CC SR 20250916 D - Landslide Emergency Contract Continuation (Granicus Version with Link for Attachments)
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 09/16/2025
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration to continue the emergency justification for work and emergency contracting
for the Greater Portuguese Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide Emergency Project.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Reconfirm, by a four-fifths vote, there is a need to continue the work on the
Emergency Project declared by Council-adopted Resolution No. 2024-20 on May
7, 2024, finding an emergency exists requiring immediate action in the Greater
Portuguese Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide Complex (Landslide Complex) to
seek to mitigate the movement of the landslide;
(2) Direct the City Clerk to confirm the same in the minutes of this City Council
meeting, via Minute Order, reflecting this action;
(3) Approve Retroactive Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement
(PSA) with Cotton, Shires and Associates for City-wide geotechnical consulting,
including landslide emergency stabilization geotechnical consulting through June
30, 2025, and related services, increasing the not-to-exceed amount for the initial
5-year term by $1,190,474 from $400,000 to $1,590,474 while maintaining a 15%
contingency, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute Amendment No.
1, to the PSA with Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc. in a form approved by the
City Attorney;
(4) Approve Retroactive Amendment No. 1 to the PSA with McGee Surveying
Consulting for Portuguese Bend Landslide Monitoring Program Surveying and
related services, increasing the not-to-exceed amount for the term between
September 5, 2023 and June 30, 2024 by $405,123 from $64,400 to $469,523,
and extending the contract term by one year, with an amended contract end date
of June 30, 2025, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute Amendment
No. 1 to the PSA with McGee Surveying Consulting, in a form approved by the City
Attorney;
(5) Approve Retroactive Amendment No. 2 to the PSA with Ocean Blue Environmental
Services, Inc. for City-wide environmental cleanup and related services, increasing
the not-to-exceed amount for the term between May 17, 2022 and June 30, 2024
by $1,738,479 from $532,082 to $2,270,561 while maintaining a 15% contingency,
and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute Amendment No. 2, to the PSA
with Ocean Blue Environmental Services, Inc. in a form approved by the City
Attorney;
(6) Approve Retroactive Amendment No. 1 to the PSA with Hardy & Harper, Inc. for
city-wide public works maintenance and related services, increasing the not-to-
exceed amount for the initial 5-year term by $261,213 from $2,167,651 to
$2,428,864 while maintaining a 15% contingency, and authorize the Mayor and
1
City Clerk to execute Amendment No. 1 to the PSA with Hardy & Harper, Inc., in a
form approved by the City Attorney;
(7) Approve Retroactive Amendment No. 1 to the Public Works Agreement (PWA)
with Hardy & Harper, Inc. for roadway maintenance and related services,
increasing the not-to-exceed amount for the initial 5-year term by $2,324,438 from
$2,000,435 to $4,324,873 while maintaining a 10% contingency, and authorize the
Mayor and City Clerk to execute Amendment No. 1 to the PWA with Hardy &
Harper, Inc., in a form approved by the City Attorney;
(8) Approve Retroactive Amendment No. 2 to the PSA with Monaco Mechanical, Inc.
for City-wide plumbing and related services, removing the annual not-to-exceed
amount of $100,000 as a result of actual expenditures for services needed to
respond to the landslide emergency, for the initial 6-year term with no change to
the total contract not-to-exceed amount, and while maintaining a 10% contingency,
and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute Amendment No. 2 to the PSA
with Monaco Mechanical, Inc., in a form approved by the City Attorney;
(9) Ratify payments for emergency repairs to the Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer
System during the period between July 22, 2024 and November 6, 2024 to
Ramona, Inc. in the amount of $191,602;
(10) Ratify payments for delivering soil for fissure filling within the Landslide Complex
during the period between December 6, 2023 and June 30, 2025 to BD White
Topsoil Co., Inc. in the amount of $127,052;
(11) Ratify payments for emergency repairs to the Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer
System during the period between July 17, 2023 and June 4, 2025 to Clarke
Contracting Corporation in the amount of $1,977,321;
(12) Ratify payments for emergency repairs to the Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer
System during the period between January 31, 2025 and April 16, 2025 to Colich
and Sons, LP in the amount of $243,684;
(13) Ratify payments for emergency roadway repairs within the Landslide Complex
during the period between August 2, 2024 and June 11, 2025 to Inland Engineering
Services, Inc. in the amount of $91,853;
(14) Ratify payments for fueling services for the Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer System
lift station generators during the period between September 10, 2024 and May 28,
2025 to Ferrellgas, LP in the amount of $101,068;
(15) Ratify payments for maintenance and repair services for the Abalone Cove
Sanitary Sewer System lift station generators during the period between October
18, 2024 and July 30, 2025 to Genesis Electrical, Inc. in the amount of $83,313;
(16) Ratify payments for emergency sewer and storm drain repairs within the Landslide
Complex on April 15, 2024 to Southwest Pipeline Technologies, Inc. in the amount
of $33,000;
(17) Ratify payments for sewer and storm drain repairs within the Landslide Complex
during the period between March 7, 2024 and April 30, 2025 to Performance
Pipeline Technologies, Inc. in the amount of $92,710.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 budget
associated with the recommended City Council actions.
