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12/20/24 COMMUNITY NOTICE From SRA Board

12/20/24 COMMUNITY NOTICE From SRA Board
December 22, 2024

COMMUNITY NOTICE

(12/20/2024)


COMMUNITY NOTICE From SRA Board:
Utilities, City Council and Q&A Meetings Notes

Utilities Meeting – 12/16/24

  •  SoCal Edison will be doing pole work in the cul-de-sac areas of Admirable and the PVDS SeaView cul-de-sac.  No updates provided on where they are with re-energization.  Upcoming meetings are happening with the City on the topic before the holidays.
  • SoCal Gas is also having ongoing meeting with the City.  Crews will be in the neighborhood to do mapping of their equipment location using GIS (Geographic Information Systems).  They are approaching another couple of homeowners in the neighborhood for evaluation of possible re-energization and continue to look at properties on a case-by-case basis.
  • Cal Water. No new work planned in SeaView.  No updates on when the remainder of the neighborhood pipe update may happen.  They are still completing working the PBCA areas.

City Council Meeting – 12/17/24

  • A speaker on non-consent agenda items brought forth the concept of a Joint Powers Authority to manage the land movement going forward.  He offered to do a presentation on this in the future but brought up the point of a better management structure for future and ongoing management of the land movement.
  • ·   Item F of consent agenda.  City council approved measure to authorize funds for demolishing the red-tagged property at 4361 Exultant as a continuation of efforts to force removal of this condemned property.  A lien will be placed on the property owners tax bill to collect monies.  Estimated demolition costs to be $55 to $80K.
  • ·   Item K of consent agenda.  City Council approved ongoing emergency justification for work related to the landslide area.
  • ·      Regular business Item 1. To extend the state of emergency and authorize $1.1M to continue with current and ongoing drilling and water removal projects for the next 60 days. Staff recommendations are to continue funding the ongoing projects.
    • Winterization efforts
      • Altamira canyon is complete
      • Portuguese Canyon partially completed.
      • Ishibashi and paintbrush canyons are on hold.
      • Klondike canyon in progress
      • SeaView, largely complete
      • PVDS service road
    • Well drilling and de-watering wells.  11 wells have been installed.
      • Extraction rates overall have been 740 gallons per minute. One well has sheared and is not functioning.  This is approximately 1M gallons per day.
    • GPS updates – Mike Phipps geologist reported.
      • There has been very little rain.  With winterization being completed, geologist feels we have reached a steady state of reduced movement.
      • KClAD wells and deep de-watering wells have been pumping a lot of water.
      • The new land off the coast of the Portuguese Bend slide has stopped moving.
      • Fastest movements are still 3-5.5 inches a week in the Abalone Cove area.  Most of the Portuguese Bend areas are moving less than 12 inches a month.  Klondike Canyon area has largely stopped moving.
      • Rolling Hills data show some areas of ongoing movement but seems to be unrelated to the lower areas of movement.
      • KCLAD well activity seems to be helping.  Ground water levels have decreased substantially with removal rates of 300 gallons per minute.
      • There are current plans for another several wells in the Abalone Cove area and ultimately plans for an additional row of wells in addition to the current configuration.  All of this will be based upon funding.
    • There was extensive discussion by the City council on a proposal by Mayor Pro Temp Seo to increase the funding by another $3.9M to finish drilling the areas around Abalone Cove.  This is in the drilling recommendations for the area.  The City Council’s discussion focused on concerns around the availability of City funds for expansion of drilling given other obligated expenses and need to maintain a reserve versus doing a full court press on the drilling and well plan to optimize cessation of movement across the entire land movement area.  The City Council ultimately passed the basic staff recommendations by a vote of 3-2 with the two members voting against the staff recommendations doing so because the proposed budget allocation of $1.1M was not expanded to $4.9M.  This discussion will be continued into the next City Council meeting in January.
    • FEMA buyout program. There were 85 applications.  20 homes were red tagged.  37 were yellow tagged.  28 homes were green tagged or did not request inspection.  Minimum eligibility:  Not bank owned. Not sold since December 1st, 2022.  Improved with legally permitted structures, applicants are the legal owners of the improved structures.
      • Priorities. 16 red tagged homes.  Cannot be Monks or Blacks plaintiffs lots.  11 PBCA, 5 SeaView.  Prioritized yellow tagged properties.  20 were prioritized and moved forward.
      • Notification was sent to owners who were moved forward.
      • Next will be RFPS for appraisals, surveys, titling, escrow services.
      • Anticipated final decisions February/March 2025.
      • Buyout program has $42M from FEMA. $13.7 M from property owners.
    • o   Funding update.
      • Total expenditures over the past 3 years has been $43.6M.  $32M allocated in FY 2023-25.  About 72% has been spent or encumbered.  Balance remaining to be spent is about $8.9M.
      • $25M has come from City funds.  $7M from other funds.
      • Has been application for $38.4M in public assistance.  $22M public assistance for energy shutoff. $1M public assistance for homeowners.

Q&A MEETING OF 12/18/24

DISCUSSION ITEMS

City Update (this could include updates on emergency declaration(s), geological and/or geotechnical, mitigation projects, project funding, and other topics)

Deep Dewatering Wells (DDW)

  • On 12/17/2024, the City Council funded ongoing maintenance and operations for redrilling of existing wells. The details can be found in the City Council meeting minutes and Staff Report.
  • The City Council is not planning on installing additional wells at this time. The City Council will discuss and reconsider future wells at a later time.

