CC SR 20240220 02 - Landslide Remediation Project Update Feb 2024City of Rancho Palos Verdes
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 02/20/2024
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to receive a status report on the Portuguese Bend
Landslide Remediation Project.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1)Receive and file a status update on the Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation
Project final engineering;
(2)Receive and file a status update on the Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation
Project Final Environmental Impact Report;
(3)Direct Staff to complete the Final Environmental Impact Report and final
engineering for the Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project based on the
original concept design analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Report and
concurrently continue studying whether revisions could be made to the project
footprint to reduce the environmental impact;
(4)Review information on requesting the Governor declare a State of Emergency for
the entire Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex; and
(5)Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to the Governor requesting his consideration
to declare a State of Emergency by invoking his emergency powers to suspend or
waive certain state requirements and to consider requesting the President declare
a Federal Emergency Disaster.
FISCAL IMPACT: The staff recommendation may have a fiscal which may increase or
decrease the cost of the final engineering and Final Environmental
Impact Report effort depending on certain variables such as the
amount of time already spent or the possibility that future tasks may
no longer be necessary. The fiscal impact is being analyzed and will
be presented to the City Council at a future date.
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation:N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Elena Gerli, City Attorney
John Fox, Assistant City Attorney
Ramzi Awwad, Director of Public Works
REVIEWED BY: Same as below
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
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ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Draft City Letter to Governor Requesting Invoking Emergency Powers (Page A-1)
• Portuguese Bend Landslide Map
B. 2022 Cal-OES Proclamation and CDAA Process Fact Sheet (Page B-1)
C. Public Comments (Page C-1)
D. October 3, 2023 City Council Staff Report
E. November 14, 2023 City Council Staff Report
F. December 19, 2023 City Council Staff Report
G. February 6, 2024 City Council Staff Report
BACKGROUND:
On October 3, 2023, the City Council conducted a discussion regarding the conditions of
the Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex (Landslide Complex). After considering
information presented that evening, including public testimony, the City Council
unanimously adopted Resolution No. 2023-47 declaring the existence of a local
emergency within the geographic boundaries of the Landslide Complex. (Attachment C)
On November 14, 2023, December 19, 2023, and February 6, 2024, the City Council
received updates on conditions in the Landslide Complex and activities underway by
various entities to reduce landslide movement. The local emergency was extended at
each of those meetings by 60 days. (Attachments D, E, and F)
During the February 6, 2024 City Council meeting, the City Geologist, Mike Phipps of
Cotton, Shires, and Associates, Inc., presented the results of his observations of recent
conditions in the Landslide Complex. The City Geologist stated that:
• Accelerated ground movement occurred throughout the Landslide Complex during
and following the 2022-23 rainy season which was more than 220% of the
historical average rainfall.
• The most recent GPS monitoring survey on January 13, 2024 showed that average
land movement velocities within the Landslide Complex between October 10, 2023
to January 13, 2024 accelerated by a factor of three to four times compared to the
previous 12 months (October 2022 - October 2023). In other words, the total
movement between October 2023 to Jan 2024 is approximately the same as (and
in some cases more than) the total movement over the previous entire year.
• Field mapping and GPS monitoring data shows that a large portion of the Landslide
Complex above the historically mapped historical boundaries of the Abalone Cove
Landslide (ACL), Portuguese Bend Landslide (PBL) and Klondike Canyon
Landslide (KCL) is now involved in movement of a magnitude not previously
observed or documented in the Landslide Complex north of the ACL, PBL, and
KCL.
• Total landslide movement in the upper ancient landslide area is significant and
greatly exceeds what has been observed historically. A sample of monitoring
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points shows approximately a 9-fold increase in total land movement on an
annualized basis.
• Movement continues to manifest at the ground surface in the form of landslide
scarps, fissures, grabens/sinkholes, tensional cracking, and shear zones.
• Significant active landslide movement that is impacting trails, roads, and private
property; and continues to have the potential to impact above and below ground
utility infrastructure (i.e., utility lines, sewer lines, gas lines, water lines,
communication lines, etc.).
• Eight miles of trails have been closed as a result of landslide movement causing
unsafe or unmanageable conditions.
As a result of the unprecedented changes in the landslide and the threat to public health,
safety, and property the City Council directed staff to return with information on how to
expedite completion of the Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project (Project),
which is intended to result in a major reduction in land movement, and its Environmental
Impact Report (EIR). Additionally, the City Council asked Staff to identify options for
assisting the Abalone Cove Landslide Abatement District (ACLAD) and the Klondike
Canyon Landslide Abatement District (KCLAD), which are the geologic hazard abatement
districts responsible for controlling land movement in the ACL and KCL. The City Council
asked Staff to return with information on how to ask the Governor to declare a state of
emergency. Finally, the City Council requested that Staff work with the City of Rolling Hills
on efforts to reduce land movement.
DISCUSSION:
Final Engineering and Environmental Impact Report
On December 17, 2019, Staff presented the City Council the proposed preliminary design
for the Project.
The preliminary design consists of mitigation measures intended to significantly slow
down land movement by removing water and preventing it from recharging the water
table, the primary contributor to the landslide. Those measures are summarized as
follows:
• Infill surface fractures (fissures) to prevent storm water runoff from easily becoming
part of groundwater.
• Install surface drainage systems, including natural swales, to convey storm water
runoff to the ocean and prevent it from becoming part of the groundwater.
• Install hydraugers to extract underground artesian water and reduce pressure to
slow down landslide movement.
The preliminary design was prepared based upon geological, hydrogeological, and
geotechnical information available from previous site -specific studies. The preliminary
design was completed to a 35-60% design level to support preparing the required
environmental document and serve as a basis for final engineering.
After considering public testimony, the City Council accepted the preliminary design and
directed Staff to proceed with preparing the environmental documents required by the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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On May 19, 2020, the City began work on preparation of environmental documents. An
Initial Study (IS) was prepared, which concluded that an Environmental Impact Report
(EIR) was necessary to meet CEQA requirements.
The purpose of an EIR is to identify the significant effects on the environment of a project,
to identify alternatives to the project, and to indicate the manner in which those significant
effects can be mitigated to a less than significant level or avoide d. The EIR evaluates and
mitigates a reasonable worst-case scenario of potential impacts associated with the
proposed project. It is an informational document for the lead agency and other public
agencies, the general public, and decision makers regarding the potential environmental
impacts from construction and operation of the proposed project.
On December 19, 2020, the City Council conducted a public hearing to receive public
comments regarding the issues to be addressed in the EIR. The EIR was scoped to study
various environmental impacts based on the project description and objectives.
The Draft EIR was completed and released on February 9, 2023 for public review and
comment. On March 21, 2023, the City Council conducted a public hearing to provide
information about the Draft EIR and solicit public comments regarding issues and
concerns with the document. At the close of the comment period on April 14, 2023, the
City had received a total of 45 comment letters on the Draft EIR, each of which covered
a variety of topics. The comments included letters from federal agencies, state agencies,
various organizations, interested parties, and the general public.
Some comments urged the City to engage to a greater extent with stakeholders including
the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC), who is the City’s Nature
Preserve habitat manager, and affected homeowners. Many of the comments called for
additional analysis and revisions to the preliminary design as well as completion of much
of the final engineering.
On August 15, 2023, Staff presented an update to the City Council detailing comments
received in response to the Draft EIR. On September 19, 2023, the City Council approved
a professional services agreement with Geo-Logic Associates, Inc. (GLA) to proceed with
final engineering while determining if the project can be modified to reduce the footprint
of the flow reduction area and drainage swales , maximize their ability to support native
habitat, and relocate hydrauger batteries to areas that minimize impacts on native habitat.
