Happy Holidays from the Schmitz Team

Taking a Night to Appreciate the Season The Schmitz and Associates team took some much needed time to enjoy all the seasonal festivities and galivanted about Gillette Ranch enjoying the holiday spirit.  Wishing the same to you and yours!  Here’s to a healthy and prosperous 2023!  

Planning Isn’t Procrastination – Malibu Times

Planning Isn’t Procrastination https://issuu.com/colonymagazine/docs/malibu_times_magazine_august_summer_2022/52 Check out the July edition of Malibu Magazine, link above.  Don Schmitz and family are featured, along with a contemplative position piece by Mr. Schmitz himself, which addresses our current planning and processing environment in Malibu.  

PANO AI in Rancho Palos Verdes

More Success for the PANO AI Team https://www.dailybreeze.com/2022/07/27/rancho-palos-verdes-takes-a-step-toward-installing-wildfire-cameras/ We are excited to share that Rancho Palos Verdes recently took a step forward in becoming the first city on the LA Peninsula to install wildfire cameras.  This technology utilizes cameras that can detect smoke that could portend a potentially devastating fire. The City Council last week… Read More

Forty Under 40 – Ben Suber

  Schmitz and Associates Proud to See GIS Manager Recognized https://www.conejochamber.org/40-under-forty Our very own Benjamin Suber was recognized at the Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Forty Under 40 event.  We are incredibly proud of Ben.  An honor he has earned twice fold and one that reminds us of how lucky we are to have talented… Read More

Smart Coast California Policy Summit “One California, One Coast”

Smart Coast California Policy Summit “One California, One Coast” https://www.planning.org/events/eventsingle/9246474/ 1. Be designed to meet a specific planning-related training objective. The educational purpose or objective must be clearly identified. Coastal Planning is a rapidly evolving segment of professional planning. The educational purpose of this single live event is to provide planners and other interested parties… Read More

Commanding the Tide

As climate change and sea level rise become more commonplace in our recurring discussion and conversations, so has it become more frequent in our public policy and land use planning. We urge you to take a moment and consider the implications of these changes and consider how best to mitigate the looming impacts. Don Schmitz… Read More

Malibu’s Emergency Woolsey Fire Rebuild Ordinance Achieve’s Approval Before CCC

The California Coastal Commission has cleared the way for Malibu’s emergency Woolsey Fire rebuild ordinance to achieve its final approval. The amendment proposed by the City includes revisions to existing temporary housing regulations to allow for temporary housing structures to be placed on a property during reconstruction and allows for these temporary structures to be… Read More

Don Schmitz and CFSC Present Revolutionary Community Fire Defense Strategy

On February 27, the Coalition for Fire Safe Communities, led by Don Schmitz, spoke to a room packed with community members and elected officials interested in an innovative new system to fight devastating wild fires. He described the idea, known as First Fire Defense System, as many things, but in short, more effective than using… Read More

Malibu’s Water Infrastructure Must be Improved to Protect us from Future Wildfires

Don Schmitz and the team are preparing to continue outreach on behalf of the community, and will be arguing that local water districts and the City must react analytically and develop appropriate policies. To ensure that residents have the water demands necessary to mitigate and stop future wildfires, we must carefully considered what transpired in… Read More

A Letter to the City of Malibu – Intelligently Expediting Fire Rebuilds

Re: Coastal Development Permit Exemption and Emergency Coastal Development Permit Dear Ms. Blue: I want to thank you for providing valuable assistance to the wildfire victims and the community outreach you have facilitated. I would also like to express my grave concerns with potential time delays in fire rebuilds[1]. Given the recent statements by Los… Read More

Newport Beach LCPA Approved by California Coastal Commission

The California Coastal Commission met in Newport Beach City Council chambers last week and had a few noteworthy local items on the agenda, including an amendment to the city’s Local Coastal Program. The Commission 7-3 in approval of the amendment with the CCC staff modifications. Schmitz and Associates assisted the City in this process, culminating… Read More

Schmitz & Associates Inc. Summary of the Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan

As part of Schmitz & Associates ongoing due diligence monitoring the Santa Monica Mountains (SMM) North area plan, we have gathered the following relevant notes for your review. Current Status: The Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning (LADRP) are currently in the draft process of the plan (to be completed in the Spring/Summer of… Read More

CCC PROVIDES ACCOLADES FOR NEWPORT BEACH ACHIEVEMENTS

ACCOLADES FOR THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH AND SCHMITZ AND ASSOCIATES  Chair Kinesy of the California Coastal Commission offered high praise for a number of recent projects that we (Schmitz and Associates) obtained successful approval for.  These approvals required significant efforts by our team and were completed in a collaborative effort with the City of… Read More

Commission Approves Dredging Project, Eelgrass Plan

Commission Approves Dredging Project, Eelgrass Plan Newport Beach Independent Online Posted On 19 Jun 2015 By : Sara Hall The California Coastal Commission unanimously approved two Newport Beach dredging related items and the city’s Eelgrass Protection and Mitigation Plan during their meeting last week. The city applied for a Coastal Development Permit and Federal Consistency… Read More