OPEN SPACE
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As business and residential developments rapidly spread into the hills, Malibu Township Council staunchly defends the principles our early residents knew would be necessary to protect the area's intrinsic beauty.
The task grows increasingly difficult as urban sprawl brings the growing metropolis and its accompanying pollution closer and closer. As the City of Malibu now grants authority for new dirt roads to be slashed into natural habitat above Pacific Coast Highway, and massive shopping complexes obtain permission to be built in flood plains and on coastal bluffs, MTC's mission becomes even more important.
There is only so much California coastline. In our home town, we are able to see waves lap at bare pink and orange sandstone and metamorphic rock.
They interrupt our thoughts with a spine-tingling, primeval presence that reminds us we 10,000 mortals have been turned loose in Eden. But we are not alone.
We share these mountains, meadows, and open areas with wild animals who also are our neighbors; we worry when mountain lions get struck by cars on our highways; we mourn when they die from the effect of rodenticides, and we cringe when we see state workers spraying cancer-causing chemicals on our sacred Point Dume hills.
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Since its founding in 1947, Malibu Township Council has been committed to maintaining the natural beauty of this special area, preventing over development, exploitation of resources, and destruction of environmentally sensitive areas.
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We hope the surroundings within the City of Malibu will impart the feeling of unity and acceptance that the city's founders believed could help shape the character of those who live here, work here, and visit.
MTC Helped Shape L. A. County and
Malibu's Plans for the Future
Malibu Township Council members provided volunteer and expert research and testimony for L.A. County's General Plan, working to get this area's Local Coastal Plan (LCP) approved in 2002 and later the Malibu General Plan.
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Passage of Malibu's Dark Sky Policy
Aided by MTC Support
MTC's work gained City Council support for eventual passage of Malibu’s Dark Sky Policy, which promotes energy conservation, public safety, aesthetic interests. But even more interesting is that the policy also helps local astronomers conduct certain studies of the skies without having to travel great distances to find areas without excessive interference from pervasive city lights. The Dark Sky Ordinance in Malibu is meant to protect wildlife, habitat and quality of life from light pollution
MTC's Way of Protecting Paradise is to Make
Sure City Council Follows Planning Laws
The Cole and Ava Weintraub Family Foundation
donated 86 acres
of land just west
of Latigo Canyon Road.
The land is managed
by the Mountain Recreation Conservancy Authority (MRCA).
Quail in tree above Baller Motorway, a narrow road leading to several houses about two miles north of PCH in the Latigo Canyon hills.
These delightful Lupines have been growing wild in Malibu and the surrounding County area for hundreds of years.
Open fields and meadows are disappearing rapidly because they are the easiest places on which to build houses. They require less grading.
As a result a high percentage of open meadows already have been developed, and much meadow habitat now is threatened.
One threatened plant is Purple Needle Grass, below, which is the California State grass.