At the same time, the City Council approved a professional services agreement with LSA
Associates, Inc. (LSA) to provide environmental support services for final engineering and
determine the appropriate path for CEQA compliance based on the outcome of final
engineering.
At the time the agreements were approved, Staff informed the City Council that target
completion date for the final engineering documents and presentation of the Final EIR for
City Council consideration was tentatively September 2024, which was noted to be a very
aggressive schedule in the staff report, and may take longer.
Shortly after approval of the agreements, GLA began work on the final engineering. As of
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the date of publication of this staff report, GLA had prepared a design basis report which
is being reviewed by the City, completed a current topographic survey of the project area,
and started work on revisions to the hydrology and hydraulics calculations and various
landslide models.
At this time, due to the unprecedented land movement in the Landslide Complex and
Council comments and questions at the February 6, 2023 meeting , Staff recommends
changing course and instead of proceeding with final engineering while determining if the
project can be modified, completing final engineering and the Final EIR based on the
original project design. With this approach, Staff expects to be able to present final
engineering and the Final EIR based on the original project design for the City Council’s
consideration by May 2024 instead of the current target of September 2024.
This alternative approach does not preclude the ability to make modifications to the
project based on a concurrent analysis of options to reduce environmental impacts of the
project, particularly the flow reduction area. However, instead of certifying the project EIR
based on known modifications, the project EIR could be considered for certification based
on a reasonable “worst case scenario” from an environmental impact perspective, with
the hope that the impacts could be reduced before construction is com pleted. The
analysis to reduce environmental impacts could continue throughout the permitting and
bidding process, and possibly through the start of construction. Staff would work with
consultants to set up bidding and construction documents to provide som e flexibility to
make changes as the project progresses. Staff would focus efforts on reducing the
footprint of, or eliminating the flow reduction area; however, Staff believes that the natural
swales to convey water from the canyons to the ocean are an integral part of the project,
as demonstrated by the lack of surface drainage resulting in the continuous recharge of
the groundwater table resulting in unprecedented movement from recent heavy rainfall.
If the City Council directs Staff to proceed with this alternative schedule, once final
engineering is completed, and if the Final EIR is certified by the City Council, the
permitting period would begin, which can have a duration of up to one year. However,
Staff have already been holding meetings with various permit agencies to alert them of
the dire conditions being faced and request that they expedite permits to immediately
implement measures to stabilize land movement especially with the El Nino winter
forecast. The bidding process would then follow, or possibly overlap with permitting to
some extent so that the start of construction could be expedited. Another way that the
permitting process may be shortened or bypassed is with a state of emergency
declaration by the Governor, as further explained below.
State of Emergency Declaration
There are two state statutes and one federal statute that provide the regulatory framework
for the state and federal governments to address disasters and emergencies. Following
is a brief summary of each:
California Emergency Services Act (“CESA”). Government Code Section 8550 et seq.
The CESA’s purpose is to ensure that the State is ready to address emergencies. It does
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so by: (1) granting the Governor, City Councils, and other local agencies (“governing
bodies of political subdivisions of this state”) emergency powers; (2) creating the Office
of Emergency Services, directed by the Governor); (3) assigning duties to state entities
to perform during an emergency; and (4) rendering of mutual aid by state government
and public agencies. Importantly, the CESA grants the Governor the authority to make,
amend, and rescind orders and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of the
Act. The orders and regulations shall have the force and effect of law. In addition, the
CESA grants the Governor the authority to utilize public and private facilities and
infrastructure as necessary to address the emergency. Finally, the CESA authorizes the
Governor to “expend any appropriation for support of the CESA and carry out its
provisions.”
The process for a city such as Rancho Palos Verdes to seek assistance under this Act
begins with the City asking the Governor to declare a State of Emergency. Under
Government Code section 8625, the Governor can declare a State of Emergency “when
requested to do so in the case of a city by the mayor or chief executive” or when the
Governor “finds that local authority is inadequate to cope with the emergency.” Once the
Governor declares the State of Emergency, they are able to direct agencies of state
government to provide staff, equipment, facilities and supplemental services to cities.
There do not appear to be specific statutory timelines/deadlines to comply with this CESA.
The Governor, when declaring a State of Emergency, can suspend the application of laws
as he deems necessary in order to address the emergency. This would allow the City to
streamline or bypass permitting for measures such as
• Filling fissures to prevent surface water from directly recharging the water table
and further lubricating the slip plane
• Constructing drainage swales, lining certain canyons with non-penetrable
membrane, and/or installing flexible drainage pipes to properly convey surface
water to the ocean and/or sanitary lines to prevent recharging the water table
• Installing dewatering wells in the form of horizontal hydraugers and/or vertical
dewatering wells to extract ground water from the slip plane and reducing the
local water table.
The process for requesting the Governor to declare a state of emergency is for the City
to submit a request to the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management (LAC
OEM), who then submits the request to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency
Services (CalOES) on behalf of the City.
California Disaster Assistance Act (“CDAA”). Government Code Section 8680 et seq.
The focus of the CDAA is the allocation of state funds between state and local agencies
to address disasters and emergencies. The Director of Emergency Services is
responsible for implementing the Act. (Government Code Section 8682). Under the
CDAA, the Director can allocate funds that can be used to provide financial assistance to
a local agency to cover the agency’s costs dealing with the disaster , including:
employment costs, costs associated with repairing, restoring, or reconstructing agency
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facilities affected by the disaster, and indirect administrative costs or assistance deemed
necessary by the Director, per Government Code section 8685.
Unlike the CESA, the CDAA has very strict statutory deadlines. The City is first required
to make a proclamation of local emergency within 10 days after the actual occurrence of
the disaster and funds can be allocated to help if the State legislature has appropriated
money for allocation (Government Code Section 8685.2). Thereafter, the City is required
to submit an Application to the Director within 60 days after the date of a proclamation of
a local emergency. (Government Code section 8685.4). State cannot allocate money to
the City unless the City, in writing, accepts the State’s Project Proposal and Cost Sharing
Agreement that will be provided by the Director. (Government Code section 8685.6).
Attached is the CDAA process fact sheet (Attachment B).
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (“Stafford Act”) 42
U.S.C §§ 5121-5207.
The Stafford Act authorizes the delivery of Federal technical, financial, logistical, and
other assistance to states and localities during declared major disasters or emergencies.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coordinates administration of
disaster relief resources and assistance to states. For the President to consider whether
to declare a Federal state of emergency within a particular state, the Governor of the state
must submit a request to the President for an emergency declaration. The assistance that
can be provided when a federal state of emergency is declared includes the following:
1. Assistance to individuals and households;
2. Assistance to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit
organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster
damaged facilities; and
3. Assistance to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit
organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and
property from natural hazards.
If the Governor were to request the President declare a state of emergency for the
Portuguese Bend Landslide area and the President actually declared such an emergency,
the City, the two Geologic Hazard Abatement Districts (Abalone Cove Landslide
Abatement District (ACLAD)) and Klondike Canyon Landslide Abatement District
(KCLAD)) and any registered non-profit homeowners associations (HOAs) may be able
to obtain regulatory streamlining and funding assistance to stabilize the landslide area.
Under such a scenario, the appropriate FEMA program would be identified for the City ,
ACLAD, KCLAD, and HOAs to move forward with emergency protective measures, such
as drainage systems or dewatering wells, that are necessary now to stabilize the area
due to the immediate threat to life, property, and the environment. It is possible that there
would be overlap between the City’s emergency work and some Portuguese Bend
Landslide Remediation Project elements, such as the surface drainage swales and/or
hydraugers. In that event, remaining work beyond the initial response to immediately
stabilize the area would continue through FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and
Communities (BRIC) grant, for which the Project was previously selected. The cost of any
immediate response work that overlaps with the BRIC grant would be deducted from the
BRIC grant amount.
