'Getting Worse By The Day': Palos Verdes' Fast-Moving Landslide

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA — Land movement at the Rancho Palos Verdes landslide complex is faster than ever before, exacerbated by several heavy rainstorms that have hit the peninsula in the last few months, city officials said.

According to the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, movement in the Portuguese Bend, Abalone Cove and Klondike Canyon landslides is moving at a rate that is three to four times faster than it was the previous year.

Almost exactly one year ago, the city released the draft Environmental Impact Report for the Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project, which aims to significantly slow the landslide and prevent further damage to roads, utilities and homes.

"One unusually wet year later, we are seeing that damage happen in real-time," city officials said. "The movement is expanding beyond the boundaries of the historically mapped landslides."

Due to the impacts of ongoing rainstorms that don't seem like they will let up any time soon, City Councilmembers requested information about what could be done to expedite the engineering process for the remediation project. Without expediting, the timeline of the project would have construction start in 2025, officials said.

However, with more and more homeowners and even national landmarks like Wayfarers Chapel reporting damage due to landslide movement, a solution is needed sooner rather than later.

See related: Wayfarers Chapel Closed Due To Landslide Impacts

The report to expedite the EIR and engineering process will be presented at the Feb. 20 City Council meeting. At the meeting, council members will decide whether or not to proceed with completing the final engineering and the Final EIR based on the original project design.

With this approach, the council aims to have the Final EIR released by May 2024. This alternative could still allow the city to changes to the project to reduce environmental impacts, especially in the flow reduction area.

"Instead of approving the project based on known modifications, the project would be approved based on a 'worst-case scenario' from an environmental impact perspective, with the hope that the impacts could be reduced before construction is completed," city staff said.

See related: Accelerated Land Movement At Landslide Area Causes Concern, City Says

In addition to potentially expediting the EIR timeline, the Council will consider sending a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom to request he declare a state of emergency. Additionally, the city will ask the Governor to request that President Joe Biden declare a federal disaster in relation to the landslide complex.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn urged Newsom to visit the area and observe the situation for himself.

"We need the governor's help," Hahn said in a statement. "It is my understanding that the city of Rancho Palos Verdes will be asking the governor to declare a state of emergency for the Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide Complex.

"I think if the governor came here and saw the buckling streets, the homes sinking and cracking apart, and the historic Wayfarers Chapel on the verge of collapsing, he would understand the urgency of this request. This is a crisis that is getting worse by the day, and I urge Governor Newsom to visit us and see it with his own eyes."

City News Service contributed to this report.