The recommended City Council action ratifies payments and
retroactively approves contracts for work performed in Fiscal Year
2
(FY) 2024-25 already paid for using previously approved FY 2024-
25 budget. The end of year estimates for FY 2024-25 include the
dollar amounted cited in the recommended ratified payments.
The recommended City Council action is only for emergency
services already performed under the City Manager’s emergency
authority approved by the City Council via Resolution No. 2023-47
on October 3, 2023, and does not affect FY 2025-26 budget.
Following is a summary of the approved budget appropriations in FY 2024-25 that were
used to pay for the services the City Council is being asked to ratify, along with the funding
sources.
FY 2024-25 Summary of Budget Appropriations:
[CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE]
FY 2024-25 Budget Appropriations (Summary)
in millions TOTAL
FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget $4.6
$13.7
October 1, 2024 $14.1
Emergency response, boreholes, DDW, winterization
ARPA Fund 0.5
LA County Grant (Sup. Hahn)2.2
CIP Emergency Reserves 5.0
General Fund Unallocated Fund Balance - Transfers Out 6.4
December 17, 2024 $1.1
O&M for DDDW between Jan-Mar 2025
CIP Fund 1.1
January 21, 2025 $2.0
Additional O&M for DDW between Apr-Jun 2025 and fissure filling
CIP Fund (DDW)1.5
CIP Fund (Fissure Filling)0.5
February 4, 2025 $0.1
In-Kind Services for ACLAD
Affirmed $1.6 million of loans to ACLAD and KCLAD
CIP Fund (DDW)0.1
March 18, 2025 $0.7
Additional O&M Ab Cove Sanitary Sewers
CIP Fund 0.1
Reallocate Measure R 0.4
Reallocate Gas Tax 0.2
May 6, 2025 $0.5
Additional O&M DDW
CIP Fund 0.5
TOTAL - FY 2024-25 $36.8
Carryover from FY 2023-24 ( Prof/Tech, Reallocation
3
FY 2024-25 Summary of Funding Sources (by Fund):
Amount Budgeted: See Fiscal Impact above
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): Funding sources – see Fiscal Impact above VR
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:
Please click here to access the attachments below.
A. September 2, 2025 City Council Staff Report – Emergency Landslide
Stabilization Contract Continuation (Linked)
B. July 1, 2025 City Council Staff Report – Emergency Landslide Stabilization
Contract Continuation and Award of Multiple Contracts for Emergency
Landslide Stabilization and Related Infrastructure Repairs (Linked)
C. Amendment No. 1 to the PSA with Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc.
(Page C-1)
D. PSA with Cotton, Shires and Associates, Inc. (Page D-1)
E. Amendment No. 1 to the PSA with McGee Surveying Consulting(Page E-1)
F. PSA with McGee Surveying Consulting. (Page F-1)
G. Amendment No. 2 to the PSA with Ocean Blue Environmental Services, Inc.
(Page G-1)
