City Manager

Ocean Boulevard (Bluff) Erosion and Enhancement Phase II

Project Updates

On March 24, 2015, the City Council (staff report available ) authorized staff to complete the original project, with significant enhancements to the landscaping plan, and appropriated the additional budget necessary to complete the project. The project is scheduled for completion in Fall 2015, and will include more and bigger planter pockets.

To date, Bluff Park has received a new irrigation system that uses recycled water, new hand rails and sidewalks, and re-established grass. The park was reopened on February 13, 2015.

View an update on construction progress with a summary of Questions and Answers from the August 27, 2014 community presentation.

View the August 27, 2014 presentation on landscaping and planting plans.

Permits & Plans

The Local Coastal Development Permit documents are available. The approved plans are also available.

Staff Memoranda

The July 28, 2014 memorandum is available.

Bluff Geotechnical Peer Review Committee - Report

The Ocean Boulevard Erosion and Enhancement Project, Phase 2 involves improvements to the existing slope south of Bluff Park, from the southerly projection of Loma Avenue to the southerly projection of Lindero Avenue. At the direction of the City Council, the City has formed a peer review committee to assess if the selected slope improvements are the preferred method and evaluate available alternatives.The purpose of this peer review is to evaluate if recommendations in the project geotechnical reports are appropriate and if there are other viable options for the subject slope improvements.This peer review is a collaboration of three independent geotechnical consulting firms. The peer review committee consists of the following members: Djan Chandra, PE, GE; Leighton Consulting, Inc. Dr. Arul K. Arulmoli, PE, GE; DGE, Earth Mechanics, Inc., and Dr. Daniel Pradel, PE, GE, DGE; Group Delta Consultants, Inc. The committee attended the July 1, 2014 City Council meeting to answer questions regarding this report. The accompanying PowerPoint presentation is available.

Council Action

On July 9, 2013, the City Council approved specifications for Phase II of the Bluff Erosion Project. The project is designed to mitigate the challenges facing the bluff. These challenges include:

• Bluff failure.
• Erosion, causing severe undermining of sidewalk and impacting public access.
• Public safety hazards from potential collapse above and below the bluff.
• Dying and sparse vegetation.
• Future seismic activity, which may hasten slumping and bluff recession.

On April 29, 2014, the City Council held a special meeting concerning the bluff stabilization project. At that meeting, city staff presented an oral report and slideshow. Subsequently, staff provided a detailed written memo.

Project History & Technical Reports

The following documents provide more detail about the project. The 2000 Master Plan outlines a vision for stabilizing the area. The 2009 report provides an analysis of several options to mitigate the hazards described above. The 2010 geotechnical report provides guidance on the selected option.