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The process for requesting a declaration of a Federal state of emergency also requires
going through the Governor’s office.
Therefore, Staff recommends the City Council authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to the
Governor requesting his consideration to declare a State of Emergency invoking his
emergency powers to suspend or waive certain state requirements and to consider
requesting the President declare a Federal Emergency Disaster (Attachment A).
Specifically, the attached letter for the City Council’s consideration requests the Governor
waive and/or suspend certain state laws and permits required by local and state agencies
that include, but are not limited to, the California Coastal Commission, the California
Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the State
Water Resources Control Board, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and
other State agency permits or review processes. Finally, the City Council requests the
Governor waive any requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act and its
implementing regulations related to the approval and implementation of the remediation
measures set forth above.
At this time, the City is not including a request for financial assistance as part of the
request to the Governor. This is because it would take the Governor’s Office a significant
amount of time to process a request that includes funding, and time is of the essence for
the emergency work to stabilize the area due to the immediate threat to public safety.
That said, the Governor recently proclaimed a State of Emergency for eight counties,
including Los Angeles County, due to heavy rains between February 1 and 6, 2024. If it
is determined that the costs incurred responding to and recovering from this rain ev ent
exceeds the per capita threshold of approximately $4.60 for these counties, the Governor
may request the President declare a state of emergency. If declared, FEMA assistance,
as described above, will become available which may provide the City, ACLAD, KCLAD,
registered HOAs, and property owners with, among other things, financial assistance. If
this occurs, the City will coordinate with ACLAD, KCLAD, registered HOAs, and
homeowners to submit its preliminary expenses to stabilize the landslide to FEMA to
protect life and property.
Thus, Staff will continue to monitor if a Federal disaster is proclaimed. If not, Staff will
return at a future date for the City Council to consider requesting financial assistance from
the State.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Federal, State and County Representatives and Officials
Over the past several weeks (particularly since the February 6 City Council meeting),
Staff has spoken and met with field representatives and officials from the following
federal, state and county levels regarding the current crisis the City is experiencing:
• Laphonza Butler, U.S. Senator, California
• Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator, California
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• Ted Lieu, U.S. Representative, 36th Congressional District
• Ben Allen, Senator, 24th State Senate District
• Al Muratsuchi, Assemblymember, 66th Assembly District
• Janice Hahn, L.A. County Supervisor, 4th District
• Kevin McGowan, Director, L.A. County Office of Emergency Management
• Brandy Villaneuva, Disaster Manager Area Coordinator, L.A. County Area G
During these discussions, Staff emphasized the urgency to immediately respond to the
unprecedented rate of land movement and its severe damage to Palos Verdes Drive
South, utility lines (water, sewer, gas line and electricity), eight miles of trails in the Palos
Verdes Nature Preserve, the closure of residential streets, the temporary closure of the
federal and state designated Wayfarers Chapel, and the red-tagging of homes.
The general consensus has been that of support to the City and its residents to
immediately implement measures to stabilize the landslide as described earlier in this
staff report.
Coordination with the City of Rolling Hills
The Flying Triangle Landslide (FTL) in the City of Rolling Hills is one of the five landslides
that make up the greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex. The FTL is situated above
the KCL and drains into Klondike Canyon. City officials from Rolling Hills are participating
in the weekly Working Group Meetings and are coordinating with their team. Both cities
are coordinating approaching the land movement in a wholistically. As more information
becomes available from Rolling Hills, it will be conveyed to the City Council and at future
Working Group meetings.
It should be noted that City Staff have stressed to Rolling Hills officials the importance of
addressing the FTL in terms of studying the current hydrological conditions of Klondike
Canyon within the entire watershed and collectively developing remediation measures.
Los Angeles County Public Works Update
The City and ACLAD have been meeting with the Los Angeles County Flood Control
District (LACFCD), which has jurisdiction over Altamira Canyon, to discuss Altamira
Canyon as it relates to reducing landslide movement. LACFCD, as a service to residents,
who are assessed by LACFCD, made a request to the City to peer review the Altamira
Canyon Drainage / Erosion Control project study report prepared by the City (through tis
consultant Harris & Associates, Inc.), the Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation
Project concept design, and Klondike Canyon concepts and plans. The City shared
available information with LACFCD and will continue to coordinate with LACFCD to
facilitate their peer review.
Disaster Recovery Consultants
Staff is soliciting proposals from firms specializing in the disaster recovery to assist with
navigating the state and federal processes so the City has access to technical resources
needed to obtain the maximum assistance possible at the state and federal levels.
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Public Outreach
The public was made aware of tonight’s agenda item through the City’s listserv, as well
as an update at the February 14 Landslide Working Group meeting. Some public
comments have already been received (Attachment C) and any additional comments
received after publication of this staff report will be provided to the City Council as late
correspondence. The public can submit comments via email to cc@rpvca.gov.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council direct Staff to complete the Final EIR and final
engineering for the Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project based on the original
concept design analyzed in the Draft EIR and concurrently continue studying whether
revisions could be made tot the project footprint to reduce the environmental impact; and
authorize the Mayor to request the Governor declare a State of Emergency and suspend
or waive certain state requirements work to stabilize the area due to the immediate threat
to public safety.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to Staff’s discussed option, the following alternative actions are available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Take no action and simply receive and file this report.
2. Do not authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to the Governor.
3. Take such other action as the Council deems appropriate.
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City of Rancho Palos Verdes
John Cruikshank, Mayor
Eric Alegria, Mayor Pro Tem
David L. Bradley, Councilmember
Barbara Ferraro, Councilmember
Paul Seo, Councilmember
February 20, 2024
California Office of Emergency Services Disaster Analysis Unit
3650 Schriever Avenue Mather, CA 95655
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR THE GREATER
PORTUGUESE BEND LANDSLIDE COMPLEX
To whom it may concern:
On behalf of the approximately 42,000 residents of Rancho Palos Verdes and the
approximately 67,000 residents of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, the Rancho Palos Verdes
City Council is requesting Governor Newsom invoke his emergency powers pursuant to
the Emergency Services Act, Gov’t Code § 8550 et seq., and proclaim a State of
Emergency for the Palos Verdes Peninsula region to assist the City to stabilize land
movement in the greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex (Landslide). For reference,
see attached map to show the boundaries of the Landslide.
As a result of the 2023 and 2024 winter storms, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes has
been impacted by substantial precipitation that has caused an unprecedented
acceleration of land movement equating to an annualized rate of 10 feet per year. This
significant and sudden increase in land movement is causing severe damage to Palos
Verdes Drive South – a major arterial roadway and evacuation route for the Palos Verdes
Peninsula; damage and disruption to utility infrastructure including water, sewer, gas line
and utility pole breaks; closures of approximately 8 miles of public trails due to slope
instability; fissures and sink holes throughout the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve; the
closure of residential intersections due to sink holes and ground separation; the
temporary closure of the Wayfarers Chapel - a federal and state designated historic
landmark; and the red-tagging of homes with many more homes on a watch list due to
foundation and structural damage.
