LETTER: Dark Parking Lots Inappropriate at Malibu High

The Planning Commission passed a resolution about a project that has been in the works for six years, and about which the Commission itself gave input at a previous hearing. A planning hearing is not a mediation leading to an agreement between parties - it's an up or down vote on a project with conditions.

Perhaps some confusion was caused by the hearing taking on the appearance of a mediation. That occurred when one of current litigants suing the school district over field lights, Cami Winikoff, was invited to the podium - hours after public comment was closed - to review the conditions the Planning Commission was contemplating for the parking lot lights. The Commissioners extended every opportunity for Ms. Winikoff and her attorney, Stan Lamport, to give further input - and they did, and were apparently satisfied with the final vote.  

Yet now they are appealing.

This appeal just goes to show that pleasing a certain contingent in Malibu is impossible. The District - representing Malibu kids and school families - has spent millions designing and redesigning this project to address every conceivable concern. The project is needed, wanted and long overdue; there isn't money available to satisfy a never-ending list of demands, nor should class after class graduate before the project gets underway. And some of the demands are unreasonable if they risk the safety of our kids, including dark parking lots that will at times be occupied by young women athletes late at night.

Some people are adamant about local control in Malibu planning decisions and yet don't hesitate to push those planning decisions into the Coastal Commission or Superior Court. That's like saying, "I want democracy, unless the vote doesn't go my way, then I want a judge or a coastal commissioner to decide."

Mr. Uhring has the right appeal the project, but he's not entitled to make up his own inflammatory facts. To impugn the city staff, the District, and the Planning Commissioners by accusing them of "altering" a resolution after the hearing, is unfounded and frankly, ridiculous.

Pete Anthony
Malibu

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