Undeveloped open space land is generally defined as areas that are not built upon and may include both manmade and natural landscapes and, as noted previously, includes any parcel or area of land or water which is essentially unimproved or devoted to an open-space use and which is designated on a local, regional or state open-space plan. Open space can separate or unify urban functions or areas, depending on its form and location. In addition, open space provides opportunities for resource protection, enjoying scenic views, conservation of habitat and natural resources, outdoor recreation, public health and safety.
Open space within Malibu includes undeveloped land, parks, public and privately owned beaches, floodplain areas, earthquake areas, steep slopes, and all existing natural conservation areas.
Vacant, undeveloped land dominates Malibu. There are 7,578.3 acres of vacant land which accounts for 60.4% of all land in the City. Most of the vacant land in Malibu is in a natural state, containing tree, brush, shrub, or grassland vegetation. Vacant land includes: natural park land, environmentally sensitive lands, beaches, undeveloped land which may be suitable for development, and abandoned agricultural land with limited improvements. Vacant beach areas include coastal beaches not associated with a national, state, county, or municipal beach park. In Malibu, this designation typically refers to private beaches. There are 113.3 acres of vacant/private beaches in the City. These beaches are located along the coast extending from the east end of the City (Las Tunas Beach) to the western boundary of the City including Las Flores, Carbon, La Costa, and Big Rock Beach areas, Malibu Colony, Point Dume, Broad Beach, Lechuza Beach, and the Encinal beaches.
Open space accounts for 14.9% of the total land in Malibu, making it the third most prevalent type of land use in Malibu. There are 1,869.9 acres of open space including regional and local parks, beach parks, and public open space used for recreation.
Local and regional parks make up 743.7 acres of the open space in Malibu. There is one local park in Malibu as defined by the Aerial Information Systems. Local parks are typically community parks or sports fields and their associated parking. Beach parks are not included in this designation. The 6.5 acre Malibu Community Center located on Point Dume is considered the only neighborhood park; the Center is owned by the Santa Monica/Malibu Unified School District. Malibu Bluffs Park located at the mouth of Malibu Canyon which is approximately 8.7 acres includes playing fields and the Michael Landon Community Center. The second regional park in Malibu is the Malibu Lagoon State Park. The Malibu Lagoon State Beach, approximately 3.5 acres and located just east of the Civic Center at the mouth of Malibu Creek, also includes the Adamson House. The Malibu Bluffs Park is heavily used by local residents, so it is also considered a community park for recreation planning purposes. Beach parks and public open space used for recreation totaling 201 acres account for a large portion of the open space in Malibu. The City has several regional (City, county, state or federal) parks, including Charmlee Natural Area (formerly Charmlee Regional County Park) which is managed by the City of Malibu. This is a 524-acre site with small visitor/nature center and petting area with small animals. Hiking, picnicking, equestrian, nature trails and whale watching sites exist within the park.
Malibu Lagoon State Beach's facilities include fee and street parking, restrooms, drinking water, hiking and nature trails, and disabled access. The lagoon contains important bird refuge supported by diverse marsh vegetation. The lagoon also supports steelhead trout and tidewater goby. Surfrider Beach is a widely recognized surfing area. The classic hollow peeling Malibu wave is one of Malibu's most significant natural resources formed by the cobble contours of the ocean floor.