Rancho Palos Verdes landslide is costing almost as much as all city operations

Rancho Palos Verdes is on track to spend as much as it takes to run the entire city for the year on continued efforts to shore up landslide movement that has rendered dozens of homes uninhabitable.

City leaders this week approved taking $2 million from other infrastructure projects and directing it toward operating and maintaining dewatering wells in the Portuguese Bend landslide area, as well as filling fissures in Altamira Canyon. That puts the total cost at $33 million, or close to the $39 million earmarked to run the whole city for a year, officials said.

There has been some progress. The dewatering wells, which pump water from the ground, coupled with recent dry weather spells have led to land movement slowing down. At one point last year, land was moving at the rate of 1 foot a week, leading to power and gas shutdowns for hundreds of residents and the relocation of the historic Wayfarers Chapel. City officials said the dewatering wells have helped pump out more than 120 million gallons of water since September.

Forecasters are warning of rain this weekend and land that has been parched for months — and in fire zones, stripped of vegetation that can help stave off mudflows or landslides.

Why it matters

Since the fiscal year began on July 1, 2024, the city has spent $33 million from its reserves toward managing the landslide. That includes the dewatering wells, the winterization programs, the city-run sewer system and repairs to Palos Verdes Drive South.

“We're very close to spending the same amount as our general fund for operating the entire city on responding to the landslide,” said Ara Mihranian, Rancho Palos Verdes’ city manager, at Tuesday’s meeting.

What’s next

City officials have until the next council meeting to look at giving a $5-million loan or grant to the Abalone Cove Landslide Abatement District, an agency that operates some of its own dewatering wells. The money can be used to install more wells that pump water from the ground.

Abatement districts, Mihranian said, are exempt from certain requirements, like aligning with California Environmental Quality Act guidelines, which frees them from the kind of red tape the city faces.