Fate of Proposed Malibu McMansion Delayed

The fate of a convoluted proposal for a West Malibu property once again has been rescheduled by a challenged City Council, this time to next Tuesday, as well it should.

For the proposal of the dubious siting and development of 30053 Harvester Road already arbitrarily approved by a past compromised City Hall needs to be exposed, if only to alert other to the machinations of select Malibu real estate interests.

What the delay in effect was to turn over the rock and shed some needed light on Malibu’s tangled planning process, and which I feel as both a resident and immodest planning authority the welcomed new city manager should take note and initiate the obvious reform needed.

The Council Wednesday was to rule on appeals by the property’s immediate neighbors, not incidentally overwhelmingly supported by an alert community and the Malibu Township Council, and reject the proposal for grievously breaching multiple city building codes and environment standards.

This in addition to the proposal generally corrupting the neighborhood character and violating the city’s Vision and Mission statements, which if allowed would no doubt whet the appetite of the gaggle of voracious developers that has gathered, hovering, over Malibu’s burnt cityscape.

However, before Wednesdays hearing on the appeal, the developer, Steven Kent, reportedly reached a compromise with one of the appellants, agreeing to reduce the elevation of and the main house and shift it away from their common property line. But a second appeal by stalwart neighbors remains.

In addition it should be noted the proposed “compromise” would inherently change siting and mass of the project, and despite the project’s assigned city planner, Tyler Eaton, reported assurances to the contrary, the altered project would most likely have to be processed again to seek new approvals.

If so, no doubt it would again meet with the articulate and determined opposition of a chorus of Malibu residents, and needs to be put to rest.