Proposed Legislation Could Give New Life to U2 Rocker's Malibu Project

A proposed bill in Sacramento could reshape standards for California's coastal development and potentially give new life to plans by U2 guitarist the Edge to build several homes above Malibu, according to reports.

The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Ben Hueso, D-Logan Heights, and could set new limits on how state agencies can define property ownership, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times. 

The California Coastal Commission has been known to limit proposed development in environmentally sensitive areas, including in the case of the Edge, whose real name is David Evans.

Last June, the California Coastal Commission and additional features in the Sweetwater Mesa area, just outside the Malibu city limits. Plans for a fifth home were withdrawn before the vote at the last minute.

The commissioners who opposed the project said the homes were too large and the developments would cause too much damage to the environment. Those who favored the project said it was a matter of property rights.

Each proposal was submitted under a different owner, a tactic sometimes used by developers on large projects, the LA Times reported.

The proposed legislation would force the state to accept that whoever holds the deed to the land is the property owner, with limited powers to investigate, according to the Times.

Sarah Christie, legislative director for the Coastal Commission, told the newspaper that if passed, the bill could lead to "more fragmented, inappropriate development" on California's coastline.

Evans and his partners filed a lawsuit against the commission last year.

Read more about the proposed legislation at the LA Times website.

Malibu Patch will continue to cover the progress of the bill and the Edge's proposed project.