CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 09/15/2026
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consider continuing the emergency justification for work and emergency contracting for the Greater Portuguese Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide Emergency Project.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Reconfirm, by a four-fifths vote, there is a need to continue the work on the Landslide Emergency Project declared by Council-adopted Resolution No. 2024- 20 on May 7, 2024, finding an emergency exists requiring immediate action in the Greater Portuguese Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide Complex (Landslide Complex) to seek to mitigate the movement of the landslide; and, (2) Direct the City Clerk to confirm the same in the minutes of this City Council meeting, via Minute Order, reflecting this action.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Cost to Date: VR
The total estimated cost for the Greater Portuguese Bend–Ancient Altamira Landslide Complex (Landslide Complex) from 2022 through June 30, 2027, is projected to reach close to $75 million ($74.8 million). Compared with prior 60-day report, this amount increased to include $1.75 million for the Abalone Cove Sewer Repair Program and $0.9 million in Tax Assessments, even though these costs are presented separately in the budget. This cost is funded through multiple sources, mainly funded from the CIP Fund, General Fund, Metro Funds, ARPA, Gas Tax, Federal Grants, Supervisor Hahn’s Social Program Grant, Los Angeles County Sanitation District No. 2, and Los Angeles Flood Control District.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 Draft Year-End:
The City is currently closing its financials for FY 2025-26. In accordance with accounting requirements, prior-year transactions may continue to be recorded for up to 60 days after the fiscal year-end, through August 31. Based on draft year-end expenditures, FY 2025– 26 expenditures for the landslide projects are approximately $12.9 million, which is $4.95 million, or 28% below the revised budget of $17.9 million. Of this amount, Staff anticipates approximately $2.3 million in carryover for projects that were started but not completed by June 30, 2026.
1 FY 2025-26 Draft Year-End
As part of year-end closing process, Staff will continue to review and audit transactions in accordance with accounting requirements. Subsequently, CLA, the City’s independent certified public accounting firm, is expected to begin its audit in October. Any material changes will be reported to the City Council.
FY 2026-27 Budget:
Starting July 1, 2026, the FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget includes $10.6 million for landslide-related expenditures, $1.75 million for Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer Repair Program, and $0.9 million of Tax Assessments paid to the Abalone Cove Landslide Abatement District (ACLAD) and Klondike Canyon Landslide Abatement District (KCLAD) for a total of $13.2 million.
The breakdown for each fund is shown on the next page:
BALANCE
$4.95M
Program Project / Cost Category Revised
Budget
Spent Committed Used % Balance
8307 Emergency Stabilization Measures $7.64M $5.46M $0.44M 77% $1.74M 8202 Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer Repair $3.00M $1.78M $0.05M 61% $1.17M 8302 Palos Verdes Drive South Landslide Repair $2.50M $1.79M $0.71M 100% $0.00M 8308 Deep Dewatering Wells 1–6 – Permanent
Power
$2.10M - $0.06M 3% $2.04M
8309 Hydrology & Hydraulics Study $1.27M $0.85M $0.42M 100% $0.00M 3150 Property Tax Assessments $0.86M $0.86M - 100% $0.00M 8304 Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation $0.53M $0.31M $0.22M 100% $0.00M Overall Budget Utilization (Spent + Committed): 72%
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■□□□□□□□□□□□
FY 2025–26 Landslide Complex Project Budget Status
All Funding Sources • Project Summary as of August 31, 2026
REVISED BUDGET SPENT COMMITTED
$17.89M $11.05M $1.89M
2 ORIGINATED BY: Russ Bryden, PE, Interim Deputy Public Works Director REVIEWED BY: David Copp, PE, Interim Public Works Director APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. September 1, 2026 City Council Staff Report – Emergency Landslide Stabilization Contract Continuation (Linked)
FY 2026-27 ADOPTED BUDGET $13.2M
CIP FUND
