Malibu Municipal Code § 1.3 Proposed Land Uses (CA)

1.3.1. Buildout.¶

Table 1-2 and Figures LU-2A to LU-2E tabulate and display the planned land uses and the distribution of those land uses within the City. Table 1-2 provides an estimate of the number of units which could ultimately exist in Malibu if all areas could be developed in accordance with the land use designations without consideration to site specific topography, geologic, or environmental constraints. With regard to residential buildout, which accounts for the vast majority of the land in the City, it also estimates potential buildout based on vacant acreage, taking into account both the general topography of the City and the existing land use designations which limit potential subdivision.

The buildout figures for residential and commercial development represent the maximum theoretical buildout that would be permitted under the land use densities and intensities established in this plan. For several reasons, however, these figures do not reflect the actual level of buildout that the City projects will occur during the lifetime of this plan. Accordingly, these buildout figures are not reliable predictions and are not regarded as a regulatory tool.

First, environmental constraints will limit the ultimate buildout of both residential and commercial development in the City. For example, the City's slope density formula will reduce the potential for subdivision and development of larger parcels in the City. Furthermore, steep slopes and other geologic hazards in many cases will limit commercial development to the lower intensities permitted under the floor area ratio applicable to commercially zoned land.

Second, the buildout figures are based on the number of acres of vacant land in the City rather than the number of legal lots. Many of these acres cannot be developed because they are part of legal parcels; although they are larger than the legal minimum, they are not large enough to subdivide.

Finally, there are practical impediments to development of many areas of the City, such as natural constraints and the cost of infrastructure. For example, more than 50% of the vacant, residentially designated land in Malibu is of a slope greater than 35% and not suitable for development.

All of these factors will operate to limit both the rate and amount of growth that is expected to occur in the City during the lifetime of the plan. However, it is impossible to definitively assess the actual amount and timing of development that will occur in Malibu as implementation of the plan progresses. As a result, the buildout calculation represents a worst case scenario for environmental review and planning. For the purpose of assuring that the City meets its legal obligations under State housing law, the City has accounted for the growth projections prepared by SCAG in order to accommodate the reasonably expected growth that will create housing demands. The plan is also designed to limit growth to protect natural resources, avoid overburdening infrastructure that cannot be feasibly improved, and to maintain the rural residential character of the community.

Furthermore, to ensure that pace of development in the City does not significantly increase over historic levels, the City will establish a development monitoring program that will allow the City to monitor development and take appropriate steps to regulate the rate of growth in the event that it exceeds levels established by the City.

Exceptions & meaning →

1.3.2. Land Use Policy Map.¶

The Land Use Policy Map (Figures LU-2A to 2E) developed for Malibu identifies 20 land use classifications including ten residential land use categories, five commercial land use categories, and categories for publicly owned land, research and development, agriculture and horticulture, private recreational facilities, and Specific Plan Districts. These categories, their total acreage throughout the City and, for residential areas, the corresponding allowable dwelling unit buildout totals are included in Table 1-2 and fully described in the Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Implementation Measures. As previously noted, where property is already subdivided into legal lots, actual densities may be higher than indicated on the table.

The data for the existing land use map (Exhibits LU-1A through 1D) was developed using 1990 aerial photographs and a computer mapping program. Due to the use of aerial photographs without regard to existing parcel lines a large margin of error can be expected. Much of the land shown as vacant is the undevelopable portion (canyons and steep slopes) of existing subdivided lots. These maps were used to estimate the number of acres of vacant land available for residential development (Table 1-2) and as such the buildout numbers are greatly exaggerated.

The Draft Land Use Policy Map, accepted by the City Council based on recommendations from the City's General Plan Task Force (GPTF) and substantial public input from July 1994 through April 1995, is based on existing land uses in the City (as depicted on previous Table 1-1), and an analysis of existing conditions and constraints. The constraints considered by the City Council and the GPTF included, but were not limited to:

•	Watersheds in the City and the associated analysis of these watershed contained in the wastewater study conducted for the City by Dr. Peter Warshall (as depicted in Figure CO-2 of this General Plan);
•	Environmentally sensitive areas (as depicted in Figure CO-3 in the Conservation Element of this General Plan);
•	Marine resources (see Figure CO-4);
•	Scenic resources (see Figure CO-5);
•	Recreation facilities (see Figure OS-1 of this General Plan);
•	Geologic conditions in the City (as depicted in Figures S-1 to S-10 of the Safety Element of this General Plan);
•	Flooding in the City (as depicted in Figure S-11 of the Safety Element);
•	Brush fire history (as depicted in Figure S-16 of the Safety Element); and
•	Other background material, text and maps presented to the GPTF during the course of the preparation of the Plan.

