Test of Roundabouts In Western Malibu Wins At Planning Commission in 3-2 Vote

Temporary traffic circles in western Malibu won in the first round at Malibu City Hall … 

But the matter is almost certainly going to be appealed … to let the elected members of the city council decide. 

In a Planning Commission meeting that stretched until almost midnight … the Planning Commission voted 3 to 2 in favor for the three quarter miles of traffic calming on Pacific Coast Highway. 

Residents who live right close to the proposed two traffic circles … at El Matador Beach and Encinal Canyon Road … are strongly opposed.

Like Yvonne Delba ….(phonetic)  

70 75 DELBAC

“We’ve ;lived up Encinal for almost 50 years and maybe the turnout might be a good thing … but right now traffic is (backed up from the stop sign) all the way up to our house. 

“I drive Pacific Coast a lot and most of the traffic. 

“And I’ve noticed most of the traffic only goes about maybe 75 miles (per hour).

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody go 100.”

But sheriff’s deputies have seen that … and posted pictures of the radar gun readings.

Other western Malibu residents also questioned how traffic coming in from side streets will blend in to PCH at the roundabouts … clearly unclear on the concept.

Opponents have already hired a lawyer … Christine Cope … 

And while she did not use the word lawsuit … last night she laid out several issues that might form the legal base a lawsuit .. against the joint City-Caltrans project.

ENCINAL LAWYER 71762

“This is an applicant seeking a coastal development permit … an entitlement that under the LIP (Coastal Local Implementation Plan) requires information documents reports so that you can make the findings under the LP supporting substantial evidence and we don’t have any of that.”

The city staff says the majority of people from Malibu … who have made written comments … are in favor of the roundabouts.

Certainly … most of the people that we have observed at public meetings … Malibu residents … have been in favor of some sort of devices to choke traffic speeds down.

Tiffany Murray is one proponent.

YES TIFFANY MURRAY 71763

“The safety data is overwhelming when intersections are converted to modern roundabouts, fatal crashes drop by as much as 90% because they eliminate the most dangerous collision types: high-speed head-on, and T-bone crashes.

“And they replace them with slower angled movements.

“So this isn’t just my personal opinion … but it’s physics.”

Kevin Keegan.

KEEGAN BLVD 71759 

“Reclassifying PCH as a boulevard is an outcome that we desire.

“Implementing physical changes to the highway, such as the forthcoming bike lanes and sidewalks and the proposed roundabouts strengthen our Malibu’s main road is more of a boulevard than a highway.”

And Rick Mullen

MULLEN BABY TOE. 71760

“t’s really pretty much a baby toe in the water to check it out and see what it’s like.

“It’s gonna be temporary. I think we should all go in with an open mind.

“Have a look at it. See how it works and give it a try.

“And you know they’re gonna get rid of it anyway after 15 months … that will give us a good time to assess it.”

As for the Planning Commissioners … John Mazza hammered away against the roundabouts.

He argued with city project manager Nadia Fahoum …. that drivers in Los Angeles do not know how to drive on roundabouts.

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MAZZA: “People pull into roundabouts and don’t know what to do, because there aren’t any roundabouts they’ve ever dealt with. 

“So it causes big problems. 

“How do you educate people to use roundabouts if there aren’t any in LA county on a 55 mph road??”

CITY PROJECT MANAGER: “ And that is an excellent question. I hope everyone knows that knowledge about roundabouts and how to navigate them and understand them is on the California DMV test. 

So Californians need to know about roundabouts in order to obtain their licenses.

MAZZA: “Do you believe they know that?”

MANAGER: “We think they will learn.”

MAZZA:  “And you think that will slow traffic? “

MANAGER:  “We do … because roundabouts are an effective way of slowing and managing speeds.”

Project manager Nadia Fahoum … answering Commissioner John Mazza’s questions.

In the end … he and Marni Kamins were the two no votes. 

With commissioners Drew Leonard and Skylar Peak in favor … that left it to commission chair Elizabeth Riddick to cast the deciding vote.

