Because the promised “big one” was taking too long.
The road to recovery after the Palisades Fire has been anything but smooth for a group of historical business owners on the eastern edge of Malibu.
For years, the Reel Inn was a staple along Pacific Coast Highway at Topanga Canyon Boulevard. The famous seafood shack fed surfers and tourists for nearly 40 years.
Its sign is now in a pile of rubble, and because of a yearslong dispute over land use, the Reel Inn may never reopen.
Other businesses are facing the same roadblocks when it comes to rebuilding — The Topanga Ranch Motel, Wiley’s Bait and Tackle, Cholada Thai and Rosenthal Wine Bar.
[…]
Today, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is using the land, which is owned by California State Parks. They recently informed the destroyed businesses that their leases are cancelled and they can’t rebuild.
“Due to the catastrophic property loss associated with the Palisades Fire, DPR has regretfully determined that it will not continue to lease this site,” the letter the Reel Inn received read.
“We wanted to rebuild, remodel, expand from day one for thirty years. We thought that somebody from state parks, at some point, would go, ‘Look, we’re remodeling the whole place down there anyway. These guys have got good press. Why don’t we lean in with them and do something cool? And let’s do it rather sooner than later because it will make it look like we’re getting things going down here.’ And the phone, not only didn’t ring, but we got that letter two weeks ago,” said Andy Leonard, the owner of the Reel Inn.
h/t Joe
Government will always find ways to break faith and contract with people when it is advantageous to do so.
I have predicted the State via the Fascist Coastal Commission will become so enamored by newly opened vistas of the Malibu beach … they will seize all beachfront properties by eminent domain and make them a permanent ecological reserve … no people allowed. Look, don’t touch.
It’s coming.
I think you’re being too kind. I believe there is a rather elaborate backdoor kickback scheme running that has been in full swing since 2013. Politicians team up with real estate developers and secure choice real estate holdings.
It started with the high speed rail project. It’s not publicized, but the California government has been applying eminent domain since 2013. I don’t think they ever had any intention of creating a high speed rail. It was just an excuse to apply eminent domain to secure generational farmland and private holdings on a long wide path down the coast. As of today they have applied eminent domain to well over 600 properties. It continues to this day. Eventually, when the project gets, officially, scrapped, the State of California is sitting on prime real estate, and their political friends in the real estate business (which includes foreign entities) will get first choice. Politicians will get a nice quiet bonus (some of which has already been paid out IMO).
Relative to the Palisades/ Malibu fires, they will take a different path. First, they obligated everyone to use the City/State mandated debris removal teams. That delayed the process, and allowed the debris removal companies to right their own ticket on costs without bids. If the property owner can’t pay, it gets attached to their property taxes. If that isn’t paid in the allotted time frame, the property gets put up for confiscation and auction (enter the usual real estate suspects and kick backs). This is further exacerbated by all the new regulations and requirements attached to rebuilding (which aren’t covered by Home Owners coverage in full) which negates the purpose of a Replacement Value HO Policy. Permits are not being released to rebuild. And, ancillary permits are being tacked on (like $12,000 to do a soil sample test).
Too many coincidences going on (inclusive of why there was no water in the reservoir. Why the fire fighting budget was cut etc.
You’re being way to kind to those in California running the show(s). I believe they are more nefarious than incompetent.
Yes, I am too kind. I thought I was the nations leading cynic … but you edged me out. And I believe you are exactly right.
In other news … how did Ilhan Omar go from $0 dollars to $30 million dollars in 6 months? Rich enough to buy a winery in Santa Rosa. Wineries are classic tax dodges where the proprietor can write off a massive $$$ amount of “start-up” costs that end up adding massive value to the property.
conspiracists pounce on this kind of stuff, l prefer to think the randomness of life leads da powah cystem boyz to merely take advantage every time the opportunity rises.
and that can take many forms.
That’s exactly what they set you up to say.
No Sympathy for Morons.
Communism consumes everything it can, and Californians suck it up and continue to vote it into power.
I suspect Karen and Gavin will build Soviet style apartment blocks there.