On October 3, 2023, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council adopted a Local Declaration
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of Emergency pursuant to Section 8630 of the Government Code, which has been
renewed several times as required by that law; the Local Emergency is still in effect.1
This action was intended to provide immediate access to resources and to assist in
expediting remediation measures to stabilize and manage land movement that poses an
imminent threat to the public’s health, safety, and property. The City’s Geologist and
Geotechnical Engineering team and the two state-recognized Geologic Hazard
Abatement Districts’ geologists (Abalone Cove Landslide Abatement District and
Klondike Canyon Landslide Abatement District) propose to stabilize land movement by
immediately implementing the following:
• Filling fissures to prevent surface water from directly recharging the water table
and further lubricating the slip plane.
• Constructing drainage swales, lining certain canyons with non-penetrable
membrane, and/or installing flexible drainage pipes to properly convey surface
water to the ocean and/or sanitary lines to prevent recharging the water table.
• Installing dewatering wells in the form of horizontal hydraugers and/or vertical
dewatering wells to extract groundwater from the slip plane and reducing the local
water table.
As the City continues its response and recovery operations, we have determined that
these remediation measures must be implemented immediately to minimize the threat to
the public’s health, safety, and property. Therefore, the City Council requests, pursuant
to the authority provided by the Act, and specifically by Sections 8571 and 8625 of the
Government Code, that the Governor declare a State of Emergency for the City of Rancho
Palos Verdes, waive and/or suspend certain state laws and permits required by local and
state agencies that include, but are not limited to, the California Coastal Commission, the
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the
State Water Resources Control Board, the South Coast Air Quality Management District,
and other State agency permits or review processes. Finally, the City Council requests
the Governor waive any requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act and
its implementing regulations related to the approval and implementation of the
remediation measures set forth above. Additionally, the City is requesting that the
Governor submit a request to the President of the United States for a Federal Emergency
Declaration pursuant to the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207.
The City has identified that permits would be required by the aforementioned state
agencies prior to proceeding any landslide stabilization work. Suspension of these
requirements will allow the City and the Geologic Hazard Abatement Districts to
immediately proceed with construction and installation of the enumerated measures to
stabilize the Landslide without the costs and time delays typically experienced with
obtaining permits. It is imperative that the City and two Geologic Hazard Abatement
Districts are able to expedite the installation of dewatering wells and surface drains
knowing that we are in an El Niño winter pattern with repeated atmospheric rivers
1 The City also adopted an Interim Urgency Ordinance pursuant to Section 65958 of the
Government Code, which effected a moratorium on all construction in the Landslide, with some
limited exceptions.
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forecasted to extend into spring, and every rain event is exacerbating the rate of land
movement.
Please contact City Manager Ara Mihranian at aram@rpvca.gov or by telephone at 310-
544-5202.
Sincerely,
John Cruikshank
Mayor
Attachments:
• Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex Map
• Information on the Portuguese Bend Landslide including resolutions adopting and
extending the City’s Proclaimed Local Emergency can be found on the City’s
website at: www.rpvca.gov/landslide
cc:
Laphonza Butler, U.S. Senator, California
Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator, California
Ted Lieu, U.S. Representative, 36th Congressional District
Ben Allen, Senator, 24th State Senate District
Al Muratsuchi, Assemblymember, 66th Assembly District
Janice Hahn, L.A. County Supervisor, 4th District
Kevin McGowan, Director, L.A. County Office of Emergency Management
Brandy Villaneuva, Disaster Manager Area Coordinator, L.A. County Area G
Rancho Palos Verdes City Council
A-3
0 250 500 1000
(feet)
PONY TRAIL
PORTUGUESE
BEND
LANDSLIDE
FLYING
TRIANGLE
LANDSLIDE
KLONDIKE
CANYON
LANDSLIDE
ABALONE
COVE
LANDSLIDE
ABALONE
COVE
PORTUGUESE
POINT
INSPIRATION
POINT
SACRED
COVE
BURMA ROAD
NARCISSA DRIVE
SWEETBAY
ROAD
PALOS VERDES DRIVE SOUTH
CREST
ROAD
EXPLANATION
Limits of the Ancient Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex
Limits of Historically Mapped Landslides
2023 Landslide Mapping
ANCIENT PORTUGUESE BEND
LANDSLIDE COMPLEX
SEAVIEW TRACT
COTTON,S HIRES AND ASSOCIATES, INC.
CONSULTING ENGINEERS AND GEOLOGISTS
RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIFORNIA
SC5067
POS
MP 1"=500'
FIGURE NO.
PROJECT NO.
DATE January 2024
SCALE
APPROVED BY
GEO/ENG BY
LANDSLIDE MAPPING UPDATE 1/27/2024
2
Abalone Cove, Portuguese Bend, Klondike Canyon
Hillshade basemap produced from publicly available LiDAR:
"2015 - 2016 LARIAC Lidar DEM: Los Angeles Region, CA"
Current Limits of Major Land Movement (February 2024)
A-4
z
0
;:::i. ::,
3650 SCHRIEVER AVENUE, MATHER, CA 95655
(916) 845-8506 TELEPHONE (916) 845-8511 FAX
www.CalOES.ca.gov
Rev. Jan 2022
Fact Sheet
California Emergency Disaster Proclamation and CDAA Process
The following processes and factors are used to determine the magnitude and
severity of an event based on a local government agency’s capacity and
capabilities to respond and recover.
Disaster Emergency Proclamation Process
Local Emergency Proclamation
If a local government determines effects of an emergency are beyond the
capability of local resources to mitigate effectively, the local government must
proclaim a local emergency.
Pursuant to California Government Code section 8680.9, a local emergency is a
condition of extreme peril to persons or property proclaimed as such by the
governing body of the local agency affected by a natural or manmade disaster.
The purpose of a local emergency proclamation is to provide extraordinary police
powers; immunity for emergency actions; authorize issuance of orders and
regulations; activate pre-established emergency provisions; and is a prerequisite to
request state or federal assistance. A local emergency proclamation can only be
issued by a governing body (city, county, or city and county) or an official
designated by local ordinance. The proclamation must be issued within 10 days of
the incident and ratified by the governing body within 7 days. Renewal of the
resolution should occur every 60 days until terminated.
It should be noted a local emergency proclamation is not required for fire or law
mutual aid; direct state assistance; American Red Cross assistance; a Fire
Management Assistance Grant (FMAG); or disaster loan programs from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) or U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
State of Emergency Request
Pursuant to California Government Code section 8625, the Governor may proclaim
a State of Emergency in an area affected by a natural or human-made disaster,
when requested to do so by the governing body of the local agency affected, or
the Governor finds the local authority is inadequate to cope with the emergency.
A local jurisdiction should request the Governor to proclaim a state of emergency
when the governing body of a city, county, or city and county determine:
• Emergency conditions are beyond the control of the services, personnel,
equipment, and facilities of any single county, city, or city and county, and
• Emergency conditions require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or
regions to combat.
B-1
~
CalOES
GOVERNOR 'S OFFICE
OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
California Emergency Disaster Proclamation and CDAA Process Fact Sheet
Page 2 Rev. Jan. 2022
California Disaster Assistance Act Funding Process
Request
As set forth in the California Government Code, Title 2, Division 1, Chapter 7.5 -
California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA), only a governing body of a city (mayor
or chief executive), county (chairman of a board of supervisors or county
administrative officer), or city and county may seek financial assistance through
CDAA, by order of a Director’s Concurrence or Governor’s Proclamation. The
request for CDAA can be included in a local emergency proclamation; however, it
is more appropriate to request CDAA on separate letterhead once the governing
body has identified, and can certify, local resources are insufficient and the
situation is beyond its capabilities.
