ORD 438U ORDINANCE NO. 438U
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES EXTENDING
URGENCY ORDINANCE NO. 427U ESTABLISHING A MORATORIUM ON THE
ISSUANCE OF CERTAIN PERMITS AND THE PROCESSING OF PLANNING
APPROVALS AND SUSPENDING CERTAIN PREVIOUSLY ISSUED BUILDING
PERMITS AND APPROVALS, IN THE PORTION OF THE LANDSLIDE
MORATORIUM AREA OUTLINED IN BLUE ON THE LANDSLIDE
MORATORIUM MAP ON FILE IN THE CITY'S PLANNING, BUILDING AND
CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, WHICH INCLUDES PORTIONS OF
DAUNTLESS DRIVE, EXULTANT DRIVE, ADMIRABLE DRIVE AND PALOS
VERDES DRIVE SOUTH, AND DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF.
WHEREAS, in September 1978, the City Council adopted Urgency Ordinance
No. 108U, which established the Landslide Moratorium Area in a portion of the City, as
depicted on a map that is on file in the City's Department of Planning, Building and
Code Enforcement; and
WHEREAS, in February 1981, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 139U,
which added the area known as Klondike Canyon to the Landslide Moratorium Area,
which is described as the area outlined in red on the map that is on file in the City's
Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement; and
WHEREAS, in September 1989, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 247,
which added a new provision to the Landslide Moratorium Ordinance that provided the
possibility for more intense development than previously was permitted in the Klondike
Canyon Area, as outlined in blue on the map that is on file in the City's Department of
Planning, Building and Code Enforcement ("Blue Area"); and
WHEREAS, in May 2005, following the unusual winter rains during the winter of
2004-2005, the first indications that the Blue Area may be experiencing landslide
movement appeared; and
WHEREAS, in October 2005, the City received a report from the City Geologist,
who was reviewing a proposed development in the Blue Area, that discussed the issue
of landslide movement in the Blue Area; and
WHEREAS, based on the new evidence of landslide movement in the Blue Area,
the City Council has asked the City Geologist to determine whether the more flexible
development standards that had been allowed in the Blue Area since 1989 should be
repealed so that the Blue Area will be subject to the same development criteria that are
applicable to the other areas that are subject to the Landslide Moratorium Ordinance, as
was the case from February 1981 through September 1989; and,
WHEREAS, on November 15, 2005, the City Council adopted Urgency
Ordinance No. 427U, which established a 60-day moratorium on the processing and
issuance of building, grading or other permits, and landslide moratorium exception
permits and the processing or approval of Environmental Assessments, Environmental
Impact Reports, Conditional Use Permits, height variation applications, tentative maps
or parcel maps in the Blue Area and temporarily suspended Section 15.20.040 K of the
Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code pending the completion of new geological data to
determine whether construction in the Blue Area is safe in light of the newly observed
instability or if the proposed development could adversely impact the stability of said
Area; and,
WHEREAS, because the Global Positioning System ("GPS") Data still was being
collected, and the City Geologist still was in the process of completing the review of that
data to assess the potential impacts of construction in the Blue Area upon the overall
stability of said Area and upon the public health, safety and welfare and, accordingly,
needed additional time to complete that review before determining if the moratorium
imposed by Ordinance 427U should be lifted, the moratorium was extended by the City
Council to March 21, 2006; and r
WHEREAS, because the City Geologist's report has been completed and"j
presented to the City Council, but the City Council and the public need additional time to
review the report before determining whether to amend the Chapter 15.20 of the
Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS
VERDES DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes hereby
extends Urgency Ordinance 427U for an additional thirty days, until April 20, 2006.
Except as otherwise modified by this Ordinance, all provisions of Urgency Ordinance
No. 427U shall remain in full force and effect through and including April 20, 2006.
SECTION 2. It has recently come to the attention of the City Council that the
land identified in the Blue Area, which was previously thought to be stable, may in fact
be experiencing current landslide movement. In order to protect the public health,
safety and welfare, the City Geologist was to review recently collected GPS Data to
determine the stability of the land in question and to whether development of new
structures on undeveloped lots or parcels, substantial additions to existing homes, or
the construction of certain accessory structures on properties in the Blue Area should
be allowed. The City Geologist's report has been completed and has been submitted to
the City Council. However, additional time is needed for the City Council and the public
to review the City Geologist's report before determining whether Chapter 15.20 of the
Municipal Code should be amended to remove the more deferential development
standards that were imposed on the area that is subject to the Klondike Canyon
Landslide. Thus, the City Council needs additional time to review the report and
determine whether additional controls on development are necessary to protect the
public health, safety, and general welfare from the harmful effects associated with slope
failure. The City Council finds that continued development in the Blue Area during this
Ordinance No. 438U
Page 2 of 3
additional time could expose residents to undue health hazards and safety risks and
pose a current and immediate threat to the public health, safety, or general welfare and
approval of additional entitlements for development inconsistent with the provisions of
Urgency Ordinance No. 427U would frustrate the City's ability to protect the public
health, safety and welfare by minimizing the adverse effects of slope failure. This
ordinance is therefore necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace,
health, safety and welfare and shall take effect immediately upon adoption as an
urgency ordinance. This ordinance is effective until 11:59 p.m. on April 20, 2006,
unless further extended by the City Council.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 21st day of March 2006.
Mayor
Attest:
City1erk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )ss
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES )
I, Carolynn Petru, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, do hereby
certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of said City is five; that the
foregoing Ordinance No. 438U was duly and regularly adopted by the City Council of
said City at a regular meeting thereof held on March 21, 2006, and that the same was
passed and adopted by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Clark, Gardiner, Long, Stern, and Mayor Wolowicz
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Cit Clerk
Ordinance No. 438U
Page 3 of 3
ERDE RANCHO
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) SS AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES )
The undersigned, being first duly sworn, deposes and says:
That at all times herein mentioned, she was and now is the appointed City Clerk
of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes;
That on March 29, 2006, she caused to be posted the following document
entitled: ORDINANCE NO. 438U —AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO
PALOS VERDES EXTENDING URGENCY ORDINANCE NO. 427U ESTABLISHING A
MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OF CERTAIN PERMITS AND THE
PROCESSING OF PLANNING APPROVALS AND SUSPENDING CERTAIN
PREVIOUSLY ISSUED BUILDING PERMITS AND APPROVALS, IN THE PORTION
OF THE LANDSLIDE MORATORIUM AREA OUTLINED IN BLUE ON THE
LANDSLIDE MORATORIUM MAP ON FILE IN THE CITY'S PLANNING, BUILDING
AND CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, WHICH INCLUDES PORTIONS OF
DAUNTLESS DRIVE, EXULTANT DRIVE, ADMIRABLE DRIVE AND PALOS VERDES
DRIVE SOUTH, AND DECLARING THE URGENCY THEREOF, a copy of which is
attached hereto, in the following locations:
City Hall Ladera Linda Community Center
30940 Hawthorne Blvd. 32201 Forrestal Drive
Rancho Palos Verdes Rancho Palos Verdes
Hesse Park
29301 Hawthorne Blvd.
Rancho Palos Verdes
I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is a true and correct affidavit of
posting.
ity Clerk
W:\City Council Ordinances\affidavits\Ordinance 438U-Extending Moratorium on Permits in Landslide Moratorium Area(Blue).doc