🌊 The Malibu Current with Councilmember Haylynn Conrad

📅 May 22, 2026

Hello Malibu,

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Before we start hitting the beach, enjoying backyard barbecues, and remembering how blessed we all are thanks to those who’ve served, there are some recent community highlights worth mentioning.

Malibu came together for a successful large animal evacuation event in Topanga, an arts-packed weekend across multiple venues, and the Palibu Chamber Recovery Expo for our small business community. This week also brought two ribbon cuttings, a Special Council Meeting Wednesday on coastal development appeals, and two Southern California Edison wildfire safety webinars.

Looking ahead, Vote Center hours at City Hall start tomorrow morning for the June 2 California Primary, Wally's Wine & Spirits opens its doors to the public today at Cross Creek Ranch, and the City has rolled out important reminders for keeping our beaches, trails, and PCH safe through the busy summer season. Here is the rundown heading into the long weekend.

🇺🇸 A Memorial Day Weekend on the Coast

🔹 Safe Summer Malibu starts now: The City has issued a community reminder as the busy summer season kicks off this Memorial Day weekend. With visitors flowing in from around the world, the asks are simple: drive sober, keep the phone down, slow through pedestrian and beach parking areas, pack out your trash, and remember that alcohol, dogs, and fires are not allowed on Malibu beaches. The Sheriff's Beach Team runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, supported by California State Parks, LA County Department of Beaches and Harbors, MRCA, and the Malibu Volunteers on Patrol.

→ ⚡ Why this matters here: We live in a community that opens its doors to millions of visitors a year. The way our summer goes depends on every one of us, residents and guests alike, doing the small things that keep our beaches, our PCH, and our neighborhoods safe. To report street racing, call CHP at 323-259-3200. For suspected impaired drivers, call 9-1-1.

👉 Read the full Safe Summer Malibu reminders

🔹 PCH and Topanga Canyon work paused for the holiday: Caltrans has suspended lane closures on Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Boulevard from 5:00 AM today, Friday, May 22, through 11:59 PM Monday, May 25. Expect easier driving conditions for the weekend, with reduced speed limits still in effect through several work zones. One nice update worth noting: Topanga Canyon Boulevard from PCH to Grand View Drive reopened earlier this month with some restrictions in place.

👉 View the full Caltrans closure schedule

🔹 A moment Monday for those we honor: Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 25. However your family marks the day, please take a quiet moment for the service members who gave their lives for this country. The freedoms we live with along this coast are not free, and the people who paid for them deserve every bit of our gratitude.

🗳️ Vote Center Opens at Malibu City Hall Tomorrow

🔹 The Vote Center runs May 23 through June 1: For the June 2 California Primary Election, Malibu City Hall is hosting an 11-day in-person Vote Center starting tomorrow, Saturday, May 23. Hours are 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM through Monday, June 1, then 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, June 2 (Election Day). A 4-day Vote Center at Malibu Library, 23519 Civic Center Way, runs Saturday May 30 through Election Day. The official 24/7 Ballot Drop Box at the Malibu Library is open through 8:00 PM on Election Day, and LA County voters can drop ballots at any County Drop Box.

→ 🎯 My take: Local elections move quickly, and every vote on the ballot, from federal seats to local measures, shapes the choices the rest of us live with. If you have not made your plan to vote yet, this is your reminder. The City Hall location is convenient, the hours are generous, and the staff there can help walk you through anything you need.

👉 Read full Vote Center hours and locations

💼 Two Ribbon Cuttings, One Big Welcome Back

🔹 Under the Oaks Early Childhood Center reopened Tuesday: I had the honor of cutting the ribbon this past Tuesday at Under the Oaks in Las Flores Canyon, where the Armstrong family has been a part of Malibu's fabric for decades. The Palisades Fire left smoke damage that closed the school for many months, and seeing the doors open again, with summer camp starting June 15, is the kind of moment that makes everything our small businesses and families have walked through this year feel a little less heavy. Some places just feel like home.

→ 💼 Why this matters: When a fire-impacted school reopens, it is more than a building coming back online. It is a generation of Malibu kids continuing the tradition their parents and grandparents grew up with. Recovery looks like a lot of things, and one of the best looks like a child walking into a familiar classroom again. Congratulations to Sunshine Armstrong and the whole family on this next chapter.

👉 Visit Under the Oaks Early Childhood Center

🔹 Wally's Wine & Spirits opens to the public today at Cross Creek Ranch: On Wednesday, the Palibu Chamber Board, fellow Councilmembers, and I helped celebrate the ribbon cutting at Wally's Wine & Spirits, the newest tenant at Cross Creek Ranch. Michael Davis and the Wally's team rolled out a gracious welcome that captured exactly the kind of energy you feel when a new neighbor genuinely wants to be part of the community. Doors open to the public today, Friday, May 22. Stop in, say hello, and welcome them to town.

→ 🎯 My take: Another small business choosing Malibu is a small but real vote of confidence in this town's recovery. Wally's joins a Cross Creek Ranch lineup that is steadily filling in, and every ribbon cutting like this one is another sign that our economic momentum is moving in the right direction. Whatever you can spend at our local shops, restaurants, and tasting rooms this Memorial Day weekend is a vote for the businesses that hold this community together.

👉 Visit Wally's Wine & Spirits

👉 Browse Malibu's small business recovery resources

🏛️ This Week at City Hall

🔹 Wednesday's Special Council Meeting tackled two coastal development appeals: The Council convened a Special Meeting at 2:00 PM in the Multi-Purpose Room with two items on the agenda, both appeals of Planning Commission decisions involving Coastal Development Permits. Item 1.A involved a property on Vantage Point Terrace and Item 1.B involved a property on Heathercliff Road. Materials and the recording are available through the Agenda Center.

