A two track system for building permits … one fast track for fire rebuilds … one nitpicking track for general projects … has been formally set up at Malibu City Hall.

A policy adopted by the city council Wednesday night officially sets up the two track system.

Plan checkers and other technocrats handling fire rebuilds have a separate office building … and separate set of rules … from their colleagues handling general … non-fire related projects.

At last night’s city council meeting …. Councilman Bruce Silverstein laid out the city council’s policy in plain language:.

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“I want to make sure we have a total separation … so that the people who are working in the rebuilds are looking for solutions … looking for ways to expedite and accelerate the process and make it efficient and get the homes rebuilt.

“I want to make sure that that same thinking is not being applied to new development.

“And I also want to make sure e sure that the people who are working on new development … who are accustomed to nitpicking everything … aren’t touching the rebuilds in any way shape or form.

“Is that what’s going on?

YOLANDA BUNDY: “That is correct then you can have reassurance that way were implementing.”

Community services director Yolanda Bundy …. responding to city councilman Bruce Silverstein last night.

Bundy says the city is hiring a in-house emergency case manager and coordinator … to over see the flow of projects coming through community services.

And the city is also trying to find a way to lock in proposals in a predesign meeting with applicants…

Chief city planner Tyler Eaton.

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“We understand that sometimes you get a word from someone when you do a predesign meeting and there’s maybe agreements made and then when you go to submit your plan, there’s a different planner reviewing and you might get different round of commentds.

“So Yolanda and are talking about some type of a signed document from the parties that would be at the predesign meeting or the agreement meeting … where it’s gonna be consistent … so when you do some of your plan …. you’re not surprised by anything.”

The city now has 34 workers on its payroll .. handling fire rebuild applications.

Not enough … says community services director Yoland Bundy … not enough to handle the flood of engineering plans … blueprints … and other sheafs of paper and data coming in.

Outside consultants will still be necessary.

Council Formalizes Beachfront Rebuilds to Be Higher Than Previous Houses

Last night … the city council formally approved a policy to allow beachfront houses to be rebuilt … with the ground floor level at the height required by the federal government.

In some cases, that could mean houses that are 8 feet or more higher than the ones they replaced.

The city council unanimously voted to require that beachfront houses have a licensed civil engineer with experience in coastal engineering to stamp the plans.

Chief city planner Tyler Eaton told the city council … the professional review is important.

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“There’s probably plenty of talented people out there that don’t necessarily have a degree, but this will create some assurance that these people have the necessary, mathematics and engineering background to design it properly.”

Aggrieved Fire Victim Going Nowhere With Demands That Riggins Step Down

Also last night … the city council members rejected accusations from a Malibu fire victim that favoritism and retribution is occurring in the rebuilding permit office.

Arno Koch … a fire victim … has angrily demanded that the city speed up rebuilding permits.

He joins in that demand with the former city fire ambassador … Abe Roy … who was politely  let go by the city council … as the official go between for fire victims and city staff.

And he said many fire victims feel that the city is incompetent … as evidenced by the decision to end the appointment of a rebuilding ambassador … and move to a committee approach.

Koch last night again demanded that Mayor Marianne Riggins resign as mayor … and consider stepping down from office altogether.

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“Right after the fire, when I asked about the bottlenecks in the rebuilding process, you looked me straight in the eyes and said ‘the city is ready, submit your permits. We’re ready for expedite the permit after Woolsey’.

“And you even declared from the dias that the city of Malibu could teach a master class in fire recovery.

“But what the survivors learned instead was a master class and waiting … in frustration … and in broken promises.”

Koch said his feelings are echoed by many fire victims… who are afraid to complain because they will be sent to the bottom of the pile of applications … and face retribution.

He pointed to his petition on change dot org … which has stalled out with 218 names.  A blogger who used to live in Malibu has been campaigning for people to sign on … with little effect.

Few if any names have been added recently.   Only 218 names are on the petition … and of that … only 133 of them identify themselves as 90265 residents … and there is no mechanism to verify residency or prevent double-signatures.

Last night … council members Bruce Silverstein and Doug Stewart rejected Arno’s charges.

And Marianne Riggins scoffed at any possibility of retaliation by city staff.

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“Arno … to your comments … I echo with Bruce.

“If you encounter any delays, if you hear about anybody causing delays …  please let anyone of these people know, including myself.

“There is no retribution anywhere in the city allowed and as Bruce would say, full stop.”