Verification of Damage
When the governing body submits its local proclamation of emergency to the
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) Regional Operations, the
package should include an Initial Damage Estimate (IDE). An IDE is the local
governments’ identification of the impacts and local response and recovery
activities. The IDE assists Cal OES to understand the jurisdictions’ damage and
prioritize Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) efforts, which in turn can lead to a
state or federal disaster declaration. An Operational Area must include all its
affected governing bodies (cities, towns, etc.), special districts (school districts,
water districts, community services districts, etc.), and private non-profit
organizations within the IDE. Cal OES Regional Operations then forwards the IDE to
Cal OES headquarters, which includes a Regional Event Summary (RES) update
delineating the impact of the event.
An IDE should include:
• Type and extent of public and private sector damage;
• Estimates of damage and emergency response costs; and
• Any acute public health and environmental issues.
To assist the Governor in determining if funding under CDAA should be authorized,
the IDE and RES are reviewed, and if warranted, a State pre-assessment is
conducted by Cal OES Recovery. Cal OES works with local jurisdictions’ emergency
management and/or public safety agencies in the Operational Areas affected by
the disaster event to accomplish these assessments.
Once a determination is made, Cal OES will notify the requesting jurisdiction in a
timely manner (verbally by Cal OES Region and in writing by Cal OES Recovery).
Factors Utilized in Consideration
In evaluating a local government’s request for financial assistance under CDAA, a
number of factors, and relevant information, are considered in determining the
severity, magnitude, and impact of a disaster event and developing a
recommendation to the Governor. The very nature of disasters, their unique
circumstances, and varied impacts impedes a complete listing of factors considered
when evaluating disaster declaration requests; however, primary considerations are
as follows, in no particular rank:
B-2
California Emergency Disaster Proclamation and CDAA Process Fact Sheet
Page 3 Rev. Jan. 2022
Factors Considered
√ Activation of Emergency Operations Plan and Emergency Operations Center
√ Amount and type of damage (includes response costs, emergency protective
measures, debris removal, public infrastructure damage, number of businesses
affected, and number of homes destroyed/with major damage)
√ Amount of available funding at the local level
√ Available assistance or additional programs from other sources (Federal, State,
local, voluntary/NGOs)
√ Costs of event distributed per population (per capita)
√ Dispersion or concentration of damage
√ Existence of an approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
√ History or frequency of disasters over a recent time period
√ Imminent threats to public health and safety or the environment
√ Impact on the infrastructure of affected area(s) or critical facilities
√ Impacts to essential government services and functions
√ Level of insurance coverage in place for public facilities and homeowners
√ Per capita income and poverty level of the operational area
√ Requirement or request for regulatory, statutory, or permit extension waiver or
relief
√ Resource commitments (Local, Regional, State Mutual Aid Assets)
√ Unique capability of State government
Events Outside the State’s Capabilities
If an incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond
the capabilities of the affected local government and the State or Indian tribal
government, and supplementary assistance is necessary, the Governor may request
federal assistance, including a presidential emergency or disaster declaration.
Presidential Declaration Request
Pursuant to Tittle 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the Governor may request the
President declare an emergency or major disaster exists in the State, in accordance
with the authority outlined by the Stafford Act. A Presidential Declaration is determined
through evaluation of several factors, including the cause of the disaster event,
damage, needs, certification by state officials that state and local governments will
comply with cost sharing and other requirements, and official requests for assistance.
In requesting supplemental federal assistance, the Governor must:
• Certify that the severity and magnitude of the disaster exceeds local capabilities;
• Certify federal assistance is necessary to supplement the efforts and available
resources of the State and local governments, disaster relief organizations, and
compensation by insurance for disaster related losses;
• Confirm execution of the state's emergency plan;
• Certify adherence to cost-sharing requirements; and
• Conduct a joint Federal-State preliminary damage assessment (PDA) to analyze
o FEMA: Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, and Hazard Mitigation
o SBA: Individuals and Households
B-3
From:Ara Mihranian
To:kent.pbca@gmail.com; CC
Cc:Ramzi Awwad; "Mike Phipps"; "Gordon Leon"; "Claudia Gutierrez"
Subject:RE: Lining Altamira Canyon
Date:Tuesday, February 13, 2024 7:34:44 AM
Attachments:image001.png
Good morning Kent,
The City Council is in receipt of your email, and it will be attached to the upcoming February 20th City
Council Staff Report on the Portuguese Bend Landslide.
The concerns you expressed regarding Altamira Canyon is shared by the City especially with the
understanding that Altamira Canyon along with other canyons and watersheds with the PB Ancient
Landslide Complex (Paintbrush, Klondike, etc.) are experiencing similar patterns – surface water
recharging the water table rather than discharging into the ocean. The City continues to coordinate
with various agencies including LA County Public Works and LA County Flood Control District to
identify an expedited path forward to mitigate water recharge throughout the landslide complex.
At its February 20 meeting next week, the City Council will consider requesting the Governor invoke
his emergency powers to assist the City and the two geologic hazard abatement districts with
responding to the landslide including constructing drainage swales and lining canyon watersheds. This
staff report will post later this week.
As for the concerns expressed regarding property lines, as previously conveyed to you and others in
the PBCA, the metes and bounds established for property lines as recorded with the LA County’s
Recorders Office as part of the tract development do not move with the land despite the
improvements moving. This position was validated with the court’s ruling for the Joannou case. I
realize this position differs from some of the residents in the area and is not what you want to hear.
Thank you for all you are doing as we navigate through the community crisis!
Ara
From: kent.pbca@gmail.com <kent.pbca@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, February 9, 2024 5:36 PM
To: CC <CC@rpvca.gov>
Cc: Ara Mihranian <AraM@rpvca.gov>; Ramzi Awwad <rawwad@rpvca.gov>; 'Mike Phipps'
<mphipps@cottonshires.com>; 'Gordon Leon' <gordon.leon@gmail.com>; 'Claudia Gutierrez'
<claudia.pbca@gmail.com>
Subject: Lining Altamira Canyon
C-1
Ara Michael Mihranian
City Manager
aram@rpvca .gov
Phone -(310) 544-5202
Address:
30940 Hawthorne Blvd .
Rancho Palos Verdes , CA 90275
Webs ite: www.rpvca.gov
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Dear Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Council Members,
I recently had an opportunity to view the video of the February 6 City Council meeting. I thought Mike
Phipps did an excellent job on his update of land movement throughout the Ancient Landslide
Complex. I was disappointed, however, on all the emphasis being placed on how to get rid of ground
water through dewatering wells or hydraugers as opposed to ways to prevent rain water from
becoming ground water. The only mention of the latter was on a chart presented by Ramzi entitled
“Other” that included lining the canyons. Past studies we have provided the City and County as well as
ACLAD’s geologist, Scott Kerwin, believe that the most productive way attempting to slow or stop the
land movement in Abalone Cove is not additional dewatering wells but to line Altamira Canyon. It has
been estimated that less than 30% of the rainwater entering Altamira Canyon makes it to the ocean.
The rest ends up as ground water contributing to the landslide. In addition, after ground saturation,
most of the rainwater that falls in the Abalone Cove region after a major rainstorm flows into the
canyon. Bottom line, maybe 60% of all rainwater that currently becomes ground water after a major
rainstorm could be prevented by properly lining Altamira Canyon. I would expect a similar argument
for lining Klondike Canyon.
The PBCA and ACLAD have been working for the last few months with the LA County Public Works
Department engineering and flood control personnel to come up with the best engineering solution
for lining Altamira Canyon, but again, this is another one of many past studies on this subject. It is past
time we move past the study stage and implement a plan to line the canyon. A summary of a 2016
Harris & Associates project study report, “Altamira Canyon Drainage/Erosion Control Project”,
contracted by the City can be read at https://www.rpvca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15611/RPV-
Altamira-PSR, that recommends an approach that we and the County have been using as our starting
point.
