City Of Malibu: City Manager Updates July 23, 2021

Press release from the City of Malibu:

July 23, 2021

Staff continues to work with homeowners to rebuild. Here are the current rebuild statistics: 

With the re-opening of City Hall, the City has resumed public counter hours. Appointments are not necessary, but can be made on the webpage or by phone at 310-456-2489.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENTPermits: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM -12:00 PM, and 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM for walk-ins and appointments. Other times by appointment only.Building Plan Check: Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 AM -12:00 PM, for walk-ins and appointments. Other times by appointment only.Environmental Health: Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 AM -12:00 PM, for walk-ins and appointments. Other times by appointment only.Geology/Coastal: Monday and Wednesday 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, for walk-ins and appointments. Other times by appointment only.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENTTuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM for walk-ins. Other times by appointment only.

PLANNING DEPARTMENTPublic Counter: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM for walk-ins. Other times by appointment only.Biology Counter: Tuesdays, 9:00 AM -11:00 AM. Other times by appointment only. 

The Fire Rebuild team is available Monday through Friday at City Hall for complimentary one-on-one consultations about any fire rebuild project. Contact Aakash Shah at ashah@malibucity.org to set an appointment for phone or online meeting. For ideas about how to get started with your project, as well as numerous handouts, forms and resources, visit the Rebuild webpage.

City staff continues to monitor and respond to the pandemic by participating in regular briefings and conference calls with partner agencies and issuing alerts and notifications regarding changes to the situation. On July 20, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH) confirmed 7 new deaths and 2,551 new cases of COVID-19. Other key updates from the County’s COVID-19 Dashboard as of July 20, 2021 include the following:

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH) announced that, due to increased COVID-19 transmission and the even more contagious Delta variant that is spreading fast in Southern California, facemasks are required while indoors in public settings and businesses in the County, regardless of vaccination status, starting July 18. Further clarification was provided with an updated Health Officer Order, effective July 23. For more information, see the Updated Health Officer Order. 

Video is available of the special virtual City Council meeting on July 21 when Councilmembers appointed members to the new Homelessness Task Force. Watch the video. The Council also discussed proposed amendments to the City’s Nuisance Code aimed at homeless encampments on private property in Malibu. Community members are encouraged to review documents related to the City's past and current work to address homelessness posted on the homelessness webpage.

The City tracks Live Fuel Moisture (LFM) as an important part of determining current fire conditions for our community. LFM is the percentage of water content to dry matter in live vegetation. The July 15, 2021 LFM is at 65%, down from 70% from two weeks earlier. As we enter mid-July our fuels are as dry as they typically are in September. LFM can be as high as 200%, and 60% is considered critical. The Los Angeles County Fire Department Forestry Division conducts sampling approximately every two weeks and posts the results on their website.

Fire Weather - Weather trends continue to show consistently hotter temperatures and lower humidity contributing to drought and extremely dry, flammable fuels, erratic wind patterns, as well as more frequent "dry lightning" thunderstorms, all of which creates more hazardous conditions for large, fast moving, fast growing wildfires that threaten lives and property. You can track fire weather conditions for our area on the National Weather Service website. (Enter Malibu in the search box).   

Fire Activity - Fire activity in California continues to grow. While fewer acres have burned so far this year, the number of wildfires is significantly higher. Year to date, we have seen 4,163 fires burning a total of 18,771 acres in the state, compared with 3,645 fires burning 32,886 acres between January 1, 2020 and July 11, 2020. Arson also appears to be on the rise statewide. CAL FIRE reports that in 2020, there were 120 arson arrests, up from 70 in 2019 and 61 in 2018. Year to date, there have been 71 arson arrests. 

September is National Preparedness Month, and the Public Safety Office will be hosting events all month to encourage community members to get prepared for wildfires, earthquakes and other disasters. Preparedness Month ends with the City's annual Public Safety Expo on Saturday, October 2, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. At the Expo, you can attend trainings, including Crisis First Aid, see presentations, ask questions, find volunteer opportunities, learn about emergency preparedness services and products and more. Participating organizations include public safety and emergency response partner agencies, volunteer organizations and emergency services and products vendors. RSVP for classes online. 

In September, the City will conduct a test of its Disaster Notification System. The annual Community Fire Season Briefing is scheduled for Thursday September 23 at 6:00 PM. LA County Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Drew Smith, a Fire Behavior Analyst, will give a presentation on local Live Fuel Moisture, expected weather patterns, and what that means for fire conditions in Malibu.

As part of Malibu’s ongoing efforts toward community-wide wildfire preparedness, the City continues to offer its no-cost Home Ignition Zone Assessment Program with Fire Safety Liaison Chris Brossard. Chris will visit your home and give you a checklist of simple, often inexpensive steps you can take to harden your home against flying embers, a major cause of homes igniting during wind-driven wildfires like the Woolsey Fire. To schedule an appointment or for help with wildfire preparedness, email Firesafety@malibucity.org or call 310-456-2489, ext. 387 or visit the Fire Safety webpage. 

The City Council will hold a virtual public hearing on Monday, August 9 at 6:30 PM to consider the Sea View Hotel project environmental document, code amendments and project entitlements as well as the Planning Commission's recommendation for the project. For the public hearing viewing and commenting instructions, see the Notice of Public Hearing. For more information about the project, visit the project webpage. 

The Planning Department is now offering two ways to submit your digital application: via virtual meeting or in person. To schedule an appointment to submit your digital planning application, please call the Planning Hotline at 310-456-2489, ext. 485. 

The Senior Center at City Hall will reopen Monday, July 12 for general drop-in use, following Los Angeles County Department of Public Health COVID-19 safety protocols. Seniors will have access to general use areas, such as the computer lab and library Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Staff will also be available to assist with Dial-A-Ride questions and registration. Indoor Senior Center programs are expected to resume later this summer. Learn more. 

The Community Services Department will offer two Skateboarding Camp sessions for children ages 6 to 12 at the Temporary Skate Park at Bluffs Park Mondays through Thursdays, August 2 - 5, and August 9 - 12. Due to the park being used for group instruction and to maintain participant safety, general use hours will be adjusted to 11:00 AM to sunset. For more information, visit the Skatepark webpage or call 310-317-1364.

Learn to Swim Lessons are offered at the Malibu Community Pool now through August 13. Lessons are available Monday through Friday for children ages 1 through 14. For more information and to register, visit the registration webpage or call 310-456-2489, ext. 279. 

Registration opens on Monday, August 9, 8:00 AM for various fall recreation programs, including youth enrichment, aquatic programs, girls sports clinics, adult and senior classes, outdoor recreation and more. For more information, visit the registration webpage or call 310-317-1364. 

There are seven permitted events between July 23 and July 29, 2021. The City posts a weekly report of approved event permits on the website. To sign up to receive an email or text message when an updated Event Permit Report is posted, visit the e-notifications page  (scroll down to the "Special Event Permit Report" category).

The City maintains a robust e-notification system so the community can stay informed about all the City’s activities. Sign up to receive messages by text or email on the City’s e-notifications page. 

For questions or comments, contact the City Manager at SMcClary@MalibuCity.org.

See Past City Manager Updates 

This press release was produced by the City of Malibu. The views expressed here are the author’s own.