Councilwoman Hopeful for Solution to Paradise Cove Parking

Malibu Councilwoman Laura Zahn Rosenthal said Monday she hopes to have public safety improvements in place along Pacific Coast Highway at Paradise Cove by next summer.

"We want to limit parking if we can to make it safer," Rosenthal said during Mondays City Council meeting. " ... We’re moving forward and I really want to see something in place for next summer."

Residents have been vocal about traffic during the summer and dangerous conditions along PCH caused by beachgoers trying to park and walk to the popular beach along the highway.

Rosenthal and Malibu city staff met with representatives from the California Coastal Commission on Sept. 21 and with Caltrans on Sept. 13.

"We've been working with Caltrans. We've been working extensively with them for the past year, really pushing for them to get some work done on PCH, and they have done some work. They have cleared some areas. They have re-striped," Rosenthal said.

She said the California Coastal Commission expressed concern about limiting beach access along PCH.

"We're trying to be creative, but our number one goal is safety," Rosenthal said.

The city has been asked to inventory all of the public beach access and parking in Malibu, she said.

"Part of this we have already done and part of this is going to be done as part of the " Rosenthal said. 

However, the Coastal Commission does not want to limit parking, and has asked the city to continue to work with Caltrans, she said.

"I completely understand and I firmly believe in access for everyone, but it is difficult, because that is the first thing we did was to ask Caltrans to try to take back some of the right of way so that it would be safer, so you could actually park and walk," Rosenthal said.

Mayor Lou La Monte said he has been working with Caltrans staff for the past 10 years, and has dealt with a half dozen set of people in the agency.

"We’re going to stay on these people until we have worn them into the ground," La Monte said.