On a related subject, Mayor Cruikshank made the statement during the land movement discussion
that residents’ houses were being moved off their property by the land movement. Council member
Ferraro made a similar comment at an earlier City Council meeting. The membership of the PBCA
believe this is a serious misstatement. The houses are not moving off their property, their entire
property is moving with the house. This is an extremely important distinction to the PBCA. It goes to
the whole issue of using Metes and Bounds versus GIS to determine property boundaries and
ownership. Both the City and the PBCA have had to deal with unscrupulous individuals that have
purchased vacant lots in one location and based on GIS, claim ownership of the homes of residents on
other properties that been living in the community for decades. Both the City and the PBCA are
dealing with related litigation filed by one of these individuals. We continue to ask for the City’s
support in defining property boundaries and ownership based on Metes and Bounds, not GIS.
Kent Attridge
PBCA Director
President & City Liaison
(310) 854-2638
C-2
1
Ramzi Awwad
From:Ara Mihranian
Sent:Thursday, February 15, 2024 8:27 PM
To:Donald Bell
Cc:CC; PublicWorks; John Cruikshank; Eric Alegria; Ramzi Awwad; Herb Stark; Mickey Rodich; Jack
Fleming; Eliot Levy; Diane Mills; Kenneth Dyda
Subject:RE: Land Movement Update
Hi Don,
To say I have a real problem on my hands is an understatement.
In case you missed it, on October 3, 2023, the City Council proclaimed a local state of emergency ‐ this is a first, to my
knowledge, in the City's 50 years.
We don’t have a problem, we are in a crisis.
I am not sure where you got your informaƟon that the City Council will be considering the "environmental impacts" of
the landslide at Tuesday's meeƟng, when the February 20 City Council Staff Report with all the perƟnent informaƟon has
not published yet. It will publish later this evening as I finalize the edits.
I truly do appreciate and respect your concerns, but this is not Ɵme to criƟcize anyone. The community needs to be
working together to remediate the imminent threat to public life and property, and that is exactly how we at the City
view this crisis.
To be honest, using a inSAR monitoring system is not going to slow down the landslide. The GPS monitoring points and
the frequent measurements we have been taking over the past few months clearly points to the fact that the land is
moving at an unprecedented rate. To take language directly from the February 20 City Council Staff Report that has yet to
be published (you are geƫng a sneak peek), this is what the City Geologist actually said at the February 6 City Council
meeƟng:
During the February 6, 2024 City Council meeƟng, the City Geologist, Mike Phipps of CoƩon, Shires, and Associates, Inc.,
presented the results of his observaƟons of recent condiƟons in the Landslide Complex. The City Geologist stated that:
• Accelerated ground movement occurred throughout the Landslide Complex during and following the 2022‐23
rainy season which was more than 220% of the historical average rainfall.
• The most recent GPS monitoring survey on January 13, 2024 showed that average land movement velociƟes
within the Landslide Complex between October 10, 2023 to January 13, 2024 accelerated by a factor of three to four
Ɵmes compared to the previous 12 months (October 2022 ‐ October 2023). In other words, the total movement between
October 2023 to Jan 2024 is approximately the same as (and in some cases more than) the total movement over the
previous enƟre year.
• Field mapping and GPS monitoring data shows that a large porƟon of the Landslide Complex above the
historically mapped historical boundaries of the Abalone Cove Landslide (ACL), Portuguese Bend Landslide (PBL) and
Klondike Canyon Landslide (KCL) is now involved in movement of a magnitude not previously observed or documented in
the Landslide Complex north of the ACL, PBL, and KCL.
• Total landslide movements in the upper ancient landslide area is significant and greatly exceeds what has been
observed historically. A sample of monitoring points shows approximately a 9‐fold increase in total land movement on an
annualized basis.
• Movement conƟnues to manifest at the ground surface in the form of landslide scarps, fissures,
grabens/sinkholes, tensional cracking, and shear zones.
C-3
2
• Significant acƟve landslide movement that is impacƟng trails, roads, and private property; and conƟnues to have
the potenƟal to impact above and below ground uƟlity infrastructure (i.e., uƟlity lines, sewer lines, gas lines, water lines,
communicaƟon lines, etc.).
• Many Eight miles of trails have been closed as a result of landslide movements causing unsafe or unmanageable
condiƟons.
We all drive PVDS and know firsthand what is happening to the road. In fact, the City has been saying to our county,
state, and federal officials that the road is siƫng on wet soil and is likely to go if we cannot implement immediate
measures to stabilize the landslide. RequesƟng that Public Works repair the road immediatley will not improve its
driveability. In all honesty, it is because of the subsidence that is occuring under the asphalt of the road. As I decribed it
earlier this week to the Governor's office and other state and federal representaƟves, the slope of the road is dropping at
an angle that will likely cause a vehicle to boƩom out eventaully resulƟng in the road closure ‐ which is an emergency
evacuaƟon route for the south part of the City.
To truly slow down the land movement, water needs to be removed from the equaƟon, and the ongoing atmospheric
rain events in the forecast is not helping which is why the City Council will be requesƟng the Governor declare a state of
emergency by invoking his emergency powers and asking the President to declare a federal distater to bring added
resources and funding to the City and the two Geologic Hazard Abatement Districts via FEMA. Such acƟon will allow the
following measures to occur sooner than later:
• Infill surface fractures (fissures) to prevent storm water runoff from easily becoming part of groundwater.
• Install surface drainage systems, including natural swales, to convey storm water runoff to the ocean and prevent
it from becoming part of the groundwater.
• Install hydraugers to extract underground artesian water and reduce pressure to slow down landslide movement.
If you want to help the cause and slow down the landslide, please write your county, state and federal officials stressing
the dire situaƟon we are in and requesƟng their immediate assistance.
Let's work together on solving this massive crisis for the City and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Best,
Ara
‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Donald Bell <dwbrpv@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2024 11:46 AM
To: Ara Mihranian <AraM@rpvca.gov>
Cc: Home Bell <dwbrpv@gmail.com>; CC <CC@rpvca.gov>; PublicWorks <PublicWorks@rpvca.gov>; John Cruikshank
<John.Cruikshank@rpvca.gov>; Eric Alegria <Eric.Alegria@rpvca.gov>; Ramzi Awwad <rawwad@rpvca.gov>; Herb Stark
<pt17stearman@gmail.com>; Mickey Rodich <mickeyrodich@gmail.com>; Jack Fleming
<JackFlemingRealEstate@gmail.com>; Eliot Levy <elliotlevy@gmail.com>; Diane Mills <dianebmills@gmail.com>;
Kenneth Dyda <cprotem73@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Land Movement Update
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Hi Ara,
C-4
3
As we await another round of potenƟally significant rain, I remain concerned that the CC and Staff are failing to respond
to a clear and present danger of a historic landmass failure. An agenda item for the next CC meeƟng dwells on the
environmental aspects of the long delayed miƟgaƟon plan. That should be judged as ancient history for the current
situaƟon is far different. Yet there is no requirement for the city geologist to provide you with any specific
measurements of actual recent movement? All it takes is to drive like you desire your car to be destroyed along PVDS to
know that things are happening faster than ever. You should be requiring staff to provide a recommended real Ɵme
monitoring system through use of inSAR technology so you have a handle on what is taking place and where.
And on a personal level, I would like to have Public Works accelerate the repairs to PVDS sooner rather than later.
(Sooner means before cars are being damaged.) The road condiƟon on Wednesday was a real public safety threat not to
menƟon the impact on our vehicles. PW seems to be adhering to a repair schedule like it used to be. I suggest they
need to get major repairs scheduled weekly.
Just remember that in the esƟmated 750 acre Portuguese Bend landslide drainage that one single inch of rainfall will add
((750x43,560x62.41)/2000) slightly over ONE MILLION TONS of water weight into the area. What does the city Geologist
believe happens to the risk of a massive failure by every inch of rain? Does he remain posiƟve that it will remain a slow
moving threat? Or will not expand its area of surface exposure? How fast are the toes of the three areas moving?
You have a real problem on your hands. It is not going to go away and may not wait unƟl the plans made last year get
into moƟon. And maybe those delayed plans have to be scrapped for the circumstances are much different (covers
wider area, contains much more water, and the deformaƟon is occurring faster than contemplated).
Concerned,
Don Bell
Ladera Linda
C-5
From:Larry Paul
To:Ara Mihranian
Cc:KIT & KWI; raynesherman77; Ramzi Awwad; Steve Cummins; Jerry Duhovic
Subject:Re: Comments on the meeting minutes and a major concern.
Date:Wednesday, February 14, 2024 8:17:36 AM
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe!!!.
Ara,
Thank you for the prompt and thoughtful response.
I am glad it is included in the larger picture of what as to the discovery of what is the "root causes" of the
more recent accellerated movement.
I suspect (but certainly don’t know) that part of what has increased this movement is a downward spiral:
When fractures open, and that enables more water to enter and got deeper in the land. That causes more
fractures and then there is more penetration of water deeper into the lower layers and that causes more
fractures etc. We MUST break this cycle.
While I do support the notion “biological resources” as being important, there has to be some appropriate
solutions that will prioritize the homes, roads etc that are being severely impacted. It cannot be 100%
focused on preserving “natural” streams when humans have made significant changes to the natural
surroundings (homes, roads drainage re-routing etc). Changes must be made to what is happening based
on newer information. Storm drains are needed.
It is not legal for me to direct storm drain water from my property and dump it into my neighbors land.
RPV cannot withstand this if this is allowed to continue without some appropriate actions as neighbors in
RPV are downhill from the neighboring city. There are new properties being developed for construction
in Rolling Hills. This will mean even more water is being added. None of this is “natural” and the
addition of more water with new construction will only make it worse.
We must find a way to get storm drains and sewers added to the land in the homes above RPV.
Perhaps if we had a combination of flexible piping over the areas of the land that is most
permeable/fractured and there can be some areas that are allowed to be open if it is on non permeable land
it might appease some of the environmental objections. Either way, we must find a solution.
The city of Rolling Hills is aware of these issues as well. Here are some excerpts from the City of Rolling
Hills Hazard Mitigation Plan (Final Draft Plan) dated: January 16, 2019
Drainage and Groundwater Alterations
Water flowing through or above ground, is often the trigger for landslides. Any activity that
increases the amount of water flowing into landslide-prone slopes increases landslide hazards.
Broken or leaking water or sewer lines can be especially problematic, as does water retention
facilities that direct water onto slopes. However, even lawn irrigation in landslide prone
locations results in damaging landslides. Ineffective storm water management and excess
runoff also cause erosion, and increase the risk of landslide hazards. Drainage is affected,
naturally by the geology and topography of an area. Development that results in an increase in
impervious surface impairs the ability of the land to absorb water and redirects water to other
areas. Channels, streams, ponding, and erosion on slopes indicate potential slope problems.
RPC 2(b)(iv)Road and driveway drains, gutters, downspouts, and other constructed drainage
facilities
concentrates and accelerates flow. Ground saturation and concentrated velocity flow are major
causes of slope problems and triggers landslides.
C-6
Hazard Identification
Identifying hazardous locations is an essential step towards implementing more informed
mitigation activities.
Landslides are the most serious geological hazard facing the residential community of Rolling
Hills. Residences in the Flying Triangle area of Rolling Hills were originally built upon pre-
existing, unrecognized, or recognized, but un-stabilized landslide. Geologically, most of the
landslides within the City occur in the Altamira Shale Member of the Monterey Formation.
Landslide rupture surfaces are commonly along plastic clay beds or seams within clayey shale
or siltstone units (Source: General Plan Safety Element-13). Refer to the Earthquake-Induced
Landslide Area Maps located in the Earthquake Section of this plan.
Slope modification during grading can render slopes unstable. Slope instability occurs when
bedding planes intersect the slope face of either natural slopes or designed cut slopes. Site
specific investigations are necessary to determine potential slope instability problems at specific
sites.
Landslides
Either by excessive rainfall, introduction of artificial water in the slope (landscaping
irrigation/broken water or septic systems), or improper site design or grading practices. Grading
activities must consider constraints as a condition of project approval. The County of Los
Angeles Public Works Department and a private engineering and public works company act as
reviewer for the City of Rolling Hills to ensure all potential geologic problems are addressed.
Factors included in assessing landslide risks include population and property distribution in the
hazard area, the frequency of landslide or debris flow occurrences, slope steepness, soil
characteristics, and precipitation intensity. This type of analysis could generate estimates of the
damages to the city due to a specific landslide or debris flow event. At the time of publication of
this plan, data was insufficient to conduct a risk analysis and the software needed to conduct
this type of analysis was not available.
The primary effects of mudslides/landslides include: abrupt depression and lateral displacement
of hillside surfaces over distances of up to several hundreds of feet, disruption of surface
drainage, blockage of flood control channels and roadways, displacement or destruction of
improvements such as roadways, buildings, and water wells.
1979 Klondike Canyon Landslide
A third landslide near but outside the boundaries of the planning area that deserves mention is the Klondike
Canyon Landslide. This landslide is located adjacent to the coastline and to the east of the much larger
Portuguese Bend Landslide, again in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes. Like the Portuguese Bend and
the Abalone Cove Landslides, Woodring published the location of the ancient "Beach Club Landslide" in
1946. However, by that time, both Yacht Harbor Drive (in 1927) and Palos Verdes Drive South (in 1937)
had been constructed across this landslide. Development of the two roadways was followed in the late
1940's by the construction of the Portuguese Bend Club and grading for the Seaview tract landward of Palos
Verdes Drive South was completed in late 1956. Following record-breaking rainfall in 1977-1978, the
first indications of movement of the Klondike Canyon Landslide were noted in September 1979 at
the intersection of Dauntless Drive and Exultant Drive in the Seaview tract. Heavy rainfall continued
during 1979-1980 and 1982-1983, accelerating land movement, which damaged local roads and
eventually destroyed one home in the Seaview tract. In 1982, the Klondike Canyon Landslide Geologic
Abatement District was formed and began installing dewatering wells to lower the ground water table within
the slide mass. (Kerwin, Scott, "Land Stability in the Klondike Canyon," Moore and Taber professional report,
no date but probably 1981 or 1982) The dewatering efforts have been successful in stabilizing the area and
additional landslide abatement efforts have continued since that time, such as drainage improvements in
Klondike Canyon and the installation of a private sewer system in the Portuguese Bend Beach Club.
The bottom line is we must get action from outside just the city of RPV as RPV cannot solve it alone.
There is work that needs to be done in RPV, but Rolling Hills and I think Los Angeles County MUST be
part of this solution.
Best regards,
C-7
Larry
On Feb 14, 2024, at 7:10 AM, Ara Mihranian <AraM@rpvca.gov> wrote:
Good morning Larry,
Simply put, I share your concerns and have the same questions not only for Klondike Canyon, but all
the canyons within the PB Landslide complex. The same question is being raised for Altamira
Canyon, Paint Brush Canyon, etc.
