Community Corner

Postpone Lagoon Restoration and Consider Alternatives

The Malibu Township Council opposes the state-approved Malibu Lagoon modification project.

The following letter was sent to Gov. Jerry Brown.

The Malibu Township Council is a community organization that has been active in the greater Malibu area since 1947. We have members living in the city of Malibu as well as adjoining unincorporated Los Angeles County. Our goal is to participate with the local governmental agencies to support, amend or oppose proposals affecting the community in order to serve the best interests of the environment and the community.

We have been most concerned with the current State Parks plan for the restoration of the . We considered the state's plan and goals as well as the concerns of opponents of the plan, both residents and environmental organizations. After much deliberation, our board—made up of representatives of 13 geographic districts of the community—voted to oppose the state's current Lagoon Restoration Plan because of the admitted environmental damage it will cause. We urge the state to postpone the start of the plan in order to consider alternative plans that will reduce environmental damage of the work required to improve the health of the lagoon.

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The state plan includes dredging the bottom of the lagoon with heavy equipment such as bulldozers. Malibu Lagoon is identifred as an environmentally sensitive habitat area (ESHA) in the Malibu Local Coastal Program, adopted several years ago by the Coastal Commission. The use of bulldozers in this sensitive area is unacceptable. There have been several alternative plans put forward, one by an environmental organization and one from a resident, which should be considered. We ask that you use your influence to postpone the start of the state's plan, now scheduled for June, until alternate plans can be considered.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

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—John Mazza, Malibu Township Council president and Point Dume resident


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