MALIBU, Calif. — The Malibu Planning Commission denied an application from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) that sought approval to operate a temporary utility laydown yard on a 97-acre property at 4000 Corral Canyon Road.
The matter came before the Planning Commission during its August 3, 2026 meeting as Agenda Item 5.C. The property, identified as APN 4459-006-270, is located partially within Malibu’s appealable coastal zone and is zoned Rural Residential, 20-Acre (RR-20).
LADWP’s application included Coastal Development Permit No. 26-032, Conditional Use Permit No. 26-005 and Variance No. 26-008. The proposal was submitted as a follow-up to Emergency Coastal Development Permit No. 25-017.
LADWP presented the commission with a recommended action that would have allowed the temporary utility laydown yard to operate for seven years.
According to the report, the proposed project included eight storage trailers, a new access driveway, fencing and a vehicle gate, dark-sky-compliant lighting, six portable toilets, a permeable aggregate base for the operational area and utility hookups.
The proposal also included a variance to allow development on slopes steeper than 2.5-to-1.
The site was intended to support LADWP operations by providing space for the storage of materials and vehicles. During discussion of the application, however, the proposed intensity of the operation became a significant issue.
Information presented in connection with the proposal contemplated as many as 60 full-time workers, six commercial vehicles, eight storage trailers and nighttime lighting at the site.
Although the underlying property would remain zoned RR-20, the Conditional Use Permit would have authorized operation of a public utility facility consisting of the temporary utility laydown yard. The distinction became central to concerns raised over whether the proposed activity was compatible with the rural residential location.
Residents Raise Traffic and Land-Use Concerns
Public comment was heavily focused on the potential effects of introducing a large utility operation into the Corral Canyon area.
Approximately 10 speakers addressed the commission regarding the proposal, with residents raising concerns about commercial traffic, the intensity of the proposed use and its compatibility with the surrounding rural residential area.
One speaker argued that LADWP should be able to locate approximately one acre of suitable storage space within 10 miles of its worksite rather than using the Corral Canyon property for the proposed operation.
Other comments focused on the number of commercial vehicles that could travel to and from the property and the effect that increased activity could have on the surrounding community.
The proposed seven-year duration also meant that what was described as a temporary facility could potentially remain in operation for a substantial period.
Chair Skylar Peak Calls for Site Remediation
Planning Commission Chair Skylar Peak, who previously served as mayor of Malibu, also addressed recent activity involving the property’s driveway.
Peak requested that the site be remediated in connection with the recent driveway activity within the next several months.
Restoration was already an element of the proposed project. Had the application been approved as recommended by staff, LADWP would have been required to completely restore and improve environmental conditions at the site to conditions existing prior to construction activities at the conclusion of the seven-year operational period.
The commission ultimately declined to approve LADWP’s application.
The decision prevents the proposed seven-year laydown yard from moving forward under the permits and variance considered by the Planning Commission at the August 3 meeting.
The determination represents another closely watched Malibu land-use decision involving the balance between public infrastructure needs and the preservation of the city’s rural residential and environmentally sensitive areas.
Location: 4000 Corral Canyon Road, Malibu, California
Applicant/Owner: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Zoning: Rural Residential, 20-Acre (RR-20)
Applications: CDP No. 26-032, CUP No. 26-005 and VAR No. 26-008
Planning Commission Meeting: August 3, 2026
Agenda Item: 5.C
Decision: Application denied
Original requested permit document below:
