It got mildly heated with both sides trying to make their points last night (7/20/2015) at the Malibu City Council Meeting – many asking for the vote to be delayed for a new traffic study.  As noted below, in a 4-1 vote, the project will go to the voters under Measure R in a special ballot in November (paid for by the developer, Whole Foods and the Park, LLC.  I just hope that between now and then Malibu Residents will be able to really learn about this project and look at it with open eyes and mind, which offers a lot of community benefits including the Shane’s Inspiration Playground (for both developmentally challenged and all children), a sensory garden and a kitchen community learning garden.  – all in a rural village setting while some community members were concerned that Whole Foods wasn’t committed to the project, a Whole Foods representative spoke advising that they had a signed lease since 2007.  Prior to the vote, Skylar Peak (the only no vote on the council) commended Ron Goldman, FAIA on an attractive project.  There were a few last minute amendments agreed to by both city and developer.  Also, developer Steve Soboroff and the Whole Foods and the Park team offered to help fund a traffic roundabout to further mitigate traffic impact prior to the vote.  It is noted that the project owners were already committed to participate in other traffic mitigation, emergency water storage, and also to participate in the cost of the Civic Center wastewater project recently approved by the city and required by the State and County Water Boards with phase 1 and 2 required to be implemented (affecting Civic Center, Cross Creek/Serra Retreat, Malibu Colony and Malibu Colony Plaza) by 2019 to avoid forced septic prohibitions.

Link to the EIR for the project: http://www.malibucity.org/DocumentCenter/View/11417

Malibu Whole Foods and the Park