Wait Until After May 1, Flummoxed Planning Commission Says, On Temporary Use Permit Recommendations
Written by 991KBU on March 21, 2023
Malibu’s Planning Commission met for four hours plus last night on the issue of Temporary Use Permits … and they are now further from coming up with recommendations than they were when they started.
The commission could not finish its work Monday night … and put off any decision until at least May First.
That may be just fine with some of the commissioners … who appear to be happy with the status quo.
During a four hour discussion last night … the consensus was that the current regulations that in essence prohibit the Malibu Film Society from showing movies in Malibu are working just as intended.
The Malibu Film Society and Malibu Pacific Church contend that showing movies in the evening in the church;’s auditorium isa. Permitted use … and does not need a temporary use permit.
TUPs can only be issued up to six times per year.
The film society shows up to 100 film a year … and has been forced to use theaters in Pacific Palisades and Agoura Hills.
Planning commissioner Jeff Jennings last night said … it’s not clear if showing a movie is illegal at a church without a Temporary use Permit … an L-U-P.
NEWSCART A74008 JENNINGS TUP
“A church, by its very nature, a church service, a gathering of people, is pretty much what these things – weddings retreats, fairs, concerts – pretty much but those are. You talk about having a gathering of people who are worshiping, but you don’t have a permit for gathering for people who are worshiping Orson Wells.”
But other planning commissioners agreed with the city planning director … Richard Mollica.
Miollica interprets the rules as saying any expansion of use at a church requires some sort of permit … either a temporary one or a permanent one.
Planning commissioner John Mazza likes that.
NEWSCART A74010 MAZZA PEAK
“It’s just … you do it right you do it the first time.
“The city council passed the CUP down … to when you change your use, you need to get one … instead of whether 10 years after we adopted an LIP (LCP Local Implementation Program) in 2002 … you had to get one…”
PEAK: “Maybe this will be used as a way that more people get CUPs?”
MAZZA: “Right.”
John Mazza and Skylar peak … talking about churches needing to get CUPs … Conditional user Permits … to host special events in their buildings.
The issue of permits at churches was just one of dozens of issues on the table last night… as the planning commission tried to draft a recommendation for temporary use permits. They are nowhere near finished… and last night they put off the discussion until at least May 1st.
Any suggestion of a special meeting in March or April to address this… viewed by some as a pressing need… was dismissed by Commissioner John Maza.
He says … he needs to do his taxes.
NEWSCART A74009 MAZZA TUP
“I will put it this way: my tax returns (are) over 200 pages long. And I cannot throw in a special meeting before April 15. No way.”
Good news for Commissioner Mazza.
All IRS deadlines for local residentshave been extended into October … due to the California floods.
This editorial note … the director of the Malibu Film Society is a volunteer and board member at KBUU.
We acknowledge the conflict of interest and its attendant obligation for disclosure and fairness.
And these corrections … on at least one newscast this morning … we misread our script.
We said TUPs can only be issued 18 times per property per year. Our error … they maximum number is six special events per year.
Also … the Malibu Film Society has over 100 special screenings per year … not 200.
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