Council to Hire Consultants for Trancas Water District Formation

• Funding Mechanism Is to Finance Long-Sought Tank and Distribution System for the Area

BY BILL KOENEKER

Moving forward with the formation of the Trancas Highlands Utility Assessment District, the Malibu City Council is poised next week to authorize the city manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Penfield and Smith to provide consultation for the formation of such a district.

The cost of the contract is $52,500. The district would include Trancas Canyon Road, Anacapa View Drive and the surrounding gated private streets and access easements in the Trancas Highlands neighborhood, according to city officials.

The homeowners within the proposed district have deposited $86,200 with the municipality, which will be used for studies of special tax, utility engineering, bond and legal counsel for the formation of the proposed utilities undergrounding district and water distribution system.

In 2002, the city was approached by homeowners from the Trancas Highlands Association, interested in the installation of a new water distribution system and dry utility infrastructure improvements.

“Since that time, staff has worked with the homeowners to conduct preliminary engineering and feasibility studies. Recently, the THHOA secured a site for the proposed water tank and requested the city’s assistance in the formation of an assessment district,” wrote Robert DuBoux, a senior civil engineer for the city’s public works department.

Just last month, the planning commission approved a coastal permit for the construction of a public water system and dry utility infrastructure improvements in the highlands neighborhood.

Most of the area’s residents showed up in chambers to urge approval for the request. “The entire neighborhood is here,” said Scott Tallal. “This is about fire protection. We desperately need this.”

Commissioners were assured the additional water would not be growth inducing, that it was designed to “just serve the neighborhood,” including 18 new fire hydrants.

The Trancas Highlands Homeowners Association successfully sought a permit for a project, which calls for a 500,000-gallon water storage tank constructed on a vacant lot at 31537 Anacapa View Drive, which is located in the northwest corner of the neighborhood, according to planning department documents.

At the same time, at a separate hearing, the commission approved an application on the same property at 31537 Anacapa View Drive for the construction of a new 11,165 square foot house, reduced from the original 12,731 square foot, two-story single-family home with a basement and attached 640 square foot garage, a detached 447 square foot guest house, a motor court with fire department turnaround, swimming pool and a new 1,950 square foot access road, according to a public notice.

The HOA proposes forming a special assessment district to fund the extension of a public water line from Trancas Canyon Park north along Trancas Canyon Road and within the gated private streets of Anacapa View Drive, Beach View Estates Drive and Foxview Drive. The assessment district would encompass about 66 parcels and 209 acres, according to municipal planners.

Water would be obtained from a booster pump station constructed at Trancas Canyon Park, near an existing Los Angeles County Water District No. 29 storage tank that would pump water up to the new tank.

Fire hydrants, two pressure reducing stations, valves and other appurtenances would be constructed along the public and private streets.

An additional “dry” trench is also proposed for undergrounding existing overhead electric lines and extension of utilities such as natural gas and cable.

Once underground utilities are installed, overhead lines and poles would be removed. The underground wiring is a safety factor, panelists were told.

Access to the tank would be a new 2,250-foot access road up to the building sites for the new water tank and the two new homes.

Commissioners spent some time discussing the access road and if during construction it would impact nearby neighbors.

The HOA will form the assessment district to fund preparation of final-engineering and construction plans.

The water system and utility plans would be designed in compliance with Water District 29, Los Angeles County Fire Department, City of Malibu and utility provider requirements.

Many of the homes in the highlands do not have potable water and must have water trucked to them and stored in tanks.

Most of the homes were developed with wells, which seem to have dried up for the most part in the hilly area above Broad Beach.

Homeowner Margaret Hauptman reminded commissioners that even when wells have water, if the fire comes, the power is usually off and then there is no way to run a well pump without electricity.

It has been a long-held dream of many of the residents for nearly 20 years to have piped water connected to their homes.