Malibu High Adding Lots of Parking, Neighbor-Angering Lights

The Malibu Planning Commission is preparing to review a large expansion of facilities at Malibu High School. According to Malibu Patch, the proposal brought forward by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (sounds nice) calls for new classrooms, a library, computer and science labs and an administrative building--the new facilities will total 20,274 square feet. The plan also (and this is where we expect at least a few fireworks) calls for "a new 150-space lighted parking lot; a reconfigured 119-space lighted parking lot; and a reconfigured 61-space lighted parking lot and a new student drop-off area." Malibu High School, home of the Sharks, recently caused a kerfuffle when the city council approved two permits for 70-foot-tall lights at the athletic fields. That approval was met with threats of recall and lawsuits, and had to bypass the planning commission due to conflicts of interest. The high school, however, is offering boosters the chance to "sponsor a light pole" for $40,000. The planning commission is scheduled to consider the expansion of school buildings and parking facilities on August 7.