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Malibu council adopts 2026–27 budget, holds appeal fee at $750 and withholds one grant award
Summary
The Malibu City Council approved the city's 2026'27 budget and a $10.88 increase in the Civic Center wastewater service charge, kept the planning appeal fee at $750, and left the Malibu Film Society's recommended grant on hold pending follow-up about unspent funds.
The Malibu City Council on June 22 adopted the city's fiscal 2026'27 budget, approved a modest increase in wastewater service charges and decided to hold one recommended grant pending accounting questions. The council voted unanimously to accept staff's budget package with specified qualifications.
City staff told the council the proposed wastewater service charge will rise from $526.57 to $537.45 per unit to cover operations and maintenance at the Civic Center wastewater treatment facility. City budget staff said the $2.3 million in service charges will offset plant operations and related expenses.
The council also considered a slate of general‑fund grants. Staff had $150,000 available and received roughly $650,000 in requests; the council instructed staff to retain the Malibu Film Society allocation as an unspent portion of the grant fund while staff and the group resolve how last year's unspent funds should be handled. The council did not make an on‑the‑spot reallocation of the grant pool.
During the hearing, members of the public urged the council to invest in electronic plan‑review systems to speed permitting and to restore the poet laureate stipend. A resident who works as a plan reviewer said the city should budget for an automated plan‑review platform to reduce staff time and improve transparency.
Council members debated whether to raise the planning appeal fee from $750 to a higher amount. After discussion emphasizing access to due process and the limited revenue upside, the council voted to keep the appeal fee at $750 for now and asked staff to provide further benchmarking and data.
The budget package endorsed several staffing changes and one‑time updates: the city manager's office received $50,000 for grant‑writing services; public works added a full‑time engineering technician and reclassified an assistant engineer to an associate engineer to support capital project management and land‑development review.
The council moved the budget and associated technical resolutions by voice vote; the motion passed unanimously.
