CC SR 20240820 D - Emergency Hydraugers Contract Continuation
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 08/20/2024
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to reconfirm continuing the emergency justification for
work and contract bidding on the Portuguese Bend Landslide Emergency Hydraugers
Project.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Reconfirm there is a need to continue the work on the Portuguese Bend Landslide
Emergency Hydraugers Project declared by Council-adopted Resolution No.
2024-20 on May 7, 2024, finding an emergency exists requiring immediate action
to install hydraugers in the Portuguese Bend Landslide to seek to mitigate the
movement of the landslide; and
(2) Direct the City Clerk to confirm the same in the minutes of this City Council
meeting, via Minute Order, reflecting this action.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended Council
action as $9,635,000 was appropriated by the City Council on May
7, 2024.
Amount Budgeted: $9,635,000
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): 330-400-8307-8XXX $6,772,400
(CIP Fund – Emergency Hydraugers – Various)
333-400-8307-8802 $2,862,600
(ARPA Fund – Emergency Hydraugers – Other
Improvements)
ORIGINATED BY: David Copp, Deputy Public Works Director
REVIEWED BY: Ramzi Awwad, Public Works Director
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. August 6, 2024 staff report
B. July 16, 2024 staff report
C. July 2, 2024 staff report
D. June 18, 2024 staff report
E. June 4, 2024 staff report
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F. May 21, 2024 staff report
G. May 7, 2024 staff report
BACKGROUND:
On October 3, 2023, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2023-47, declaring a state
of local emergency relating to the land movement in the landslide complex. The state of
emergency has been timely renewed and is current. On May 7, 2024, the City Council
extended the Local State of Emergency pursuant to Resolution No. 2024 -20 and
approved, among other things, a Public Works Contract with Malcolm Drilling Inc.
(Malcolm) to perform the work of the Portuguese Bend Landslide Emergency Hydraugers
Project (Attachment F). On May 21, June 4, June 18, July 2, July 16, and August 6, 2024,
the City Council reconfirmed, by a four-fifths vote, that there is a need to continue the
work on the Portuguese Bend Landslide Emergency Hydraugers Project (Attachment s F,
E, D, C, B, and A).
DISCUSSION:
Pursuant to Public Contract Code § 22050, the City Manager and Director of Public Works
must report to the City Council at its regular meeting the reasons justifying why the
emergency continues to exist and why action outside of the normal bidding process is
necessary to respond to the emergency. Furthermore, Public Contract Code § 22050
states that the City Council shall, at every regularly scheduled meeting , consider and
reaffirm that there is a need to continue to remediate the emergency until the authorized
emergency repairs have been completed. Accordingly, because the work has not yet
been completed, this item is on tonight’s agenda. This item will be placed on each
subsequent agenda until all aspects of the project are completed.
Since the most recent update to the City Council on July 2, 2024, the need for the
emergency work is ongoing. The status of the project at the time of publication of this staff
report on August 13, 2024 is as follows:
• Drilling of the vertical boreholes landward of Palos Verdes Drive South (PVDS)
for emergency hydrauger E-1 (E-1) is complete.
• Three of four boreholes seaward of PVDS for E-1 have been completed.
• Access to the fourth and final E-1 borehole is being prepared. Drilling is
expected to commence shortly thereafter and be completed by next week.
• Instrumentation to gauge land movement and further validate the final hydrauger
system design continues to be installed in each borehole.
• Mapping of the depths and shapes of underwater terrain (bathymetry survey) is
underway to obtain more information about the lower section of the landslide
located along the coast.
• Environmental monitoring is being conducted in conjunction with construction
activities.
• A second drill rig is being mobilized to complete the E-2 boreholes landward of
PVDS within the Portuguese Bend Reserve.
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During drilling operations for the boreholes drilled to date, production has been impacted
by the presence of soil with a harder composition than originally anticipated. Additionally,
the contractor has been directed to drill at deeper depths than originally anticipated to
confirm the presence of any deeper land movement that may dictate adjustments to the
design of the hydraugers.
The second drill rig was previously planned for mid-July but is now expected to arrive by
August 26th or sooner, as more time was needed for finalizing the depths and associated
subsurface instrumentation for the E-2 boreholes. The overall estimated schedule for
completing the E-2 boreholes and analyzing the resultant data is approximately 8 -10
weeks following the arrival of the second drill rig. The overall estimated schedule for
completing the boreholes for E-1 and analyzing the resultant data is approximately ten
weeks, which is greater than the originally anticipated schedule of four to six weeks.
The emergency conditions necessitating the project are likely to persist at least until
completion of the project.
CONCLUSION:
The effects of the ongoing land movement continue to be felt in the Greater Portuguese
Bend Landslide Complex. Staff recommends reconfirming that there is a need to continue
to remediate the emergency identified by City Council-adopted Resolution No. 2024-20
(originally by Resolution No. 2023-47), and reconfirm the need for continuing the work on
the Portuguese Bend Landslide Emergency Hydraugers Project.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to Staff recommendation, the following alternative action is available for the
City Council’s consideration:
1. Take other action or provide direction, as deemed appropriate.
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