H. Amendment No. 1 to the PSA with Ocean Blue Environmental Services, Inc.
(Page H-1)
I. PSA with Ocean Blue Environmental Services, Inc. (Page I-1)
J. Amendment No. 1 to the PSA for city-wide public works maintenance and
related services with Hardy & Harper, Inc. (Page J-1)
K. PSA for city-wide public works services with Hardy & Harper, Inc. (Page K-
1)
Funding Sources for FY 2024-25 TOTAL
In Millions
CIP Fund 14.5
CIP Fund (Reserves)5.0
CIP Fund (Cont Approp 01/21/25)0.5
General Fund (Transfers-Out Reserves to the CIP Fund) 6.4
General Fund 3.4
Special Revenue (Restricted) Funds
ARPA Fund 3.4
Metro Fund (Prop C, Measure R)1.4
Sup. Hahn's Social Program Grant 2.2
TOTAL $36.81
4
L. Amendment No. 1 to the PSA for roadway maintenance services with Hardy
& Harper, Inc. (Page L-1)
M. PSA for roadway maintenance services with Hardy & Harper, Inc. (Page M-
1)
N. Amendment No. 2 to the PSA with Monaco Mechanical, Inc. (Page N-1)
O. Amendment No. 1 to the PSA with Monaco Mechanical, Inc. (Page O-1)
P. PSA with Monaco Mechanical, Inc. (Page P-1)
Q. Invoices from Ramona, Inc. for emergency sewer repairs in the Abalone
Cove Sanitary Sewer System (Page Q-1)
R. Invoices from BD White Topsoil Co., Inc. for delivering soil for fissure filling
within the Landslide Complex (Page R-1)
S. Invoices from Clarke Contracting Corporation for emergency repairs to the
Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer System (Page S-1)
T. Invoices from Colich and Sons, LP for emergency repairs to the Abalone
Cove Sanitary Sewer System (Page T-1)
U. Invoices from Inland Engineering Services, Inc. for emergency roadway
repairs within the Landslide Complex (Page U-1)
V. Invoices from Ferrellgas, LP for fueling services for the Abalone Cove
Sanitary Sewer System lift station generators (Page V-1)
W. Invoices from Genesis Electrical, Inc. for maintenance and repair services
for the Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer System lift station generators (Page
W-1)
X. Invoices from Southwest Pipeline Technologies, Inc. for sewer and storm
drain repairs within the Landslide Complex (Page X-1)
Y. Invoices from Performance Pipeline Technologies, Inc. for sewer and storm
drain repairs within the Landslide Complex (Page Y-1)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
• Reconfirm the City Manager’s emergency contracting authority for work related to
the Greater Portuguese Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide Complex (Landslide
Complex) thereby:
o Authorizing the City Manager to order work expedites the ability to respond
to the emergency as compared to the regular bidding and City Council
contract approval process.
o The City Manager may only order work within City Council appropriated
budget.
o Reconfirming this authority is required by the City Council at every meeting
pursuant to state law while the local emergency exists.
• Ratify payments already made and retroactively approve contracts for work
already performed in FY 2024-25 under the City Manager’s emergency
authorization for Landslide Complex emergency stabilization.
o Using City Council appropriated FY 2024-25 funds, the City Council
authorized the City Manager to order work outside the regular bidding and
City Council contract approval process on an emergency basis.
5
o City Council ratification of payments and retroactive approval of contracts
for work ordered by the City Manager as part of the landslide emergency is
a best practice and increases public transparency.
• No FY 2025-26 new budget appropriation or expenditure of approved budget is
associated with these actions.
o Payment ratifications and retroactive contract approvals are for work
already completed and paid for using funds previously appropriated by the
City Council in FY 2024-25 as detailed in the Fiscal Impacts section.
o Retroactive contracts do not cover any new work for FY 2025-26 as those
were separately approved by the City Council on July 1, 2025.
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 and providing
the City Manager authorization to approve matters related to the emergency for
ratification by the City Council. The state of emergency, as well as the continuation of
associated emergency contracting has been timely renewed and is current.
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.
The City Council most recently approved continuing the emergency justification for work
and emergency contracting for the Greater Portuguese Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide
Emergency Project on September 2, 2025 (Attachment A), and is therefore due to reaffirm
the need to continue to remediate the emergency at this evenings meeting.
DISCUSSION:
Re-affirm Need to Continue Emergency Work
To support the need for continued emergency contracting authority, the current status of
the Deep Dewatering Wells (DDWs) program is being provided:
Since the start of the DDW program, approximately 328 million gallons, or 1,007 acre-
feet of water have been extracted. Extraction rates are currently influenced by the
following circumstances:
• DDW-1 has sheared due to land movement and is offline. Re-drilling will commence
following the completion of re-drilling DDW-5.
6
• DDW-5 has sheared due to land movement and is offline. Re-drilling began on
9/2/2025 and should be completed this week.
• DDW-7 has sheared, and based on its low production rate, the City’s Geologists have
advised that the well be re-located rather than re-drilled in its approximate existing
location.
• DDW-9A is offline due to low water level. The submersible pump is being adjusted
and the well will be back online shortly.
