Plans Progress For SMC Satellite Campus

The following is an edited press release from the City of Malibu.

The city of Malibu recently announced its latest progress in a joint effort with Santa Monica College to build a satellite campus on Los Angeles County property in the Malibu Civic Center area.

“The City is excited to be working with Santa Monica College and Los Angeles County on the advancement of this project,” said Malibu Mayor Laura Rosenthal. “The satellite campus will not only provide new educational opportunities for the Malibu community, but will strengthen law enforcement’s ability to serve Malibu, especially during emergencies.”

Preliminary plans for the proposed two-story satellite campus include:

• Flexible art studio, which could be used for other activities
• Computer classroom, accomodating at least 25 computers
• 100-seat lecture hall, with raked seating and projection screen
• Flexible science lab, with fixed counter-type tables
• 2 general education classrooms, with capacity of 45 students
• Site office
• Outdoor recreational space
• Small interpretive center
• Small, local sheriff's office

The plans also include a multipurpose room available to the community, which will double as an Emergency Operations Center for the City of Malibu and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“We’re very grateful to Los Angeles County, the Sheriff’s Department and the City of Malibu for their outstanding assistance in making this college campus possible,” said Rob Rader, Santa Monica College Trustee and Malibu Public Facilities Authority Chair. “The Malibu campus is a priority for us.”

The next steps on the project’s road to completion, which are currently in progress, include completion and review of documents required by the California Environmental Quality Act, site drawings, parking surveys, and utility and telecommunications relocation plans.