She said she did not want to see PCH reduced from 4 lanes to 2.

But she said these roundabouts can be driven over in a fire evacuation …  

RIDDICK VOTE 71766

“I’m going to reiterate, this is one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make. 

“I also want to iterate that this is a short term project with a trial for 15 months.

“If it doesn’t work, it’s out.

“Because of the safety concerns that were discussed – the mountable medians, the mountable roundabouts the ability to drive over them, the fact that the emergency vehicles can go through them, and the short term length of the project – I’m willing to give it a test.”

At one point during the debate … commissioner John Mazza accused the city staff of trying to “weasel out” out of enforcing city rules by using the term “as designed.” He accused the city staff of trying to get around city planning commissioners. 

Chief planner Tyler Eaton was not happy. 

WEASEL 71765

MAZZA: “ ‘As designed’ is a ‘weasel word’ to say ‘I can change anything’ and it is not as designed.

EATON, INTERRUPTING: “So Commissioner Mazza, let me give you an example here.

“If if we were trying to ‘weasel’ out, as you say, this would not have come before you as it is right now. 

“I would have found an exemption and said ‘nope… we’re not going to let the public hear this one.’

So guess what: your city staff ensured that we are following the Local Coastal Program and we are going to do the same thing …

“I promise you that.”

MAZZA, INTERRUPTING: “And I guarantee you that some person will…”

EATON, SPEAKING OVER MAZZA: 

“I keep hearing assumptions that we are trying to … like I just heard here … quote unquote … weasel things out of the code.

“Let me assure you … it is our job to make sure that we are following the Local Coastal Program …”

Because the roundabout debate went so late … three cases regarding proposed houses did not get heard early this morning. 

One of those house has permits been delayed through four meetings already.

That would be the controversial house on PCH near Puerco Canyon …. xhich sits between PCH and an ocean view.

It got pushed back into January. 

Bass Has Off-Mic Moment And Says City Of LA ‘Botched’ Response To Fire As It Burned Into Malibu

Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles has … in what she thought was an off-mic aside … has concluded that the City of Los Angeles blew it in its emergency response to the Palisades Fire.

The comment was picked up by microphones after she thought the podcast session had ended.

The LA Times reports that the mayor made the assessment at the end of an interview on “The Fifth Column” podcast..

Said Bass … quote … “Both sides botched it.” As the city battled the Palisades Fire … and the county battled the Eaton Fire. 

Bass is making the rounds of political podcasts … 

Bass has already said that LA City firefighters “were sent home” as the Palisades Fire exploded … “and they shouldn’t have been.”

She also called the revelation that the Jan. 1 Lachman fire reignited days later, into the Palisades fire, “shocking.” 

Bass said that had she been told of the fire danger that week …she would never have gone to Africa. 

Billionaires Beach Father And Son Losing Battle For Warner Bros

Two part time Malibu residents appear to have lost their battle to control the biggest Hollywood studio conglomerate.

That would be Larry Ellison and David Ellison.

Warner Brother Doasciver this morning rejected the Ellison father son duo …. made thru their studio … Paramount Skydance.

They tried to outbid Netflix with  $108.4 billion hostile takeover bid.

Netflix had already bid about 84 billion to take over Warner Brothers Discovery.

But the Warners board called the offer “illusory”.

And they accused the Ellisons of misleading Warners shareholders about its financing.

TThe Ellisons have cited their relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump as a reason why the deal would face an easier regulatory path.

And they borrowed heavily from the Trumps and the Saudi royal family to finance their bid. 

KNX No Longer Originating News Midnight To 5

This industry note …

After 58 years of offering live news all night … Los Angeles radio station KNX has cut back.

Between midnight and 5 in the morning … KNX is now carrying the signal of its sister station in San Franciso … KCBS.

Even traffic reports.

No more early morning traffic checks.

The 10-70 AM signal from KNX is one of the few radio signals that can be picked up in western Malibu’s canyons.

Ironically … one of the other signals is KCBS from San Francisco. 

The news business is shrinking.