A hydrology study is needed for the general area of the PB Landslide complex to understand the
water source and how to address it. A question being asked is why the recent spike in movement
throughout the landslide complex including Klondike and Seaview. I am also encouraging open
communication and collaboration with Rolling Hills to study the hydrology condition in the area and
how to address drainage flows into Klondike Canyon. Homes in Rolling Hills are also impacted by
land movement.
The solutions you are proposing make sense but have impacts to biological resources which will
likely be opposed by some, similar to the City’s PB Landslide Remediation Project. We are exploring
how some of the state requirements can be suspended or relaxed under the proclamation of a state
of emergency. This will be addressed in the staff report for next week’s council agenda item on the
City’s Landslide remediation project, which will be published by tomorrow. It wasn’t published with
the agenda last night as we are still gathering information on requesting the Governor to declare a
state of emergency.
The City is committed to getting in front of the crisis and are knocking on every door possible to
seek funding and resource assistance.
Thank you for your engagement and support – we are in this crisis together!
Ara
<image001.png>
From: Larry Paul <lpaul@mac.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 9:02 PM
To: Ara Mihranian <AraM@rpvca.gov>
Cc: KIT & KWI <kitmsong@yahoo.com>; raynesherman77 <raynesherman77@gmail.com>; Ramzi
Awwad <rawwad@rpvca.gov>; Steve Cummins <scummins@dcacivileng.com>; Jerry Duhovic
<jduhovic@hotmail.com>
Subject: Comments on the meeting minutes and a major concern.
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the
content is safe!!!.
Ara,
As always thank you for all that you are doing, but I feel I need to bring this to your and the city of
RPV’s attention. I have not seen is any discussion about what is likely a very significant aspect to
what will address the "Root Cause" of our slide movement issue in SeaView and PBC.
We also know from 42+ years of documentation that water in the Klondike Canyon is the major
contributing factor to movement in SeaView. I know the main Portuguese Bend slide area
movement is also a contributing factor and that is something that I hope your FEMA work will help
with getting the PB slide area to slow down. I know that this is also a complex issue and there are
still things to be discovered.
C-8
I do feel that the 24/7/365 flow of water from the homes surrounding the Klondike Canyon is a
contributing factor as it keeps the underground water feeding our soils with water because they
don’t have sewers they have septic tanks. Cal Water can tell us probably fairly accurately how much
water that feed those homes but it is important to note: 100% of the water that they feed to those
homes goes into the Klondike Canyon. There is new proposed construction going in too on a very
large parcel of land.
I would estimate that to be on the order of 15-25 Million gallons per year is being fed by CalWater,
going on and already starting underground 24/7/365, however, I think there is a much larger
problem that I am not aware of being discussed (perhaps it is and I am just out of the loop-and that
is quite possible, but I am not seeing that discussion taking place as recently as last weeks meeting
notes).
I see on the meeting minutes for Feb 7:
Coordination with the City of Rolling Hills
· There has been concern and discussions that the City of Rolling Hills Estates has
been hands off. However, their City Council has been focused on recent land
movement and events. They have a meeting with FCD in March 2024.
· Karina Banales will report more as the information is available.
· Kit Song requested a Fact Sheet on septic tanks, including the number of
residents connected to sewer lines. Karina will work on providing that
information.
Ara Mihranian
Karina Banales
I was up in Rolling Hills just before the rain. My biggest concern is there is no storm drain system in
Rolling Hills at all. Water has been diverted and re-directed in many places to flow directly into the
Klondike Canyon structure with NO storm drain system that can carry the water to ocean directly or
to the the 48” pipe that is just to the north of PVDS that leads to the ocean.
While SeaView does have a decent storm drain system, I can’t say the same for the balance of the
Klondike Canyon.
It certainly appears that Rolling Hills never built any storm drains that connect to the ocean or to
RPV’s storm drains. There is to my estimate about 189 acres of land in Rolling Hills that directly feed
the Klondike Canyon with both septic runoff from homes and very significantly storm drain runoff.
I am not sure why it was not built, but RPV never to my knowledge built an appropriately sized
drainage system up the Klondike Canyon that was presented on at least one of the studies that I
have seen dated November 29, 1982. There was a pipe that extended all the way up the canyon to
beyond the then known fault line of the Klondike Canyon but I think it was only 3” or 4” in diameter.
A pipe of this size could never support the amount of storm drain runoff that is directed down into
the canyon.
Los Angeles and Orange Counties have created a series of cement waterways all over the greater
Los Angeles area to try to avoid flooding and property damage. We need infrastructure added to
the Klondike Canyon that directs this water so it actually gets to the ocean. Just because it was
never done in the past does not mean it is not required.
Perhaps it is a combination of large above ground flexible pipes and some cement channels added
to strategic sections of the canyon. I know that it is difficult in some sections of the Flying Triangle
slide area to build with cement, and that is why I suggested some areas with large diameter flexible
culvert drain pipe. Perhaps like this...
C-9
:
<image002.jpg>
48" x 20' Corrugated Dual-Wall Solid Belled EndCulvert Drainage Pipe
menards.com
...but hundreds of feet long that connect to the large pipe and concrete system just north of PVDS
in the Klondike Canyon.
We have open fissures that water from above us is pouring directly into the ground and I believe
flow directly to the bedrock and bentonite layers beneath SeaView and Portuguese Bend Club that
is causing our (now accelerated) movement.
Adding more pumps and getting more water out at the beach is good, but extracting the water at
the beach is pulling water that has already passed under the homes here and done the damage.
We really must find a way to prevent the majority of the water from entering the soil in the first
place-and that begins uphill from our communities.
This is my estimate of land area that fed the Klondike Canyon. Roughly 189 acres in RH and another
46 acres that are in the RPV area.
NOTE: This is MY estimate… it is NOT from an official document!!!!
<image003.jpg>
With the storm over the past couple of weeks I would estimate that around 44 million gallons of
water landed in Rolling hills that all was directed into the canyon. A very large percentage and I
suspect a vast majority of that water never made it down the canyon to the 48” pipe/to the ocean,
it went into the ground exactly where we don’t want it to be.
I am not saying that we can or need capture all of it, but currently there is no storm drainage system
at all and the land here cannot just keep absorbing this amount of water every time it rains.
What can be done urgently by either the City of Rolling Hills or Los Angles County (that began the
modifications to the land over 110 years ago)?
We need to have appropriate drainage in RPV in the Klondike Canyon that really can capture and
direct the water directly from the Rolling Hills storm drain system (that is currently missing) and get
it to flow to the 48” pipe. We need much more than the temporary plastic tarps and a 3-4” pipe
that is there now.
The main point is: Unless we can get the city of Rolling Hills and or LA County and or the state of
California to install and maintain a properly engineering and functioning storm drain system in the
Klondike Canyon, it is unlikely that RPV can get this to ever slow down no matter what we do alone
without support from outside of the city.
Even a temporary solution with the flex pipes like I had the link to that could carry a significant
C-10
amount of the storm runoff to the 48” pipe I suspect would make a dramatic difference in getting
storm water directly to the ocean.
I know you know we are in crisis here, but RPV cannot fix this situation alone and it is bigger than
just a problematic lack of sewers in Rolling Hills (that also should be studied). While it is a problem
that they don’t have a proper sewer system, we must urgently find a solution to get uncontrolled
storm drainage water to stop flowing from Rolling Hills into RPV via the open and compromised
Klondike Canyon area.
I hope this can be discussed at the meeting tomorrow and future meetings.
Thank you very much for listening.
Best regards,
Larry
C-11