Political Differences Begin to Emerge at Second Candidates Forum

• Council Hopefuls Start to Take Opposing Stances •

At this week’s Malibu City Council candidates forum, sponsored by the Point Dume Community Association, one of the council hopefuls summed up one of the challenges facing the five candidates vying for three seats in the April 8 election.
“Some say it is hard to tell us apart. Do you know the difference? Three of us are blonde with long hair, and we wear black suits. How can you tell one from the other? I am not sure we did a good job of that,” said Susan Tellem.
However, there were moments during this latest forum when differences between Tellem, incumbent Pamela Conley Ulich, school board member Kathy Wisnicki, planning commissioner John Sibert and self-described surfer and retailer Jefferson Wagner began to emerge.
The candidates were asked the same question then given one minute to respond.
VIEW PROTECTION
They were told that one of the most asked questions submitted by the audience of 40 to 50 voters—the questions were chosen randomly—was whether they would be a strong advocate for homeowner view protection.
Wisnicki said the query was "a loaded question," and indicated since the issue is on the ballot as an advisory measure, she wanted to hear from the community.
Tellem responded that view protection is a big issue, and she said the city definitely needs an ordinance
Sibert said he has dealt with the issue often and said the process needs to be put into the application process when a new house is sited, noting that “I support view protection.”
Wagner said he would support “any kind of” view protection, and added that he wants the city to consider reflecting shed issues for solar panels.
“Not only do I support it, we enacted one for the Malibu Country Estates," said Conley Ulich. “They came to the city and asked if we could implement it.”
The council member said view protection legislation should also be considered a safety measure since it has the effect of removing large trees that become fuel for wildfires.
OVERNIGHT CAMPING
Candidates were asked how they would vote on the volatile issue of banning overnight camping in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Wisnicki said candidates cannot comment on how they would vote. “It is in the hands of the Coastal Commission. I believe the city made the right decision. We have to assert ourselves with the same passion as opposition to LNG,” she said.
Tellem, who later in the evening noted she had lead the charge to the city council chambers, urging they consider the ban, said one of her colleagues voted to pass approval of camping on to the council and another candidate has been silent on the issue. “I fought the fire. I did not hear anything about the fire from Kathy. The Corral Fire made a big difference,” she added.
Sibert said the Local Coastal Program, “which was supported by one up here,” mandated camping. Defending his vote on the planning commission, Sibert indicated panelists said no to camping without a needs assessment and nothing but cold camping would be allowed. “I would not support camping,” he said. Wagner blamed the executive director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy for the problem. “Joe Edmiston. He seems to be a ruthless ogre. He obtains his funding to acquire property by increasing visitor counts. He has his realm. We have our realm. I opposed from the very beginning overnight camping,” he said.
Conley Ulich said she had voted against overnight camping. She indicated she had met with Edmiston about a library issue. She said, “He told me, if I did not change my vote, he would not support the library [issue]. This is not just about all of us, it is about the environment. We cannot let this go forward.”
CURRENT COUNCIL
The candidates were then asked what they thought of the current council membership.
Sibert said the council has done “some things pretty well.” He added that except for Conley Ulich, “They tended to function as a unit for their own agenda. We need to do things differently.”
Tellem responded that, with the exception of Conley Ulich, the council does not listen to the community. “We had to fill the room to get them to vote [no on overnight camping],” she said.
Wagner said the council has failed in a number of ways, including its actions on water quality issues.
Conley Ulich said she gives the council a B-plus. "Acquiring the Bluffs Park is huge. Legacy Park is a role model to the world, and we took out a lot of development. We have learned from our mistakes,” she said.
Wisnicki said she sits on an elected body and is reluctant to criticize. “I know what a difficult job it is. Some things they have done well,” she said.
DISTRICT SECESSION
The council hopefuls were also asked their views on a separate school district.
Sibert reminded the audience that the city council can only voice an opinon on the matter, but said he favors home rule. “But we need to study it. The demographics are changing. We need to take a hard look at it,” he added.
Wagner insisted Malibu needs a separate school district.
Conley Ulich said she too would support a separate district. “Malibu comes up with the short end of the stick. We see a pattern here. The city council also supported looking at this,” she said.
Wisnicki said she would try to give a “very quick answer to a very complicated issue.” She said as a school board member she is in a precarious position to comment. “We need to look at the feasibility. Can we afford it? Or can we continue to collaborate? We will be able to accomplish this,” she added.
Tellem said she agreed with Conley Ulich. “Malibu is the illegitimate stepchild of the school district. We should be putting tax dollars into our own kids. The money should stay here,” she said.
WATER QUALITY
The five were also asked about water quality issues, especially in light of the lawsuit brought by the Santa Monica Baykeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council against the City of Malibu and Los Angeles County.
Wagner said the reasons for the lawsuit are longstanding problems that have not been resolved and the city council has not moved fast enough. “We need to address the situation before they become lawsuits,” he said.
Conley Ulich said the city has done much, including acquiring Legacy Park for water quality issues, and the stormwater treatment facility is already on line. “We are doing a lot like working on Marie Canyon and Paradise Cove,” she added.
Wisnicki said the city is dealing with four other agencies, and municipal officials need to work together with the county and collaborate with the other agencies. “The city has made great strides, but needs to work with other agencies,” she said.
Tellem said, “We have done too little too late. The council is sitting on its hands.”
Sibert said the issues have been around for 20 years and just now are experts starting to get the answers. “We still don’t have all the information, especially about upstream,” he noted.
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Candidates were asked their views about commercial development in the Civic Center area.
Wagner said the city should draft a specific plan. The problem, he said, is that developers may begin to sue about what the other developer, who built first, got, if entitlements are not meted out.
Conley Ulich said she also supports drafting a specific plan, but the council instead opted for an ad hoc committee to meet with property owners. “I am tired of developers giving us the crumbs. We need a teen center and senior center,” she stated.
Wisnicki said the city does not have a Civic Center plan and there are projects in the pipeline. She said maybe more land could be taken out of development and the city needs to take care of traffic and groundwater.
Tellem said, “Kathy said the traffic can’t get any worse. It is getting worse.” Tellem indicated that there is the potential for one million square feet of development. “If there is a fire, there is a problem, we have only one route in and out of Malibu,” she said.
Sibert said the city had a specific plan that was not approved. “We can’t do another moratorium. That was already done. We need to sit down with the property owners. The fact is there is about a total of 390,000 square feet [of developable space],” he said.
SMC vs. SHERIFF
Candidates were also asked if they support a college adjunct at the former sheriff’s facility, or would they rather see the sub-station return.
“I am with [Sheriff] Lee Baca on this one and oppose it. There is traffic and lots of problems with the building,” said Tellem. “We have college services at Pepperdine.”
Sibert said it would be great to have Santa Monica College in Malibu because its services are different than Pepperdine's.
Wagner said the former sheriff’s station is an issue itself. “How could Lee Baca find out two weeks ago? The city pays the sheriff,” said Wagner, asking if the city and the agency talk.
“I don’t know where it should go,” said Conley Ulich. “ I would support what the voters want. We could start with a trailer for the substation.”
Wisnicki said that 64 percent of the students take courses in Santa Monica. “The station is already existing. It would be useful for the community. There could be a substation on campus. The county is willing to negotiate with the college,” she noted.
—BY BILL KOENEKER