May 4, 2010--Santa Monica College (SMC) is in negotiation with the County to build a satellite college campus on County-owned land in Malibu’s Civic Center. A four-person committee composed of representatives from the Malibu City Council and the SMC Board of Trustees recently gave the go ahead to begin the negotiation.

SMC has been calling for a Malibu campus since at least 2004 when it promoted a $135 million bond measure that was eventually passed in November of that year. The College dedicated $25 million of the bond money for Malibu projects. Of that earmarked money, $5 million has gone toward the development of Legacy Park, a municipal park planned for the City’s Civic Center, not far from the land targeted for the college campus. The remaining cash could go toward the construction of the campus, although it is unlikely to cover the entire cost of the project.

A portion of the new building will be used as a substation for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. This settles a dispute that was brewing between Sheriff Lee Baca and Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. Two years ago, Baca publicly criticized the plan to use the site for classrooms because it had formerly been a Sheriff’s substation. He said a new substation was needed there. Yaroslavsky’s office soon replied that the supervisor was open to using the building for both purposes.

In a press release issued by SMC, Yarovslavsky praised the recent developments.

“I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to craft an agreement that’s a win-win for everyone,” Yaroslavsky said.

“The Malibu community will doubly benefit from expanded educational opportunities and enhanced public safety and emergency services, while Santa Monica College and our Sheriff’s Department will be able to advance their policy and public service missions as partners and joint tenants.”

SMC Trustee Rob Rader, who is on the four-person Public Facilities Authority that gave the recent approval to begin the negotiation with the County, also had optimistic words in the press release.

“We are thrilled to move forward on our long-planned Malibu Education Center to serve our many Malibu students and to enrich the community, as well as to work with our partners in the City of Malibu, Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department,” Rader said. “This truly is an example of inter-governmental cooperation to maximize benefits and to save the taxpayers' money.”

The use of the land for classes and as a substation needs approval from a majority of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. There are many other steps in the process as well, so it could be several years before a campus opens.

Meanwhile, for the first time in approximately 20 years, SMC has a presence in Malibu with classes it began offering this year at Webster Elementary School, which is located in the City’s Civic Center. SMC says 130 students are enrolled in one or more of the six classes being offered.

The SMC Board of Trustees will receive an update from staff on the Malibu campus plans at its meeting tonight. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in Business Building Room 117.