Malibu Is Poison Free After Unanimous Vote by City Council – Next Step: Written Policy and Enforcement

After a 13-year battle in the name of preservation of the environment and local wildlife, Malibu City Council finally passed the Poison Free initiative last night to ban all poisons and pesticides within the city limits.

Watch the meeting here:

Poison Free Malibu, the nonprofit organization founded by Malibu residents Kian and Joel Schulman, began their crusade in 2012 after the death of mountain lion P-25 from which was discovered to be from rat poison. Their mission has been to educate the public regarding the hazards of using dangerous pesticides and poisons which has been detrimental the environment, local wildlife, pets and children.

Kian and Joel Schulman of *Poison Free Malibu*.

On December 9th, 2019 and shortly after a protest by local environmentalists and supporters, Malibu City Council voted unanimously to amend the Malibu LCP to prohibit the use of pesticides, including anticoagulant rodenticide and herbicides like Round-Up. Two years later the amendment was approved by the City and the Coastal Commission.

Unfortunately, it took an additional two years for the city pass the initiative, which finally took place last night at the Malibu City Council meeting resulting in a unanimous vote.

Malibu Daily News spoke to Council member Steve Uhring regarding the newly passed initiative. Uhring explained “Putting poison on the ground is now considered “development” requiring a coastal development permit. Anyone using poison without a CDP will be considered in defiance of the ordinance and will be summoned and cited.”

Uhring also explained the details of crafting the ordinance itself, the language and enforcement by the city, will be discussed in a meeting with City Manager Steve McClary this Friday.

Details on the new initiative and city wide enforcement will be released as soon as they are available.