CC RES 2025-026 RESOLUTION NO. 2025-26
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, EXTENDING
FOR A TERM OF SIXTY (60) DAYS THE
TEMPORARILY PROHIBITION ON TRAVEL BY
UNICYCLES, BICYCLES, MOTORCYCLES, AND
OTHER ONE- OR TWO-WHEELED VEHICLES ON
PALOS VERDES DRIVE SOUTH WITHIN THE
LANDSLIDE COMPLEX DUE TO CONTINUED
ROADWAY CONDITIONS
WHEREAS, the Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex (the
Landslide Complex) encompasses four historically active landslide areas in the
City: the Portuguese Bend Landslide (PBL), the Abalone Cove Landslide (ACL),
the Klondike Canyon Landslide (KCL), and the Beach Club Landslide (BCL). It also
includes the Flying Triangle Landslide (FTL) in the City of Rolling Hills as mapped
by various agencies (i.e., U.S. Geological Survey, California Geological Survey)
and other researchers; and
WHEREAS, following the 2022-23 rainy season, the Landslide Complex's
movement has accelerated exponentially. Therefore, on October 3, 2023, the City
Council of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes adopted Resolution No. 2023-047
based on its authority pursuant to Section 8610 et seq. and Section 8630 et seq.
of the Government Code, and Chapter 2.23 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal
Code, declaring a state of local emergency for the Landslide Complex based on
the accelerated movement of the land. The declaration of emergency has been
renewed as required by law and currently applies; and
WHEREAS, following the City Council's declaration of a local emergency,
the City experienced another record-setting rainy season; and
WHEREAS, since the City Council's declaration of a local emergency, the
City Geologist, Mike Phipps of Cotton, Shires, and Associates, Inc. (CSA), has
been regularly conducting field mapping throughout the Landslide Complex;
observing conditions at various locations, and reviewing survey and rainfall data;
and
WHEREAS, the City Geologist most recently reported to the City Council
on May 7, 2024, in summary, that the Landslide Complex continues moving at
unprecedented rates, predominantly in response to the two consecutive seasons
of significantly above average rainfall; and
WHEREAS, the City Geologist stated that land movement continued to
manifest at the ground surface in the form of landslide scarps, fissures,
grabens/sinkholes, tensional cracking, shear zones and thrust features; and that
due to the continued acceleration, the ground movement features have continued
to enlarge, expand, widen, or grow depending on the type of feature and location,
0
which also affects Palos Verdes Drive South (PVDS) as it traverses the Landslide
Complex area; and
WHEREAS, the City Geologist summarized that road conditions on PVDS
continue to be adversely impacted due to differential rates of land movement
ranging from about 5 to 8 inches per week, at the time of the report to the City
Council on May 7, 2024; and
WHEREAS, traffic signs on PVDS in the landslide area include various
signs warning of the landslide conditions, with some specifically directed at
bicyclists and motorcyclists. Out of an abundance of caution, Staff (through a
consultant), conducted a review of signs on PVDS. As a result, additional signs
were installed, including signs installed on June 1, 2024 specifically directed at
bicyclists and motorcyclists; and
WHEREAS, despite the existing bicycle warning signs, Staff has been
anecdotally informed of bicycle crashes, and at least one claim has been filed
against the City (which was prior to the additional bicycle and motorcycle signs
installed on June 1) and at least two claims for injury to persons or property have
been filed with the City; and
WHEREAS, Section 8610 of the Government Code provides the local
disaster council with broad powers to "develop plans for meeting any condition
constituting a local emergency or state of emergency, including, but not limited to,
earthquakes, natural or manmade disasters specific to that jurisdiction, or state of
war emergency...."; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 2.24 designates the City Council, the director of
emergency services, the assistant director of emergency services, and the chiefs
of emergency services as the City's Disaster Council; and
WHEREAS, the director of emergency services (the city manager), "[i]n the
event of the proclamation of a local emergency [...], the director [of emergency
services] is empowered: a. To make and issue rules and regulations on matters
reasonably related to the protection of life and property as affected by such
emergency...."; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that despite consistent and recently
increased signage, riders of bicycles and motorcycles continue to use PVDS, and
that the land movement is creating frequent localized deviations in the road, which
can be navigated safely in cars and trucks, but that are more dangerous for two-
wheeled vehicles such as bicycles and motorcycles; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the safety of bicycle, motorcycle and
other two-wheeled riders is a compelling interest; and
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Resolution No 2025-26
Page 2 of 4
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that in order to further the City's
compelling interest in the safety of riders, it is appropriate to temporarily route
bicycles and motorcycles away from the portion of PVDS within the Landslide
Complex, until such time as the City may be able to slow the land movement
sufficiently to reduce the frequency and severity of road deviations to minimize the
risk of injury to persons or property; and
WHEREAS, on June 18, 2024, the City Council duly adopted Resolution
No. 2024-39 prohibiting, for a period of six (6) months, bicycles, motorcycles, and
other two-wheeled vehicles from traversing PVDS with the Landslide Complex;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council has, since that date and at various City Council
meetings, duly adopted resolutions prohibiting for specified periods set forth
therein, unicycles, bicycles, motorcycles, and other one- or two-wheeled vehicles
from traversing PVDS with the Landslide Complex; and
WHEREAS, staff and the Office of the City attorney are of the opinion that
conditions on PVDS have not stabilized to the point that this prohibition should be
allowed to terminate and is of the further opinion the existing prohibition should be
extended for an additional sixty (60) day period.
NOW, THEREFORE THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO
PALOS VERDES DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE AND RESOLVE AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1: The-above recitals are true and correct and incorporated herein
by reference.
Section 2: For a period of sixty (60) calendar days from and after the date
of this resolution, the portion of PVDS within the Landslide Complex shall be closed
to unicycle, bicycle, motorcycle, and other one- or two-wheeled vehicle traffic.
Section 3: Updates on the rate of movement and repair of PVDS will be
provided at City Council meetings where the City Council is considering extending
the local state of emergency, including an assessment of the relative safety of
traveling on PVDS by unicycles, bicycles, motorcycles, and other one- or two-
wheeled vehicles through the Landslide Complex, with the purpose of lifting the
prohibition as soon as possible.
Section 4: This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon adoption by
the City Council upon a majority vote.
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PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED on this 6th day of May, 2025.
Resolution No. 2025-26
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l �
David Bradley, Mayor
ATTEST:
L-- Tere a_T-akaoka, City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )ss
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES )
I, Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, do hereby certify
that the foregoing Resolution No. 2025-26, was duly and regularly passed and
adopted by the said City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on May 6, 2025.
r
T-eresa Takaoka, City Clerk
Resolution No 2025-26
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