20250204 Late CorrespondenceTO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
CITY CLERK
FEBRUARY 4, 2025
ADDITIONS/REVISIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
Attached are revisions/additions and/or amendments to the agenda material presented
for tonight's meeting.
Item No.
2
Description of Material
Email exchanges between City Manager Mihranian and: Guri Otterlei;
Dave Chura
** PLEASE NOTE: Materials attached after the color page(s) were submitted
through Monday, February 3, 2025**.
Respectfully submitted,
~-~ Teriiifakaoka
L:\LATE CORRESPONDENCE\2025\2025 Coversheets\20250204 additions revisions to agenda.docx
From:
Sent:
To:
Teresa Takaoka
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 12:48 PM
CityClerk
Subject: FW: RPV City Council Members: Funding for Deep Dewatering Wells in the Abalone
Cove landslide complex -For CC meeting 2/4/25
Late corr
From: Ara Mihranian <AraM@rpvca.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 12:08 PM
To: Guri Otterlei <guri.otterlei@cox.net>
Cc: David Bradley <david.bradley@rpvca.gov>; Paul Seo <paul.seo@rpvca.gov>; Barbara Ferraro
<barbara.ferraro@rpvca.gov>; George Lewis <George.Lewis@rpvca.gov>; Stephen Perestam
<stephen.perestam@rpvca.gov>; CC <CC@rpvca.gov>; Ramzi Awwad <rawwad@rpvca.gov>
Subject: RE: RPV City Council Members: Funding for Deep Dewatering Wells in the Abalone Cove landslide complex -For
CC meeting 2/4/25
Guri,
The potential indefinite closure of PVDS is a concern we all share for a variety of reasons including emergency
response and access.
I also hope you and your neighbors realize that for this year only, the City is projected to spend upwards of $35
million by the June 30, 2025 responding to the land movement including maintaining the sewer system in the PBCA
and PVDS. To that point, the City is pursuing various funding sources, and we continue to ask that AC LAD and
KC LAD do the same as special districts recognized by the County, State and Federal levels of government.
Ara
Ara Michael Mihranian
City Manager
aram@rpvca.gov
Phone• (310) 544-5202
Address:
30940 Hawthorne Blvd.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Website: www.rpvca.gov
From: Guri Otterlei <guri.otterlei@cox.net>
Sent: Monday, February 3, 2025 10:51 PM
To: Ara Mihranian <AraM(f:vrpvca.gov>
~ GtrfTON
Fl' Google Play
Cc: David Bradley <david.bradley@rpvca.goy:>; Paul Seo <paul.seo@rpvca.gov>; Barbara Ferraro
<barbara.ferraro@rpvca.gov>; George Lewis <§eorge.Lewis@rpvca.go~>; Stephen Perestam
1 J.
<stephen.perestam@rpvca.go_y>; CC <CC@rpvca.gov>; Ramzi Awwad <rawwad@rpvca.goy>
Subject: Re: RPV City Council Members: Funding for Deep Dewatering Wells in the Abalone Cove landslide complex -For
CC meeting 2/4/25
Thank you Ara.
I agree in particular with your last paragraph that DDWs are needed immediately.
When geologists say water is gushing out when drilling down on top of the slide, it
explains what we're seeing.
It is difficult to imagine how the city can continue to exist and function if the east-
west access/ corridor through Portuguese Bend is eventually (forced to) close due
to failure of slowing the landslide. Please continue to explore income options and
grants to enable more DDWs without
putting the financial burden solely on ACLAD.
Sincerely,
Guri Otterlei
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 3, 2025, at 11 :00 AM, Ara Mihranian <ArnM@rµvca.gov> wrote:
Good morning Guri,
The City Council is in receipt of your email regarding the funding of DDWs within the
jurisdictional boundaries of ACLAD.
A hard copy of your email will be provided to the City Council tomorrow evening as late
correspondence.
The mapping prepared by JPL and NASA were at the request of CalOES and FEMA. Their
findings came as no surprise to the City, in fact, it generally aligns with the City's mapping of the
landslide boundary limits and increased area of movement that has been publicly reported over
the past few years (see past City Council staff reports and meeting videos).
The funding of DDWs is a delicate subject for a variety of reasons including the ongoing
increased cost borne by the City and its taxpayers, ongoing solvency of the City as you forecast
operation and maintenance costs in perpetuity for just the 11 DDWs the City installed, those
who benefit, and why Geologic Hazard Abatement Districts (GHADs) were formed in California
such as ACLAD in 1980. As noted in the staff report for tomorrow's meeting, the City is looking
at options to increase revenue but that also takes time and may have unintended
consequences. The City, as well as ACLAD, are looking for other revenue streams to fund
landslide stabilization measures. ACLAD is a government entity and can seek grants to offset
their costs.
