Laguna Beach has begun emergency slope stabilization ahead of the rainy season, Los Angeles Times reported. The municipal undertaking directly addresses a slope failure that occurred along Skyline Drive after a significant rain event on Feb. 21. In the months following the weather incident, city officials initiated code enforcement proceedings in July regarding the affected properties along the street.
To address the hazardous conditions along Skyline Drive, the City Council approved up to $242,300 in public funds for winterization. To enact this funding mechanism, the councilmembers adopted an emergency fund expenditure resolution. This resolution allows the city to move forward with the allocation of public funds designated specifically for the winterization and stabilization work at the Skyline Drive location within Laguna Beach.
Detailing the legal framework behind the funding decision, Jane Abzug told Los Angeles Times, "This is allowed under the public contracts code".
Expanding on the specific mechanisms available to the municipality during such crises, Jane Abzug told Los Angeles Times, "It doesn’t have to be a local declared emergency, but in the case of an emergency, the City Council may adopt a resolution, by a four-fifths vote, declaring the public interest and necessity to immediately expend money to safeguard life, health or property, and authorize expenditure of required money without complying with the formal bidding procedures under the contracts code."
Communication regarding the municipal actions also reached property owners earlier in the year. Specifically, deputy director of community development Gabriel Linares sent a letter to property owners on March 12, outlining aspects of hazelnut and developing situations along the corridor.
The physical scope of the stabilization project addresses the immediate physical needs of the hillside environment in Laguna Beach. The approved work includes debris removal, grading, and an earthen swale construction. These specific engineering components are designed to manage site conditions following the initial slope failure that occurred along Skyline Drive after a significant rain event on Feb. 21. City officials and councilmembers continue to monitor the progress of these stabilization efforts as winter approaches.