• DDW11 has sheared and based on the low production rate, the City’s Geologists are
advising that this DDW should not be re-drilled, but rather re-located, should additional
funding become available. Due to the significant cost of relocating this DDW,
considered to be well above maintenance and operation costs, there are currently no
plans in place to relocate the well.
Table 1 - DDW Current Water Extraction Rates as of September 8, 2025
DDW
No.
Date
Operational
Current Approximate Water Extraction Rate
(Gallons Per Minute)
Total Water Extraction to
Date
Acre-Ft Million
Gallons
1 9/13/2024 Offline (re-drilled 3/21/25) 132 43
2 9/17/2024 95 (re-drilled 5/29/25) 135 44
3 9/21/2024 75 (re-drilled 3/24/25) 132 43
4 9/21/2024 N/A, Decommissioned 3/27/25 95 31 4A 3/29/2025 50
5 9/25/2024 Offline (re-drilled 3/26/25; offline - redrill in
progress)
116 38
6 9/28/2024 80 (re-drilled 12/29/24 and 5/23/25) 110 36
7 10/15/2024 N/A, Decommissioned 6/3/25 15 5
8 10/17/2024 95 (re-drilled 8/14/25) 69 22
9 10/25/2024 N/A, Decommissioned 11/07/24
69 22 9A 11/16/2024 Offline (re-drilled 12/29/24, 5/10/25,
8/22/25)
10 10/24/2024 120 (re-drilled 5/11/25) 132 43
11 12/3/2024 N/A, Decommissioned 3/14/25 2 1
Totals 515 1,007 328
To support the need for continued emergency contracting authority, recommendations for
the 2025-26 rainy season emergency winterization have been developed and are being
presented to the City Council for their consideration this evening under a separate agenda
item.
Fiscal Year 2024-25 Payment Ratification and Retroactive Contract Approvals
Upon the City Council’s declaration of a state of local emergency relating to the land
movement in the Landslide Complex on October 3, 2023, various companies were hired
to perform emergency response work ranging from landslide stabilization to public
infrastructure repairs. Staff utilized existing contracts to deliver these services where
possible, but in some cases, contracts were not in place at the time the emergency
response was needed and there was not sufficient time or staff resources to put contracts
7
in place. Therefore, work was ordered under the City Manager’s authority pursuant to the
emergency declaration.
Staff now seek City Council ratification of payments and retroactive contract approval for
work performed through June 30, 2025, in accordance with best practices and increased
public transparency.
Payments have already been made using previously appropriated City Council funds for
the payment ratifications and retroactive amendments presented this evening. The City
Council action only covers work performed through FY 2024-25, ending June 30, 2025,
and does not include any work for FY 2025-26.
The proposed retroactive contract amendments serve to provide a complete agreement
record reflective of the landslide emergency work completed by, and amounts paid to
each contractor through June 30, 2025. Reference can be made to the Council
Recommended Action for a general description of the services provided and reference
can be made to the recitals provided in each proposed contract amendment (Attachments
C, E, G, J, L, and N) for a detailed description of the scope and cost of services for each
contractor.
Fiscal Year 2025-26
To rely less on emergency work orders and more on pre-approved contracts for
anticipated landslide work in FY 2025-26, Staff presented multiple on-call contracts for
City Council consideration at its July 1, 2025 meeting. In response, the City Council
approved multiple contracts for emergency landslide stabilization and related
infrastructure repair work at the July 1, 2025 meeting (Attachment B).
These contracts are expected to cover all landslide work in FY 2025-26; however, work
outside these contracts may be needed. Should that be the case, Staff will present new
contracts for City Council consideration in advance when possible; or may request
retroactive approval in cases when immediate action is necessary. In all cases, no work
will be conducted beyond City Council-approved budgets.
For vendors with retroactive amendments for FY 2024-25 that have also been separately
awarded landslide or other contracts with the City for FY 2025-26, the retroactive
amendments presented in this staff report either sunset June 30, 2025 or partition the
scope of services for FY 2024-25 landslide emergency response from other services.
CONCLUSION:
The effects of the ongoing land movement continue to be felt in the Greater Portuguese
Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide Complex. Staff recommend 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).
8
Additionally, Staff recommend ratifying payments and retroactively approving contracts
for emergency stabilization work performed in FY 2024-25 under the City Manager’s
orders pursuant to the emergency declaration.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for the
City Council’s consideration:
1. Identify recommended amendments to the proposed contract amendments for FY
2024-25.
2. Take other action or provide direction, as deemed appropriate.
9