City officials met Monday with homeowners on Asilomar Boulevard to discuss a possible fix for the ongoing movement of the ground along the bluff above Pacific Coast Highway. A portion of the street is impassable and has been closed for 18 months because of an underlying landslide that has caused the street to crack and shift downwards. The street is atop a 200-ft. slope above the Tahitian Terrace and Palisades Bowl mobile home parks, and part of an active landslide area that is 35 feet below the surface, with a second landslide located at 90 feet below ground, which may extend into the ocean. ‘We’ve known about the landslide since the 1950s,’ said Bureau of Engineering geologist Robert Hancock. ‘We’ve been monitoring it since 2000 and Ninyo & Moore [geotechnical and environmental sciences consultants] did a comprehensive study in 2008 to look for ways to fix the situation.’ Three parties ‘own’ the hillside: the City of Los Angeles, Palisades Bowl owner Eddie Biggs and Tahitian Terrace owner John McDonald. In its report, Ninyo & Moore estimated the cost for remediation of the entire bluff at $60 million. ‘We have no jurisdiction over the mobile parks; they are under the State,’ said Hancock, explaining there are problems in raising money to fix the entire hillside. To further confuse the matter, ‘Asilomar is under jurisdiction of Federal Highways.’ In order for the City to actively seek money to fix the City-owned portion of the slope, officials need to produce a study, show a feasibility report and give an estimated cost. A study has been completed by the City’s Bureau of Engineering, which recommends a retaining wall with tiebacks and a dewatering system. Ninyo & Moore have been hired to see whether the study is feasible. Ninyo & Moore’s senior geologist, James Barton, said that the geotechnical evaluation will include drilling four 8-inch-diameter borings to a depth of 100 feet and two 12-inch diameter borings to a depth of 130 feet along Asilomar. Additionally, two 30-inch-diameter borings will be drilled to a depth of 80 feet along the Asilomar parkway nearest the ocean. Well casings will be installed in each of the 8- and 12-inch-diameter borings for pump testing purposes. Water will be pumped up and then tested. ‘We want to tell if it is possible to intercept the water that drains from the Mesa [to Asilomar],’ Barton explained. Hancock explained that when water goes to the active rupture surface at 35 feet below the surface, it speeds up the movement of the land. The drilling is planned for early January, and during that time a portion of Asilomar, from Almar Avenue to Wynola Street, will be closed to all but local traffic. Barton expects the closure to last at least a week. If the feasibility study shows dewatering works, then money must be found to remediate the fix and build a retaining wall. If dewatering will not work, officials think that a retaining wall, such as the one found on Via de las Olas, would still be helpful. Once a retaining wall is put in place, the two mobile park owners could pay for additional fixes to remediate the rest of the hillside, said Hancock, who noted that a wall could help protect mobile park residents. ‘This solution will help us, but also help them. It’s fabulous,’ said 36-year Asilomar resident Sue Temple. Her husband Brooke agreed and thanked City officials. ‘This is the first time that we have had a courteous, full explanation.’   ’We’ve lived with this for 10 years,’ Hancock said. ‘We want to get this done as much as you do.’ Residents wanted to know if street services could fill in the portion of the street that is a foot lower and closed. ‘Street Services will ask us, ‘Is it fixed this time?” said Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s Northern District Director Norman Kulla, indicating that the city made street repairs on Asilomar in 2006 and will unlikely do another temporary fix. The department is strapped for funding.
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