Malibu City Council on Monday delayed final approval of a $14 million contract to install speed safety cameras along the Pacific Coast Highway, directing staff to revise the agreement to address legal compliance questions, racial equity policy and battery backup during power shutoffs.
The council also unanimously advanced a one-year extension of relaxed business event and signage rules adopted after the 2025 Palisades Fire, pushing the program's sunset date to May 31, 2027.
The speed camera program, authorized under Senate Bill 1297, would install five camera systems totaling 10 cameras in both directions of the 21-mile PCH corridor in Malibu, a stretch where 81% of the city's collisions occur, according to the city's Speed Safety System Impact Report. The program targets vehicles exceeding the posted limit by more than 10 mph, with fines starting at $50.
Interim Public Works Director Tatiana Holden told the council the system is projected to generate roughly $4.5 million annually based on an estimated 227,176 citations and a 40% fine collection rate. Under state law, the revenue must first cover program costs, with any surplus restricted to traffic-calming measures on PCH. The contract with Tennessee-based Blue Line Solutions-CA, LLC carries a not-to-exceed cost of $2,801,751 per year over five years of camera operation, plus a sixth year for decommissioning.
Council member Doug Stewart, who helped advocate for the enabling legislation in Sacramento, urged approval, citing the deaths of four women on PCH 18 months earlier.
"We don't have enough deputies. There is — possibly enough deputies ever to be able to patrol PCH the way the speed cameras can," Stewart said. "If we don't get one dime worth of revenue out of this, it is a success. It is a success because no one is speeding."
Mayor Pro Tem Steve Uhring, presiding in the absence of Mayor Bruce Silverstein, said the cameras would cover far more of the highway than the proposed roundabouts that have also been discussed as a safety measure.
"This thing covers the entire portion of PCH," Uhring said. "We've got some evidence that says we're going to get results in range of 75 to 95% reducing speeding."
The council declined to give final approval after Interim City Attorney Trevor Rusin acknowledged that a fee provision in the contract — a $35,000 charge for each additional block of 5,000 quality-assured events reviewed beyond a 20,000 monthly threshold — warranted further review against California Vehicle Code Section 22435(l), which prohibits vendor compensation tied to the number of violations issued.
"The contract shall not allow for payment or compensation based on the number of notices of violations issued, or as a percentage of revenue generated from the use of the system," Rusin said, reading from the statute.
Blue Line Chief Operating Officer Doug Deihl told the council the fee structure was designed around back-office review work, not citation issuance. "It's not tied to how many — it's tied to how many Blue Line reviews and sends to the city," Deihl said. "The city is the one responsible for issuance."
Council members also pressed for a written battery-backup requirement to keep cameras operating during Public Safety Power Shutoff events. Council member Marianne Riggins said she wanted the requirement codified in the contract itself rather than left to administrative discretion.
"I want it wherever it's enforceable," Riggins said.
Blue Line Chief Technology Officer Zach Watts told the council the company has implemented battery-swap programs in other municipalities and could deploy a backup battery solution at each Malibu site, with a relay built into the main power control mechanism to switch over automatically during AC power disruptions.
The council ultimately directed staff to bring back a revised contract incorporating the backup provision and any compliance changes for consent-calendar approval at a future meeting. The council also directed staff to review the city's Speed Safety System Use Policy for compliance with state racial equity requirements.
Earlier in the evening, the council unanimously introduced Ordinance No. 534 on first reading, extending Temporary Use Permit and Sign Permit relaxations originally adopted in July 2025 as Urgency Ordinance 526U. Assistant Community Development Director Tyler Eaton said the city has approved 34 small-event planning clearances, five mid-size permits and nine standard permits since the program launched, with no code enforcement complaints.
The amendment extends the program to May 31, 2027, increases the seasonal sales limit from 30 to 40 consecutive days to cover the holiday shopping window from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, and allows four additional setup and teardown days outside the 14-day event cap. The ordinance also permits up to six temporary signs per shopping center, or two per parcel, provided each is 16 square feet or smaller and lacks illumination or permanent footings.
Stewart praised the program's economic impact. "It's critical to the budget for the city to get these stores running," he said.
Council member Haylynn Conrad said she supported the staff recommendation. "I'm a huge advocate for business here, for small businesses, for other businesses," Conrad said.
Uhring asked staff to begin tracking which businesses use the permits to measure sales tax impact, saying the data would help the city determine whether the program is generating actual economic activity or simply foot traffic without sales.
A second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for May 11.