2
These matters will continue to be discussed in the weeks to come. What is essential at this time
is ACLAD installing DDWs immediately to start extracting water and relieving artesian pressure
from the deeper Altamira Slip plane.
Ara
<image001.png>
From: Guri Otterlei <guri.otterlei(@cox.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 2, 2025 11:51 PM
To: David Bradley <david.bradley@rpvca.goy>; Paul Seo <paul.seo@rpvca.goy>; Barbara Ferraro
<barbara.ferraro@rpvca.gov>; George Lewis <George.Lewis@rpvca.gov>; Stephen Perestam
<stephen.perestam@rpvca.gov1>; CC <CC@rpvca.gov>
Cc: Ara Mihranian <AraM@rpvca.go_l.£>; Ramzi Awwad <rawwad@rpvca.gqy>
Subject: RPV City Council Members: Funding for Deep Dewatering Wells in the Abalone Cove landslide
complex -For CC meeting 2/4/25
Dear City Council Members:
Recent JPL/ NASA research shows the unprecedented landslide activity in the ACLAD area
and the shocking expansion outside earlier mapped areas. DDWs are needed in order
to save PVDS, sewer lines, and nature preserve both utilized by thousands of RPV residents
and others daily. However, it is neither possible, nor fair, for ACLAD's members to carry
the financial burden of this in the form of city loans that must be paid back. Please
consider other options, such as tolls, taxes, fees to be paid by everyone benefiting from the
continued access and use only possible with investment in DDWs.
Sincerely,
Guri Otterlei
Sent from my iPhone
3
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Late corr
Teresa Takaoka
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 12:48 PM
CityClerk
FW: You might find this interesting ...
From: Ara Mihranian <AraM@rpvca.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 12:02 PM
To: David Chura <dave@enclayve.com>; CC <CC@rpvca.gov>
Cc: Ramzi Awwad <rawwad@rpvca.gov>
Subject: RE: You might find this interesting ...
Hi Dave,
The City Council is in receipt of your email and will be provided as late correspondence for tonight's meeting.
The City was made aware of the maps in advance and had met with CalOES and FEMA at the beginning of January
to discuss their findings. The City continues to explore other methods and data to track land movement.
In case you missed it, the following is the City's statement in response to the maps:
"JPL 's study confirms and validates what the City has been observing in its robust GPS survey monitoring of
the landslide. The landslide has significantly accelerated and expanded since spring 2023 due to the
unprecedented rainfall of the winters of 2023 and 2024.
While JPL 's radar imagery strongly visualizes this dramatic acceleration and expansion of the landslide area
during September and October 2024, the City would note that the landslide has decelerated since October
due to the drier weather conditions and the City's installation of highly productive deep dewatering wells.
The City is hopeful that this trend holds with its de watering and winterization measures and continues to
urge state and federal agencies to financially support these efforts. More funding is essential to maintaining
and expanding the well network, which, to date, has pulled more than 125 million gallons of water from
landslide."
1
Ara Michael Mihranian
City Manager
aram@rpvca.gov
Phone -(310) 544-5202
Address:
30940 Hawthorne Blvd.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Website: www.rpvca.gov
From: David Chura <dave(@enclayve.com>
Sent: Monday, February 3, 2025 10:19 PM
To: CC <CC@rpvca.ggy>
Subject: You might find this interesting ...
-
~ GUllON
"5''"' Google Play
Some people who received this message don't often get email from dave@enclayve.com. Learn why this is important
I was just sent a NASA study of the landslide area, which reminded me of research I did last summer and disclosed
to the city staff and geologist:
I met with folks at Planet Labs (www.planet.corn) who has daily satellite imagery of the entire earth (so you can "go
back in time"). They gave me some sample imagery, which I made into the attached video. Around 33 seconds in,
you can visualize the overall landslide movement, which is somewhat a clockwise rotation. The NASA study
shows this as a curved arrow.
Also last summer, I met with the CEO/CTO of exodigo (www~.eJ<_odJgo~corn) who demonstrated satellite radar data
over our landslide. The satellite measures movement toward and away from it -essentially measuring vertical land
movement. Their demonstration showed significant vertical movement in the landslide area near the ocean. The
city's GPS data is similar, but very coarse, showing one foot per month of vertical movement in the PBBC last year.
Exodigo suggested a 3-d model of movement is possible from all of this data (including Planet labs data, which
they have). I didn't find this concept very actionable, though vertical movement could be a proxy measurement
for subsurface pressure (or not!). Our most successful wells are in areas with high vertical movement. This may be
a coincidence though.
