City Council to Consider Policy for Marathons and Relays Using PCH

• Growing Number of Events Want a Malibu Segment

BY BILL KOENEKER

Organizers of the Regnar Relay Series want to hold a relay race from Santa Barbara to Dana Point that would wind through Malibu on Pacific Coast Highway. Several organizers spoke at this week’s Malibu City Council meeting, saying the event would not impede traffic since it would be held on sidewalks or shoulders and would not require the closure of any roads.
“There is no room at the east end [for a race],” said Councilmember Andy Stern.
Before the council started to talk about it, City Manager Jim Thorsen informed the council that the staff gets one to two requests per month and that it would be advisable to establish some kind of policy. The council recently approved another race that goes through the west end of Malibu called the Malibu Marathon.
After some discussion, the council agreed to direct staff to bring back an agenda item regarding relay/marathon policies in the city.
They also wanted to have the staff look at the Regnar relay and analyze the segment in Malibu and other aspects of the race.
“I got calls and e-mails about this,” said Councilmember John Sibert, who reminded his colleagues the matter was not actually on the agenda.
Mayor Sharon Barovsky wanted to know where the relay money goes.
Stern repeated his concerns about the east end. “That is our biggest concern,” he said.
The mayor agreed. “We have never voted for any event in the east end of Malibu. I cannot imagine I would support an event in the east end. There are no shoulders nor sidewalks in [portions of the east end of Malibu]. You are taking your life in your hands,” Barovsky said.
“Keep your fingers crossed what Caltrans might say,” said Councilmember Jefferson Wagner. “I still would like to see it come back,” said Sibert.
OTHER ACTION
The council approved a $376,866 contract for a Malibu Canyon Road improvement project.
Funding for the construction of the improvements was included in the adopted budget for 2009-2010, according to city officials. The total estimated cost for the project is $500,000. Actual costs will be reimbursed by the state Department of Transportation through a federal money grant. The project consists of resurfacing Malibu Canyon Road from Pacific Coast Highway to the city limits with an asphalt-rubber overlay.
Construction is scheduled to begin in Feb. 2010 and is expected to be completed by April 2010, according to municipal officials.
The council also approved an agreement with Los Angeles County to landscape and maintain parcels located on the east and west side of Webb Way and Pacific Coast Highway.
After some negotiations with the county about acquiring the parcels, city officials were told it might be easier, more efficient and less costly for the city to enter into a use agreement with the county to landscape and maintain both parcels.
“The city intends to install a monument sign on the east corner and landscape the other areas with drought tolerant plants,” Feldman added.