MALIBU—On February 10, the California Coastal Commission will discuss the ongoing controversy of five houses that David “The Edge” Evans plans to build on his property in Malibu. The project is opposed by both the Commission and the Serra Canyon Property Owners Association.
In 2004, the U2 guitarist and his family, who have been current residents of the area for more than a decade, purchased the property located in the Sweetwater Mesa area with plans to build a custom home. The property held pre-existing entitlements for five homes; therefore, the couple brought in a number of friends as partners.
Nearly seven years later, the family’s custom home has yet to break ground. There have been claims proposed by the California Coastal Commission and the Serra Canyon Property Owners Association which state the project would cause significant environmental damage.
Evans refutes the claims. In a statement on leavesinthewind.com, a website created specifically to address the project as well as the surrounding controversy, Evans states that he and his partners “have worked diligently to design homes that meet the highest environmental standards.” According to the site, the homes have been designed to protect the public’s view of the property “minimizing the visual impacts,” and the architects have been careful to design organic, self-sustainable structures.
The site claims that the size of the homes will be within the California Coastal Commission guidelines as the “development ”˜pads’ themselves are designed to be no larger than 10,000 square feet, or .23 acres, each.” The site reiterates that the parcels were established with entitlements that allow the owner to build “at least one single-family residence.”
Next week’s meeting will determine whether the opposition is based on legitimate legalities.
