MALIBU: Repealing Los Angeles County’s prohibitive building...

MALIBU: Repealing Los Angeles County’s prohibitive building restrictions in several flood-prone canyon areas, the City Council voted Monday to adopt codes and insurance rate guidelines written by the federal government.

The council voted 4 to 0, with Councilman Jeff Kramer absent, to adopt the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Plain Management Ordinance and its Flood Plain Insurance Rate Map.

The county regulations prohibited any building in so-called flood ways, areas that are much broader than the federal map’s flood plains, and would have stopped rebuilding in Solstice, Latigo, Escondido and Zuma canyons in the wake of the Nov. 2 wildfires. The county had prepared, but never adopted, flood-way maps and studies for Malibu Creek, Ramirez and Trancas canyons and Las Flores Creek, an area hard hit by the fire.

The federal ordinance and its respective insurance maps do not preclude construction in flood plains, but impose limitations. The law requires creative rebuilding to protect property by such means as raising a building or installing dams and other devices to divert water flow.

Parts of the still-uncompleted Las Flores Canyon study will be discussed at a special meeting at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hughes Auditorium, 3011 Malibu Canyon Road.

MEETINGS NEXT WEEK:

* Los Angeles: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. 200 N. Spring St. (213) 485-3126.

* Santa Monica: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. 1685 Main St. (310) 393-9975.

* West Hollywood: 7 p.m. Monday. West Hollywood Park Auditorium, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. (310) 854-7460.