Accelerated Land Movement At Landslide Area Causes Concern, City Says

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA — Significant movement in the ancient landslide complex in Rancho Palos Verdes prompted city officials to discuss the timeline of the Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project at Tuesday night's council meeting.

According to Public Works Director Ramzi Awwad, officials have noticed roadway damage in the Seaview neighborhood and along Palos Verdes Drive South that has caused concerns. Awwad said monitors have recorded accelerated movement in the area since October.

With significant rain in the forecast this weekend, officials said there are concerns about the landslide moving quicker because water is what causes movement, according to Awwad.

"We are seeing a significantly increased rate of movement which raises the urgency of the project," Awwad said. "We've seen essentially a year's worth of movement in just a few months."

Following feedback after the draft Environmental Impact Report was released in February, city engineers reexamined components of the plan to account for community concerns. After its publication, the city received 45 comment letters on the Draft EIR covering various topics including concerns about native plants, water collection and construction logistics.

After hearing community concerns, city officials recommended:

• minimizing or eliminating the flow-reduction area;
• reducing the drainage swale footprint and maximizing the ability to support the native habitat;
• relocating hydrauger batteries to more easily accessible areas to minimize the impact on the native habitat;
• providing construction and maintenance logisitics details.

Going forward, city staff proposed a tentative and aggressive timeline for the project that would have the final EIR ready in September 2024 and would have construction on the project begin in late 2025.

Duration of construction could last anywhere from 18 to 24 months depending on the decisions made when finalizing engineering plans, Awwad said.

To fund the project, staff applied for a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant for the amount of $23.3 million with a $10 million non-federal match. Officials said they expect announcements on the awards this month.