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The Malibu Times The Malibu Times NEWS PA PER • MAGAZ I NE • O NL I NE
NEW S PAPER • MAGAZINE •ONLINE Malibu’s Award-Winning Community Paper Since 1946
VOL. LXXV • NO. XLII
Planning Commission addresses Woolsey Fire victims request
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022
malibutimes.com • $.50 • WEEKLY
Santa Ana wind advisory blows through Malibu
School board approves Malibu High School Project Construction begins after a face-off between the Planning Department and SMMUSD
13 residents request extensions to accommodate SCE settlement
By JIMY TALLAL Special to The Malibu Times
By SAMANTHA BRAVO Of The Malibu Times
At a Special Meeting of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Board of Education on Jan. 26, a resolution to certify the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the $160 million Malibu Middle and High School (MMHS) campus remodel passed unanimously. The district is now cleared to begin construction on the massive project, funded by the 2018 voter-approved Measure M bond. At the conclusion of the meeting, a smiling SMMUSD Chief Malibu Medical Group partnered with the City of Malibu to host a drive thru COVID-19 testing clinic on Saturday, Jan. 22. Photo by Samantha Bravo/TMT Operations Officer, Carey Upton, said, “This will allow us to go fordescriptive take on the destrucdry Santa Anas that come down “Red Wind: A Collection of ward with creating a great new tive weather phenomenon in her through the mountain passes Short Stories.” Chandler ably high school and a great new camessay “The Santa Anas.” While and curl your hair and make captures the menacing heat of pus and middle school for Malibu living in Malibu, Didion wrote your nerves jump and your skin the dry winds that can quickly and Malibu students.” about the tension that builds itch. On nights like that, every turn an otherwise mild-manBy JUDY ABEL This was the happy ending to nered person on edge: the Santa when the winds whip up, “drybooze party ends in a fight. Special to The Malibu Times a riff that started at the Jan. 13 Anas wreak havoc not only with ing the hills and the nerves to Meek little wives feel the edge a flashpoint. The baby frets. The their uncanny power to ignite school board meeting, when the of the carving knife and study erhaps no one described maid sulks.” She adds, “For a EIR resolution was originally their husband’s necks. Anything a firestorm through Southern scheduled for a vote. the devilish Santa Ana few days now, we will see smoke California terrain but also to can happen. You can even get At that meeting, Malibu Planwinds better than the jangle one’s nerves so badly be- back in the canyons and hear a full glass of beer at a cocktail cause the Santa Anas never blow sirens in the night.” ning Department representative hard-boiled detective novelist lounge.” good news our way. Reneka Brooks read a letter from Raymond Chandler. “There While we may not all have That tightly wound passage Planning Director Richard Mollica The late great writer Joan was a desert wind blowing that maids, those of us living in is from the great writer’s early CONTINUED ON PAGE A8 CONTINUED ON PAGE A8 requesting a delay due to insuffiDidion built on Chandler’s night. It was one of those hot, pulpier work from the 1930’s cient time for review, saying they had received the final EIR just three days before the meeting— on Jan. 10. SMMUSD staff disputed that, saying they had electronic proof the document had been received task-oriented, working on biology read in Malibu back on Dec. Do vacant positions or wireless communications. There and By PAMELA PRICE 28. mean longer waits are 2 other consultants. There are Upton opposed the delay, saying Special to The Malibu Times 5 vacancies, 4 planners and 1 planCONTINUED ON PAGE A8 for building and ning administrative staffer. remodeling approvals? Q: This is very concerning, and I’d INSIDE alifornia deserts evoke dithis week like to ask how many people left, verse images for different By JIMY TALLAL and their reasons. people. To some travelers, Special to The Malibu Times A: There is always turnover in the this scenic oasis suggested glitterCity organization, in each City deing resort cities, dramatic skies, In response to recent mentions partment, and in any professionmid-century architecture, and the of high turnover within the City’s al organization. We cannot share verdant greens of impressive Palm Planning Department, Richard the reasons why individuals would Springs golf courses. You may Mollica, Director, City of Malibu leave the City. However, there are have to blink when Planning Department, responded many common reasons, such as you catch a glimpse of a worldin writing to The Malibu Times. moving, finding new and different class hockey rink currently under Mollica also wanted to clarify that professional growth opportunities, construction on Interstate 10 as when he made public comments making a career change, retiring, you drive through Indio. This is Kristen Stewart attends Malibu The panoramic view from the hiking trails near the Mountain Station on Mt. San Jacinto. in a City meeting recently about taking educational opportunities, the last place you would expect a Film Society screening of Photo by Arthur Lechtman having “a high vacancy rate,” he was family or medical situations, and sport that thrives on ice, sharing “Spencer” for Q&A referring to planners, not the entire other personal reasons. There does space with countless palm trees Mirage (sunnylands.org), where Exhibits cover health, art, PAGE B1 Planning Department. seem to be higher turnover in the and chic swimming pools. you can explore with a guide the culture, math, and engineering. Mingle this menu with more Annenberg’s 200-acre historYou can even build your own race Q: I heard recently that about half Planning Department in the last Opinion . . . . . . . . . A2 the Planning Department employ- six months or so. There seems to tennis courts than you can ic winter home, crowned by car, experience a lie detector, or News Briefs . . . . . . . A3 ees quit over the past month or so? be higher competition right now count and a landscape framed their 25,000 sq. ft residence, a join a weekend workshop. This A: Three staff members and one from other cities for experienced by towering mountain ridges, a mid-century modern masterpiece 6.5-acre Museum has a focus on Calendar . . . . . . . . . A4 magical menu of clever public of architecture. Reservations are self-expression and creativity and consultant have left the Planning planning professionals. Other cities Real Estate . . . . . . . . A6 Department since October. These are hiring, and for planning proart, and restaurants with menus required for the home tour. The an ideal family experience. were important positions but do fessionals, larger cities that have a reflecting global cuisine. Amidst 9-acre art garden is open to the Make time for El Paseo, yet Malibu Life . . . . . . . B1 not represent half of the Depart- wider range of different types of this majestic desert, montage is public, free of charge. another oasis for art collectors, Legal Notices . . . . . . B3 ment, which has a total of 23 full- projects, larger projects, and more family-friendly sites A hop, skip and jump away is art galleries, designer boutiques, Business Svs. & Dir. . . B5 time staff and 2 full-time planning resources can present better profrom The Living Desert Zoo the popular Children’s Discovery spa and beauty salons, and chic consultants working on project re- fessional growth opportunities. The and Gardens in Palm Desert Museum of the Desert cdmod. restaurants, such as Wilma Classifieds . . . . . . . . B6 views and planning applications. City is not the only organization to (livingdesert.org) to Sunnylands org), where hands on-exhibits for Frieda’s Cafe and the first for Sports . . . . . . . . . . . B8 CONTINUED ON PAGE A5 There are other consultants who are CONTINUED ON PAGE A8 Center & Gardens in Rancho children and their families prevail. For the past three years, Woolsey Fire victims have been trying to rebuild and restore from what was once their home. While some have crossed the finish line, others have expressed the difficulties in receiving the resources and attention that have hindered the process. During the Planning Commission Regular Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 13 residents requested a permit extension. Some explained it was issues with the supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic and others hoped the Edison settlement litigation would help support their needs. Public speaker Parker Laret was speaking on behalf of the owners and had been working with the owners to facilitate the insurance recovery and asked to receive an extension to submit their permit. “We are the original owners; our request is for an additional extension of time to submit our plans for the rebuild of light kind status,” Laret said. “We would like to request a total of a three-year ex-
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