With Memorial Day weekend approaching and Malibu’s beaches and trails already seeing increasing numbers of visitors, the City of Malibu is undertaking seasonal measures and coordinating with partner agencies to protect public safety on PCH and canyon roads, beaches and trails.
The City is coordinating with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors, California State Parks, Mountains and Recreation & Conservation Authority (MRCA), and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to prepare for holiday and seasonal crowds.
“Let’s all help keep Malibu safe during the holiday weekend and all summer long,” said Mayor Paul Grisanti. “The City asks all visitors to the Malibu area, particularly on the beaches, trails and PCH, to be mindful of respecting our community’s peace, safety and environment: please properly throw away all trash; do not engage in dangerous or excessively loud driving behavior on PCH and canyon roads; please watch for pedestrians crossing PCH to access the beaches, cyclists, and drivers pulling in and out of beach parking; and please adhere to the City’s ordinance requiring facemasks to be worn while in public.”
The City regularly funds a Sheriff’s Department Beach Team from Memorial Day to Labor Day to assist with enforcement on the beaches. However, this year, the City requested the Beach Team to start working on weekends beginning May 1 in anticipation of early crowding at the beach due to loosening of COVID restrictions. The beach patrols are an important way to address alcohol consumption on the beaches, which is illegal, and thereby reduce drunk driving on PCH and canyon roads on busy beach days.
The MRCA plans to double patrols in its parks from Memorial Day to Labor Day. State Parks will have seven-day coverage and will also be monitoring and addressing litter. Beaches and Harbors will be increasing staffing in mid-May to assist with parking, maintenance, and trash. CHP will continue to implement its Street Racing Task Force.
For the Memorial Day weekend, the City Manager requested additional patrols by the Sheriff’s Department and the Sheriff’s Volunteers on Patrol (VOPs).
Although the City does not control access to the state and county beaches in Malibu, the City wants to reassure the Malibu community that it is working with its partner agencies on messaging to the public about the importance of following all LA County Department of Public Health (LADPH) guidelines of physical distancing, use of facemasks and other COVID-19 safety protocols, as well as PCH safety.
Residents can request assistance from CHP with street racing by calling 323-259-3200. Report drunk drivers by calling 9-1-1. Residents may sign up for the City’s emergency and traffic alerts at www.MalibuCity.org/News (scroll down to “Alert Center”).
Submitted by Matt Myerhoff, Media Information Officer
