Trancas Park Construction Goes to Bid

• Municipal Officials Move Ahead Despite Litigation

BY BILL KOENEKER

Malibu city officials put out a notice last week inviting bids for the construction of improvements for Trancas Canyon Park. The original approvals of the park and the certification of the Environmental Impact Report are currently being challenged in court.
The scope of work for construction of a 6.5 acre park facility includes, according to the notice, the earthwork and grading, concrete and asphaltic concrete pavements, decomposed granite walkways, concrete curb and gutters, landscaping, irrigation systems, plantings and vegetation, restroom facilities, storage building, shade structures, children’s playground, multi-use sports field, signage, electrical work, onsite wastewater treatment system, fencing, retaining walls, water service and pipeline work.
A pre-bid conference is scheduled for Aug. 25. A site walk-through will be conducted immediately following the pre-bid conference. The bids will be publicly opened and read on Sept. 10.
Last month, a majority of the city council approved an additional $100,000 for a consulting firm to provide engineering and design plans for the council-approved redesign. This was amid an unsuccessful plea by some members of the public to reconsider the redesign plans and consider an alternate proposal.
Earlier in April, the council had approved a different plan involving over 100,000 cubic yards of grading that was challenged in court by the Malibu Township Council. The MTC filed the suit over grading and other issues involving the Environmental Impact Report prepared for the original project’s dimensions
During its budget hearings, the council allocated $3.5 million for building the park. The allocation is a designated fund for financing park construction and not an actual appropriation. Currently, the city has a little less than $300,000 set aside for construction.