→ 💡 What this means: These appeals are where the Council weighs in on Planning Commission decisions about projects in our coastal zone. The outcomes shape how the rules get applied across our bluffs, canyons, and the homes that line them. If you missed the meeting and want to track the record, the full agenda and supporting documents stay accessible online.

👉 Read the May 20 Special Meeting agenda

🔹 SCE wildfire safety webinars wrapped Tuesday and Thursday nights: Southern California Edison hosted two virtual community meetings this week covering Public Safety Power Shutoff preparation, available customer programs, and emergency planning ahead of fire season. If you missed both sessions, SCE keeps recordings and resources available year round, and the City's newsflash hub remains a useful entry point.

👉 View SCE wildfire safety resources

📣 An Endorsement: Jake Levine for Congress

🔹 I am proud to endorse Jake Levine for Congress in California's 32nd District: When the Palisades Fire took Jake's childhood home, he did not wait for someone else to step in. He launched the Department of Angels and got to work helping fire survivors across the Palisades, Eaton, and Malibu start rebuilding. That is the kind of leadership our community needs in Washington. His focus is on the issues that actually matter here at home, lowering costs, building housing, supporting our film and TV industry, keeping our neighborhoods safe, and accelerating fire recovery in Malibu and the Palisades.

→ 🎯 My take: I am with Jake, and I hope you will take a look at his campaign and decide for yourself. The June 2 primary is around the corner, and CA-32 deserves a representative who shows up for fire survivors and treats this recovery like the urgent work it is.

👉 Learn about Jake Levine's campaign

🌅 Coming Up and Still Open

🔹 Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project public meeting, Sunday, May 31: The Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project is moving forward, and the partners are hosting a community meeting on Sunday, May 31, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM at Pierce College, Great Hall, in Woodland Hills. The team will share design updates following the Palisades Fire, including the Caltrans bridge replacement and the LA County Beaches and Harbors visitor and emergency services facilities at Topanga Beach. You can attend in person or virtually. Family-friendly activities and Spanish translation will be available.

→ 💧 Why this matters here: Topanga Lagoon is one of the last coastal wetlands in Southern California, and it sits right on our doorstep. The fire impacted the lagoon and its surrounding visitor services, and the design that comes out of this process will shape the next chapter of how that stretch of coast functions for residents, beachgoers, and the species that depend on it. Show up if you can.

👉 RSVP for the Topanga Lagoon public meeting

🔹 "Two Points of View" exhibit open at the Malibu City Gallery through June 26: The opening that capped off last weekend has now settled into its full run. Twin sisters Jacqueline Blue and JoAnne Unger paint plein air outdoors and then collaborate on larger abstract works back in the studio. The gallery is free, located on the first floor of City Hall, and open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Worth the walk through if you have a moment.

👉 Visit the Malibu City Gallery

🔹 California Trails Survey still open: The State is gathering community input on local trails, including safety, parking, public access, and environmental protection. Whether you hike, bike, walk, or simply care about preserving Malibu's natural beauty, your feedback shapes how the State and the region invest in these spaces going forward.

👉 Take the California Trails Survey

🔹 Malibu's large animal evacuation event is coming: After last week's successful first session in Topanga, planning is underway for the Malibu edition of the large animal evacuation series. If you have horses or large animals and want to help shape the local event, please write to me at hconrad@malibucity.org and we will keep you in the loop.

📅 Dates to Know

🔹 Friday, May 22, today: Wally's Wine & Spirits opens to the public at Cross Creek Ranch

🔹 Friday, May 22, 5:00 AM through Monday, May 25, 11:59 PM: No lane closures on PCH or Topanga Canyon Boulevard for Memorial Day weekend

🔹 Saturday, May 23 through Monday, June 1: 11-day Vote Center open at Malibu City Hall, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily

🔹 Saturday, May 30 through Monday, June 1: 4-day Vote Center open at Malibu Library, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily

🔹 Monday, May 25: Memorial Day. A moment to remember and honor those who gave their lives in service to this country.

🔹 Sunday, May 31, 1:30 to 3:30 PM: Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project public meeting, Pierce College Great Hall (Woodland Hills) or virtual

🔹 Tuesday, June 2, 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM: California Primary Election Day

🔹 Through June 26: "Two Points of View" art exhibit, Malibu City Gallery at City Hall

👉 Browse the full Malibu commission calendar

🐝 One Last Thought

A few smaller moments from the past couple of weeks deserve a mention before the weekend.

Crews have been quietly upgrading the infrastructure that keeps this city connected when emergencies hit, from the antenna improvements happening up on the hill to the cell tower painting project taking shape across town. That kind of maintenance does not make a flyer, but it absolutely makes the difference, and the teams doing the work deserve real thanks. A few weeks back we also celebrated National Volunteer Week, and to the volunteers who keep so much of our community running, from beach cleanups to fire safety events to arts programming and youth commissions, you are the backbone of all of it.

On a lighter note, a beautifully designed public trash bin caught my eye this month, the kind of small detail I would love to see more of around town. And if you have not visited the Adamson House lately, the grounds are open daily and the museum is open Wednesday through Saturday. A short stop is the kind of small reset Memorial Day weekend calls for.

If something in this newsletter brought up a question or a thought, please reply or write me at hconrad@malibucity.org. And if you know someone who should be reading these, please forward it their way. Follow me on Instagram too!

Have a safe Memorial Day weekend, Malibu. Drive carefully, look out for one another, and take that quiet moment Monday for the ones we honor.

Together, we're building a community and better future that works for everyone. Thank you for staying connected!

Haylynn Conrad
Councilmember, City of Malibu
hconrad@malibucity.org