The Land Use Policy Map for Malibu also requires the establishment of eight classification overlays reflecting existing historical and natural resource, and development constraint overlay classifications. These overlays denote historically, geologically and environmentally sensitive areas, environmental buffer areas, sloped areas, and flood and fire hazard areas. Development of properties in the areas covered by overlays will require additional study prior to development. The overlay areas are identified and described in this Element as part of Goals, Objectives, Policies, and Implementation Policies. The background material used to develop these overlays may be found in the Safety and Conservation Elements and their Background Reports.

Additional objectives which will be achieved through this element will include:

•	Promotion of a balanced and functional mix of land uses consistent with community values, neighborhood characteristics, the vision for the future of the City and sound planning techniques;
•	Guidance for public and private investment; and
•	Reflection of the opportunities and constraints affecting land use identified in the other elements of the general plan.

Table 1-2 LAND USE PLAN YIELD AT MAXIMUM BUILDOUT Residential Uses

Land Use Designation	Land Use Designation	Approximate Vacant Acres	Total Acres	Theoretical Potential Units 1	Potential Units 2 (adjusted for slope and redevelopment)
1.	Single-Family Medium (SFM) 2 to 4 dwelling units per acre	143	500	493 – 1,972	120 – 244
2.	Single-Family Low (SFL) 1 to 2 dwelling units per acre	110	280	140 – 560	47 – 94
3.	Rural Residential 1 (RR1) 1 dwelling unit per acre	254	1,184	592 – 1,184	108
4.	Rural Residential 2 (RR2) 1 dwelling unit per 2 acres	1,733	1,906	482 – 964	368
5.	Rural Residential 5 (RR5) 1 dwelling unit per 5 acres	1,414	1,609	161 – 322	120
6.	Rural Residential 10 (RR10) 1 dwelling unit per 10 acres	368	642	32 – 64	15
7.	Rural Residential 20 (RR20) 1 dwelling unit per 20 acres	1,820	2,766	69 – 138	39
8.	Beach-Front Multifamily (MFBF)	1	13	97 3	15
9.	Multifamily (MF)	12	138	1,331 4	72
10.	Mobile Home (MH)	0	108	649	0
Total Residential Uses	Total Residential Uses	5,855	9,146	4,146 – 7,381	904 – 1,075

Commercial Uses

Land Use Designation	Land Use Designation	Acres	Square Feet
11.	Community Commercial (CC) (FAR = 0.15 to 0.20:1.00)	156	1,010,040 – 1,354,715
12.	Commercial General (CG) (FAR = 0.20 to 0.25:1.00)	100	874,685 – 1,093,355
13.	Commercial Neighborhood (CN) (FAR = 0.15:1.00)	65	425,365
14.	Commercial Visitor (CV) (FAR = 0.15 to 0.25:1.00)	42	361,550 – 451,935
15.	Planned Development (PD)	22	9,58,320
Total Commercial Uses 5	Total Commercial Uses 5	385	2,714,756 – 4,283,690

Other Uses

Land Use Designation	Land Use Designation	Acres	Square Feet
16.	Open Space	1,878	N/A
17.	Institutional/Publicly Owned Land	214	N/A
18.	Industrial/Research and Development	70	N/A
19.	Agriculture-Horticulture	2	N/A
20.	Private Recreational Facilities (PRF)	13	N/A
21.	Recreational Vehicle Park (RVP)	25	N/A
Total Other Land Uses	Total Other Land Uses	2,202	—
Subtotal All Land Uses	Subtotal All Land Uses	11,733	—
	Public/Private Roads	819	—
Total All Land Uses	Total All Land Uses	12,552	—

1	Number of units that could be built if Malibu were perfectly flat, free from any environmental constraints, and entirely undeveloped.
2	Number of units theoretically possible given the average gradient for the City and the average existing parcel size in proportion to the minimum required parcel size for the land use designation. According to the Opportunities and Constraints Report for the Safety Element (May 1993) and based on topographical maps of the City, more than 50% of the vacant, residentially designated land in Malibu is of a slope greater than 30%. Thus, at least 50% of the total acreage is unsuitable for development. Further, many acres of land cannot be developed because they are part of legal parcels, though larger than the minimum required, not large enough to subdivide. A conservative estimate is that 15% of the total acreage in the City falls in this category. Thus, the potential number of units adjusted for slope and redevelopment can be estimated using this formula [(total vacant acres - 50% for slope) - 15% for non-subdividable acreage] x maximum allowable density = maximum potential number of units.
3	Buildout of the MFBF is based on 2,830 sq. ft. per lot.
4	787 dwelling units including: 364 single-family units; 188 duplexes; 144 triplexes; 32 fourplexes; and 59 condominiums or apartment units.
5	Includes specific plan districts.

(Resolution No. 09-43, 7/13/09)

Exceptions & meaning →