Trancas Market and HOA Talks Fall Apart

• Effort to Prevent Malibu West Appeal of Expansion Project Is Unsuccessful

BY BILL KOENEKER

Last minute discussions that would have resulted in a settlement agreement between the Malibu West Homeowners Association halting its appeal of the expansion plans proposed by the developers of the Trancas Country Market abruptly came to an end last Friday. The deadline was described as developer imposed.
In a statement issued to the homeowners, the board indicated it had failed to come to an agreement about which concessions of the developer would persuade the HOA to drop its appeal to the Malibu City Council of the planning commission approval for the makeover of the shopping center located at Trancas Canyon Road and Pacific Coast Highway.
The appeal hearing is set for next Monday night during a city council meeting.
“Key issues of the negotiations included emergency exit easements and noise abatements,” the board email stated to HOA members.
The Malibu Surfside News obtained a copy of the proposed agreement, signed by Joseph G. Munoz, Vice President of I&G Malibu Inc. The concessions offered by the developer included not granting MTA the right to access the employee parking lot; “reasonable” efforts to have MTA move the bus stop off Trancas Canyon Road; installation of an access gate in the employee parking lot; permission for Malibu West to use the employee parking lot for special occasion parking after 6 p.m.; construction of a de-composed granite sidewalk on the east side of Trancas Canyon Road; no ex-pansion of the designated street-side; off-street park-ing spaces abutting Trancas Canyon Road; and no valet parking or valet services on Trancas Canyon Road.
The developer would have also pay for and install a speed bump on Trancas Canyon Road near Principio Drive, subject to city approvals; and create left and right-hand exit turn lanes at the Trancas Canyon Road entrance.
Additional concessions included not installing or allowing picnic tables in the common green area; seeking the approval of Malibu West’s board prior to any application to the city for any temporary use permit that includes live amplified music; using “reasonable” efforts to keep day laborers from gathering on the property; complying with Local Coastal Plan with respect to the root zone of an existing sycamore grove; con-structing permeable sur-faces with hard surface lanes for shopping carts; constructing final lighting in compliance with all guide-lines of the LCP; supporting a Caltrans suggestion of “period-ization of signal” to allow pedestrians and cars to cross PCH at separate times; incorporating into the final landscape plan for the employee parking lot tall shrubs as suggested by Malibu West.
In exchange, Malibu West would have with-drawn its appeal; not publicly oppose the project or permits; not funded any administrative or legal action by any person or organization against the project; not appeal nor allow any of its board members to appeal to the California Coastal Com-mission; and maintain liability insurance for its use of the employee parking lot.
The planning com-mission approved the remodeling plans, which include 25,728 square feet of additional shopping center space, including a new parking lot across the street; two restaurants; variance and other relief from setback requirements.