By Clara Helm
The San Clemente City Council unanimously voted on Tuesday, July 18, to approve a contract for additional repairs on the hillside behind the Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, where two landslides since late April have damaged the historic property.
The approved resolution appropriates about $8.58 million in funding to the ongoing slope stabilization project that is expected to be completed in about a year’s time, according to city officials.
“Based on the data we have gathered and our evaluation, (the slope) is extremely tenuous right now,” Kevin Colson, president of LGC Geotechnical Inc., said at Tuesday’s meeting. “It’s teetering on failure.”
The first coastal landslide on the western slope of Casa Romantica and the Reef Gate West Condominium occurred on April 27. Soil and debris fell about 25 feet down to the Beach Trail and railroad tracks below, prompting a temporary suspension of passenger rail services.
To perform emergency repairs, the city hired LGC Geotechnical Inc. and Alliance Diversified Enterprises, Inc. (ADEI), which specializes in emergency slope stability and foundation repairs.
After initial repairs were completed on June 2, a second landslide occurred on June 5, which worsened the condition of the slope. Now in danger of the slope’s downward creep and the upcoming rainy season, the city is moving forward with the next stage of substantial repairs.
Kiel Koger, director of Public Works, joined Colson on Tuesday night to explain the logistical minutiae of the slope reconstruction.
The construction company’s plan proposes the use of 100-foot tiebacks drilled horizontally into the ground, secured with four rows of grade beams, to stabilize the slope.
Koger explained that the slope will be excavated and then eventually rebuilt by placing a backfill containing layers of geogrid reinforcement.
Staff recommended using ADEI and LGC once again for these repairs, as they will be able to mobilize quickly compared to local contractors who need longer periods to prepare for the job and lack the scope of equipment.
Koger and Colson reassured the council that this method for slope stabilization has been used with previous LGC jobs.
Councilmember Mark Enmeier expressed concern about potential delays to the project due to the rainy season, which would make the job longer than one year.
“I don’t want to go through this upcoming rainy season without starting work; I realize this is not the ideal way to do a job,” replied Koger, who added that the city doesn’t have the time for the request for proposal process, where bidding, investigating and contracting occurs.
Mayor Pro Tem Steve Knoblock suggested that because of possible unforeseen events, such as rain and another slide, the contract should not be restricted to a year. This way, he said, there is no time limit for the job to be completed in full.
With another concern raised by Knoblock, staff clarified that the county would not aid in funding this project until the damages reach $14 million, which could then allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to come in.
Mayor Chris Duncan also suggested staff investigate county, state, or federal funding due to the historical importance of Casa Romantica, which goes beyond San Clemente. Casa Romantica is on the National Register of Historic Places and, therefore, presents possible avenues for the city to seek funding.
Funding for the repairs will be reallocated from another capital improvement project, the Mariposa Bridge repairs. From there, the city looks to replenish these funds through grants or other methods of saving.
Contributing to the bulk of public comments during the meeting, the Casa Romantica slope repairs drew an invested crowd of community members. The most present among those participants were Reef Gate West residents.
Concerned with the worsening situation of the slope, the decades-long residents of Reef Gate West urged the council to approve the staff recommendations, which would start repairs as soon as possible.
Two of the residents, Chuck Hartman and David Peter, spoke about their extensive experience in the engineering field and geological surveying, which inclined them toward agreeing with the plan.
“I do think the engineering approach and the geological approach to (the construction) is solid,” said Hartman.
Hartman went on to express concern about starting the project promptly, with El Niño weather forecasted to bring additional rains that could reactivate the landslide.
The residents also mentioned concerns with the slide taking out their previous wall and fence that closed them off from the public.
“The chain-link fencing and cement block wall that ran along the southern end of Reef Gate provided a security barrier for our residents,” said Amy Flores, a full-time resident of Reef Gate. “Those structures were completely destroyed during the slide … (which) allows marauders or anyone who wants to have access to our entire complex.”
Other than their urge to approve the resolution, the residents expressed gratitude for the quick response time and help from the city staff, especially City Manager Andy Hall. They also expressed confidence in the contracted companies themselves that were on site for the first repairs within hours.
Hall expressed that due to the high level of public interest in the reconstruction project, the city will try to post weekly updates on its progress.
There was little continued debate by the councilmembers on whether to approve the plan, as there was a clear consensus the emergency needed to be addressed.
“I’m so impressed with the residents of Reef Gate, how patient and understanding you have been,” said Councilmember Rick Loeffler. “And now you deserve some service from the city, and that is what you are going to get.”
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