Malibu Seeks Public Input on Vacant Park Lands Play

Malibu is ramping up its efforts to get public opinion on the menu of options for city parks.

The city has accumulated three vacant lots, at a cost of nearly $43 million a decade ago. The stated promise was for use as new playing fields, maybe a new library, maybe a pool and recreation center.

Money for the parks was set aside, but emergency spending for the Palisades Fire ate much of that up, and the White House has been sitting on California's request for reimbursements on that.

Despite having no money for the projects, planning continues. A public opinion feedback effort has just been started on the city's web page. The two city council members leading the effort will hold a public hearing next Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Like their last three meetings, the listening sessions come in the middle of summer vacation, when many families with school-age children are out of town. Past city council meetings about these potential parks have been packed with kids in soccer and Little League uniforms. But attendance has been sparse at the last three meetings, held with little notice at city hall in the summer vacation season.

Nevertheless, the city council members are pointing at 10 years of little progress, and are trying to come up with a plan for the vacant lands as quickly as possible.

Again, the next meeting is next Wednesday at 5 p.m. at City Hall.

No decision will come until the full city council hashes this over in September. When school will be back in session.