The City Council voted Monday night to explore making permanent a temporary ordinance that has allowed local businesses to host events more easily in the wake of last year's devastating Palisades Fire.
The council directed the Planning Commission to review a zoning text amendment that would extend Ordinance 526 beyond its May 31, 2026, expiration date. The ordinance has streamlined the permit process for temporary business events, helping boost foot traffic and sales for establishments still recovering from fire-related closures and access restrictions.
"We started in the economic recovery phase," said Tyler Eaton, assistant community development director. "The long-term, permanent ordinance could help with the economic sustainability of our city and also lead to future economic development with attracting more visitors to Malibu."
Since the ordinance took effect in July 2025, the city has approved 34 events under the new streamlined process with zero code enforcement complaints, according to staff reports. The program has drawn praise from business owners who reported significant increases in customer engagement and revenue.
The Palisades Fire broke out Jan. 7, 2025, affecting one-third of Malibu and closing Pacific Coast Highway from the city's eastern boundary to Carbon Beach through Memorial Day weekend. Even after the roadway reopened, ongoing traffic controls and congestion continued limiting access from the greater Los Angeles area.
Some Malibu business owners publicly reported year-over-year losses of up to 80%, prompting the City Council to adopt the urgency ordinance in July to spur economic recovery.
Under the temporary rules, businesses can obtain simple planning clearances for events with 99 or fewer attendees, with no annual limit. Events with 100-250 people require express permits with shortened timelines — applications due seven days before the event rather than the standard 35 days. Shopping centers can host up to 48 one-day events annually, while individual businesses can hold 24.
Regular temporary use permits are still required for events exceeding 250 people and remain limited to six per year per parcel.
The council also directed the Planning Commission to examine potential modifications, including a request from the Boys and Girls Club of Malibu to extend the current 14-day event limit to allow more time for setup and breakdown of the annual Malibu Chili Cook-Off.
Mayor Marianne Riggins made a motion asking the commission to "consider whether or not set up and break down days are included in that 14-day time period."
The council also wants to close what officials called a "loophole" where the 14-day permit could potentially be used to host multiple different events over consecutive weekends under a single permit.
"There's been some debate over whether that's a series of events or not, under one TUP," Eaton said, referring to temporary use permits.
Not all council members favored making the changes permanent immediately. Mayor Pro Tem Steve Uhring and Councilmember Doug Stewart suggested keeping the ordinance temporary for now, noting the city's previous event rules had worked for years.
"We were stuck so long in being conservative on this, we loosened it up, and we've only had it in operation for seven months," Stewart said. "Let's make sure it's flying right before we cut it loose."
The council ultimately directed staff to prepare the zoning text amendment for Planning Commission review, though the final ordinance could include a sunset provision rather than making the changes permanent.
The ordinance also loosened temporary signage rules, allowing six signs per shopping center or two per parcel, each up to 16 square feet. However, only one temporary sign permit has been approved during the program period.
The council heard Item 6A late in the evening after a lengthy discussion of a controversial mobile home rent stabilization ordinance.
State law requires zoning code changes to go through the Planning Commission unless a city lacks such a commission, according to Interim City Attorney Trevor Rusin.
The Planning Commission will schedule a public hearing to review the proposed amendments and make recommendations back to the City Council.