I am encouraged that Ramzi is now considering other subsurface sensing options, and hopefully the fusion of
many data sources (now known as Al v)
Best,
-dave
Dave Chura
Founder & CEO
encla!::Jve
www.enclayve.com
www.enclayvegroup.com
2
3
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
CITY CLERK
FEBRUARY 3, 2025
ADDITIONS/REVISIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
Attached are revisions/additions and/or amendments to the agenda material received
through Monday afternoon for the Tuesday, February 4, 2025, City Council meeting:
Item No. Description of Material
2 Email exchange between City Manager Mihranian and Guri Otterlei
Respectfully submitted,
L:ILATE CORRESPONDENCE\2025\2025 Coversheets\20250204.,additions revisions to agenda thru Monday.docx
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Late corr
Teresa Takaoka
Monday, February 3, 2025 11 :01 AM
CityClerk
FW: RPV City Council Members: Funding for Deep Dewatering Wells in the Abalone
Cove landslide complex -For CC meeting 2/4/25
From: Ara Mihranian <AraM@rpvca.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 3, 2025 11:00 AM
To: Guri Otterlei <guri.otterlei@cox.net>; David Bradley <david.bradley@rpvca.gov>; Paul Seo <paul.seo@rpvca.gov>;
Barbara Ferraro <barbara.ferraro@rpvca.gov>; George Lewis <George.Lewis@rpvca.gov>; Stephen Perestam
<stephen.perestam@rpvca.gov>; CC <CC@rpvca.gov>
Cc: Ramzi Awwad <rawwad@rpvca.gov>
Subject: RE: RPV City Council Members: Funding for Deep Dewatering Wells in the Abalone Cove landslide complex -For
CC meeting 2/4/25
Good morning Guri,
The City Council is in receipt of your email regarding the funding of DDWs within the jurisdictional boundaries
of ACLAD.
A hard copy of your email will be provided to the City Council tomorrow evening as late correspondence.
The mapping prepared by JPL and NASA were at the request of CalOES and FEMA. Their findings came as
no surprise to the City, in fact, it generally aligns with the City's mapping of the landslide boundary limits and
increased area of movement that has been publicly reported over the past few years (see past City Council
staff reports and meeting videos).
The funding of DDWs is a delicate subject for a variety of reasons including the ongoing increased cost borne
by the City and its taxpayers, ongoing solvency of the City as you forecast operation and maintenance costs in
perpetuity for just the 11 DDWs the City installed, those who benefit, and why Geologic Hazard Abatement
Districts (GHADs) were formed in California such as ACLAD in 1980. As noted in the staff report for tomorrow's
meeting, the City is looking at options to increase revenue but that also takes time and may have unintended
consequences. The City, as well as AC LAD, are looking for other revenue streams to fund landslide
stabilization measures. ACLAD is a government entity and can seek grants to offset their costs.
These matters will continue to be discussed in the weeks to come. What is essential at this time is ACLAD
installing DDWs immediately to start extracting water and relieving artesian pressure from the deeper Altamira
Slip plane.
Ara
1
Ara Michael Mihranian
City Manager
aram@rpvca.gov
Phone -(310) 544-5202
Address:
30940 Hawthorne Blvd.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Website: www.rpvca.gov
From: Guri Otterlei <guri.otterlei@cox.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 2, 2025 11:51 PM
-
~ GHITON
~,.... Google Play
To: David Bradley <david.bradley@rpvca.goy>; Paul Seo <paul.seo@rpvca.goy>; Barbara Ferraro
<barbara.ferraro@rpvca.gov>; George Lewis <§_eorge.Lewis@rpvca.gov>; Stephen Perestam
<stephen.perestam@rpvca.goy>; CC <CC(wrpvca.gqy>
Cc: Ara Mihranian <AraM@rpvca.gov>; Ramzi Awwad <rawwad@rpvca.gov>
Subject: RPV City Council Members: Funding for Deep Dewatering Wells in the Abalone Cove landslide complex -For CC
meeting 2/4/25
Dear City Council Members:
Recent JPL/ NASA research shows the unprecedented landslide activity in the ACLAD area and the
shocking expansion outside earlier mapped areas. DDWs are needed in order to save PVDS, sewer lines,
and nature preserve both utilized by thousands of RPV residents and others daily. However, it is neither
possible, nor fair, for ACLAD's members to carry the financial burden of this in the form of city loans
that must be paid back. Please consider other options, such as tolls, taxes, fees to be paid by everyone
benefiting from the continued access and use only possible with investment in DDWs.
Sincerely,
Guri Otterlei
Sent from my iPhone
2