Laguna Beach undertakes temporary slope stabilization on Skyline Drive

Laguna Beach has begun emergency efforts to stabilize a failed slope ahead of the incoming rainy season, after efforts earlier this year to encourage affected property owners to take corrective action on their own was unsuccessful.

The City Council on Tuesday approved the city manager’s execution of an agreement for the expenditure of up to $242,300 in public funds to go toward winterization work that’s intended to temporarily stabilize a landslide area along Skyline Drive.

A significant rain event on Feb. 21 led to the slope failure, which occurred behind 1525 and 1535 Skyline Drive, as well as near 1587 Atlantic Way. An inspection by community development staff found a damaged drainage flume, and erosion and slope failure at the back of the properties.

Gabriel Linares, the city’s deputy director of community development, sent a letter to the property owners on March 12 identifying the need for corrective action. According to the staff report, the city did not receive plans from the property owners for temporary work or permanent remediation.

In July, city officials began code enforcement proceedings against the affected property owners, which included a nuisance abatement notice and order. The property owners have since agreed to allow the city to access the site to perform the winterization work.

The scope of work, which began Monday, includes debris removal and grading to prevent localized ponding. Plans also call for the construction of an earthen swale to direct stormwater toward a natural drainage course, mitigating concentrated flows created by a compromised concrete ditch. Plastic and sandbags will also be placed around the area of the landslide to limit water infiltration.

Permanent remediation of the slope remains the responsibility of the property owners, city staff said in the report. The city will pursue cost recovery for the winterization work following its completion.

Councilmembers also adopted a resolution authorizing the city manager, or a designee, to expend funds in an emergency without formal bidding, provided that a contract does not exceed $500,000 and there is sufficient funding in the disaster relief fund.

“This is allowed under the public contracts code,” Assistant City Atty. Jane Abzug said. “It doesn’t have to be a local declared emergency, but in the case of an emergency, the City Council may adopt a resolution, by a four-fifths vote, declaring the public interest and necessity to immediately expend money to safeguard life, health or property, and authorize expenditure of required money without complying with the formal bidding procedures under the contracts code.

“While city staff wanted to address the immediate need and emergency on Skyline, we were also cognizant that, in light of the El Niño [weather pattern expected to bring heavy rain], there might be additional disasters or need for emergency work.”

The city manager will be required to report on contracts authorized without the bidding requirement under the policy at the next regular meeting of the City Council.