wait until people can attend a planning commission meeting in person.
On Tuesday night. Planning Commissioner Steve Uhring said it was urgent to address the matter as as soon as possible. said he has received letters from Malibu residents … who are getting nasty letters from the owners of short term rentals.
NEWSCART 75670 UHRING STR
“And what this law firm did was threaten the resident with legal action if they complained about the short term rentals taking place in their neighborhoods.”
Look … this is something we have got to get our hands around … because this is getting worse.”
Planning Director Bonnie Blue said she would set a date for the public hearing by Tuesday.
That was yesterday … and by the end of the day she told KBUU she was still arranging for a date when every city official can attend.
