Malibu Forum Will Cover Sewer Plan

A controversial county plan to build a regional sewer system in Malibu will be discussed at a public forum with county officials Monday, Malibu civic leaders said.

Fred Daberko, a spokesman for the Malibu Township Council, which represents 1,000 homeowners, said he hopes the question-and-answer session “will answer a lot of fears and concerns this community has about the sewer plan.”

Daberko said county attorneys and a field deputy for Supervisor Deane Dana will attend, as well as county staff members familiar with engineering and sewerage.

The forum will be begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Malibu Civic Center community room, 25319 Civic Center Way.

The county plan to build a regional sewer system has been hotly disputed by some Malibu residents, who claim that sewer construction would lead to widespread commercial development.

Malibu residents have defeated sewer bond issues three times since 1966.

Daberko said that although he is not personally opposed to a sewage system, “we are all concerned about how they plan to accomplish it and what it will cost.”

He said many Malibu landowners already have received assessments from the county to fund $1.2 million in studies of the project. The studies, ordered by the Board of Supervisors in March, will address questions on environmental impact, engineering, costs and feasibility, and acquisition of rights of way.