Residents press evacuation, data and influence concerns as PCH roundabout hearing draws dozens

Dozens of residents, experts and advocates spoke at the Malibu Planning Commission on Dec. 16 during a public hearing on a Pacific Coast Highway pilot project. Opposition clustered around three main points: 1) evacuation risk if PCH lanes are reduced, 2) a perceived lack of site‑specific data justifying roundabouts at Encinal/El Matador, and 3) governance concerns alleging private‑group influence over planning decisions.

Local residents who live on and above Encinal Canyon told commissioners that PCH north and south are the only feasible evacuation routes for much of western Malibu and argued that reducing through lanes and introducing roundabouts could bottleneck traffic during a wildfire. "PCH North and South are the only evacuation routes for all of Malibu," said Lucille Keller, a resident who opposes the lane reduction and urged postponement until evacuation impacts are resolved.

Multiple commenters who identified themselves as long‑time transportation professionals and former public officials said the 2015 PCH Safety Study does not clearly recommend a roundabout at the present Encinal location and urged up‑to‑date traffic counts and peak‑season evacuation modeling. Several engineers and contractors warned about summer‑time peak volumes, event diverted traffic and potential queuing from El Matador parking spilling onto the highway.

Separately, several callers leveled governance and ethics concerns, saying a well‑organized local faction (referred to by some as the Malibu Township Council) has exercised outsized influence on land‑use outcomes and naming a long‑tenured commissioner as symptomatic of that influence. Frank Booth said prolonged tenure can create "accumulated leverage" that harms public trust and called for new voices on the commission. The charge was recorded in public comment; commissioners responded with a mix of defense and acknowledgement of community frustration but took no formal disciplinary action on that allegation during the meeting.

Supporters of the pilot — including safety advocates, retired public‑safety personnel and county transportation staff — said the pilot is temporary and will produce empirical data on speeds, crashes, pedestrian and bicycle interactions and emergency response that the city currently lacks. Justin Orenstein, transportation deputy for LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, urged approval and cited county funding for the pilot, saying roundabouts are a proven speed‑management tool that do not rely on ongoing enforcement.

Commissioners heard both sides for more than three hours of public testimony; many nearby residents asked the commission to require more evacuation analysis specific to local neighborhood access (for example Cuesta Del Sol and Encinal) before approving construction. The commission ultimately approved the pilot with specific conditions and a required post‑pilot report, but the split 3–2 vote reflected the depth of community disagreement.