County Imposes Building Ban in Malibou Lake Area

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted last week to impose a 45-day building moratorium in the rustic Malibou Lake area of the Santa Monica Mountains after opponents of a proposed housing development there raised concerns about fire safety in the isolated, brush-filled community.

The supervisors on Thursday sent plans for the project back to the county Planning Commission for further study.

Opponents of developer Jack Slome’s plan to build 15 houses and an equestrian center on a 4.6-acre parcel have repeatedly voiced fears that in an emergency, county firefighters would have a difficult time reaching the area, accessible by a single, narrow road.

They reiterated those concerns at the meeting Thursday, after Slome asked the supervisors to approve a scaled-down version of his project after months of delays. The revised plan calls for only 10 houses and also would leave land vacant for a park.

But Supervisor Ed Edelman, who now represents the area, said officials should not allow any new development until environmental and safety issues are resolved.

He called for the moratorium to give the county Fire Department time to study alternative access routes that could be developed to reach the enclave, located off Mulholland Highway near Kanan Road, south of Agoura Hills.

He also said planners should create a comprehensive plan for growth for the community after considering all environmental problems now facing Southern California, including the drought.

The building moratorium ordinance will be drafted by county lawyers and presented for a final vote to the supervisors at their meeting Tuesday. If approved by four of the supervisors, it will take effect immediately.

Supervisor Pete Schabarum opposed the moratorium, saying that supervisors have already delayed acting on Slome’s proposal six times. “Your motion plays right into the hands of the homeowners, who like it just as it is and are not motivated one whit to mess with the status quo,” he said.