Winterization Measures

  • The City finished the shaping, grading, and canyon lining for Altamira and Kelvin Canyons. Erosion measures are in place.
  • The City finished grading and filling fissures in Portuguese Bend.
  • In Altamira Canyon, work is being performed downhill of the gabion wall. Drainage improvements are in place.
  • The intersection at Exultant and Dauntless in SeaView is winterized. Site cleanup is ongoing.
  • Work at Admirable and Exultant is complete.
  • The City is trying to find the leak or water source that is uphill from the gabion.
  • The City needs to install a scupper on Palos Verdes Drive South (PVDS) to effectively convey drainage from the roadway to the canyon.
  • The amount of water flowing in the canyon depends on the amount of rainfall. There is also a swale to convey water to the canyon.

Landslide Monitoring Points Survey

  • The latest monitoring point survey report is posted on the City’s website.
  • The spreadsheet data will be sent to the utilities and others who have requested it.

Abalone Cove Sewer

  • Work is near complete on Ginge Root to install/replace the existing sewer pipe with PVC pipe. Work is wrapping up this week and then the site will be cleaned up.
  • All sewer operations are being closely monitored to make sure everything continues to function.
  • There is a sewer smell at/around 30 or 31 Sweetbay. The City maintenance crews will investigate this.

Utility Updates

  • Frontier Communications: There was an issue today with cutting a pole. If there is any further issue, the City should contact Ramiro De la Cruz.
  • Cal Water:
    • Pressure testing and water quality testing is ongoing on Burma. Due to the holidays, the test results should be back early next week; if all is good, Cal Water should be able to tie the line in late next week.
    • Cal Water sent instructions to the SeaView Association on how residents can “blind” the water mains. Kimberly Caballero will verify if the instructions are the same for Portuguese Bend, and if so will send it to Gordon Leon for distribution.
  • Southern California Edison (SCE):
    • SCE continues to perform field regular inspections.
    • SCE’s geotechnical experts are reviewing the latest data and performing safety and compliance work for poles.
    • SCE staff are meeting with City staff to analyze technical data and will then meet with Steve Powell after the first of the year.
    • Denied claims can be discussed/reported at SCE.com/claims. There is a legal team processing the claims, so residents need to start at that site.
    • The City and SCE has provided residents on information about how to not back-feed the system with generators. SCE staff walked/door knocked through the neighborhood with this information. When residents were not home, SCE staff left “leave behind” information at doors.
    • Gordon Leon sent Celina Luna a map with the well electrifications; the map is still with the engineering team.
    • SCE was informed by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that they needed to stabilize the pole for safety and not necessarily for re-energization.
    • SCE does not yet have the indicators outlined and finalized to determine if they can re-energize the area or parts of the area.

Abalone Cove Landslide Abatement District (ACLAD)

  • ACALD is working on surface water drainage.
  • ACLAD completed installation of a 42” culvert under Vanderlip Dr. in Kelvin Canyon; a 12” pipe at Narcissa and Cinnamon; and a 20” pipe and 12” pipe are being installed next week.
  • Pumping a total volume is 80,000 gallons per day with 10 wells.
  • Propane tanks are being installed at some generators.
  • ACALD thanks the group of volunteers who turn on and off the generators (due to noise).

Klondike Canyon Landslide Abatement District (KCLAD)
(Update provided via email from Steve Hinchliff)

  • Water tables and flow rates remain consistent on both producing wells.
  • Current Production: Two wells (5 and 6) produce 340 gpm, with a depth to water of 79 feet.
  • Well Inventory: KCLAD has two active wells (5 and 6) with submersible pumps set at 105 feet.
  • Future Development: All resources are currently focused on Winterization.
  • Additional Data: Weekly readings are provided in a spreadsheet. KCLAD keeps their website up to date and all data is shared there.

 The City’s hotline for immediate response for landslide emergencies is now active at (800) 698-3385. City crews will respond immediately. This hotline has also been publicized by the City. (This is also listed at www.seaview.org)

    General Comments or Questions (from stakeholders or the public)

    Question: On the graben in front of Donnie’s house, there seems to be no liners. What is the plan for when the water drains this direction?

    Answer: The City installed sandbags on that side, and it should be enough to contain the water. The water currently drains that direction.

    Question: When water lines come disconnected, what is the plan to reconnect them and keep them connected.

    Answer: Cal Water crews (led by Renzo) will need to inspect this to provide an answer.

    Question: Does SoCal Gas have a plan for when service can be restored?

    Answer: SoCal Gas has been working on the plan since the service was first disrupted. The planning is ongoing. SoCal Gas’s geologic and engineering teams are working on this. There is no timeline right now.

    Question: Is SoCal Gas going to turn gas back on in sections with no/little movement? How about SCE?

    Answer: SoCal Gas is working on both short-term and long-term solutions. They will share information as they have it. The have a pipeline integrity team, geotechnical team, and engineering teams—there are a lot of experts/specialists working on the plan to re-energize this area.

    Answer: SCE has a large team of professionals working very day eon the indicators and solutions for re-energizing the area(s). They will turn on properties that are safe turn on as soon as they are deemed safe to re-energize. They are not holding back on some properties for an entire area. No new poles are being installed at this time to be able to re-energize.

    Comment: With SeaView having no movement since October, it seems as though service should be able to be restored. Gordon Leon added in the chat, “It is not very reassuring to hear over and over that there are large numbers of people working on turning on utilities and not having ANY output to share with the public or individual members. The utilities need to do more to share the efforts of the ‘large number of people!’”

     

    •    Please email landmovement@rpvca.gov with individual public/resident concerns, issue reports, or complaints.

    Download the above information as a PDF