Program # Project / Cost Category Adopted Budget
8202 Abalone Cove Sanitary Sewer Repair $1,750,000
8304 Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation $91,420
8307 Emergency Stabilization (Construction) $4,247,500
8307 Emergency Stabilization (Non-Construction) $1,452,500 8308 Deep Dewatering Wells 1–6
Permanent Power (Federal Match) $470,000
TOTAL – FY 2026-27 CIP FUND $8,011,420
SPECIAL REVENUE (RESTRICTED) FUNDS
Program # Project/Fund Source Adopted Budget
8302 Palos Verdes Drive South Landslide Repair
SB-1 Gas Tax (Fund 204) $1,830,000
8302 Palos Verdes Drive South Landslide Repair
Prop C (Fund 215) $825,000
8304 Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation
Federal Grant (Fund 331) $274,265
8308 Deep Dewatering Wells 1–6 Permanent Power
Federal Grant (Fund 331) $1,410,000
TOTAL – FY 2026-27 SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS $4,339,265
GENERAL FUND (TAX ASSESSMENTS)
Program # Assessment Adopted Budget
3150 KCLAD Property Tax Assessments $480,814
3150 ACLAD Property Tax Assessments $407,266
TOTAL – FY 2026-27 GENERAL FUND $888,080
3 BACKGROUND:
On October 3, 2023, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2023-47 (proceeded by Resolution No. 2024-20 on May 7, 2024), declaring a state of local emergency relating to the land movement in the Landslide Complex and providing the City Manager authorization to approve matters related to the emergency for ratification by the City Council. The state of emergency, as well as the continuation of associated emergency contracting has been timely renewed and is current.
Pursuant to Public Contract Code § 22050, the City Manager and Director of Public Works must report to the City Council at its regular meeting the reasons justifying why the emergency continues to exist and why action outside of the normal bidding process is necessary to respond to the emergency. Furthermore, Public Contract Code § 22050 states that the City Council shall, at every regularly scheduled meeting, consider and reaffirm, by a four-fifths vote, that there is a need to continue to remediate the emergency until the authorized emergency repairs have been completed. Accordingly, because the work has not yet been completed and the conditions of an emergency continue this item is on tonight’s agenda. This item will be placed on each subsequent agenda until all aspects of the project are completed and the state of emergency is lifted.
The City Council most recently approved continuing the emergency justification for work and emergency contracting for the Greater Portuguese Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide Emergency Project on September 1, 2026 (Attachment A) and is therefore due to reaffirm the need to continue to remediate the emergency at this evening’s meeting.
DISCUSSION:
Re-affirm Need to Continue Emergency Work
To support the need for continued emergency contracting authority, the current status of the Deep Dewatering Wells (DDWs) and winterization programs is provided.
Since the start of the DDW program in September 2024, approximately 561 million gallons, or 1,719 acre-feet of water have been extracted. Nine of the original 11 DDWs installed by the City have not been decommissioned and continue to be operated and maintained. Those nine DDWs extracted approximately 17.6 million gallons in July 2026 and 18.7 million gallons in August 2026.
Six of the 9 DDWs operated and maintained by the City are currently operational. The remaining 3 DDWs have sheared and are offline pending redrilling. The first redrill is already in progress. The two other redrills will follow in sequence over the next two weeks.
Table 1 - DDW Current Water Extraction Rates as of September 8, 2026 DDW
No.
Date
Operational
Current Approximate Water Extraction Rate
(Gallons Per Minute)
Total Water
Extraction to Date
4 Acre-Ft Million
Gallons
1 9/13/2024 75 (re-drilled 3/21/25, 9/25/25, redrilled 6/3/26) 233 76 2 9/17/2024 95 (re-drilled 5/29/25) 241 79
3 9/21/2024 50 (re-drilled 3/24/25) 193 63
4 9/21/2024 N/A, Decommissioned 3/27/25
131 43
4A 3/29/2025 0 (re-drilled 2/24/26) redrill pending
5 9/25/2024 55 (re-drilled 3/26/25, 9/18/2025, and 5/23/26) 205 67 6 9/28/2024 80 (re-drilled 12/29/24, 5/23/25, and 2/26/26) 172 56 7 10/15/2024 N/A, Decommissioned 6/3/25 15 5
8 10/17/2024 0 (re-drilled 8/14/25 and 2/20/26) redrill pending 153 50 9 10/25/2024 N/A, Decommissioned 11/07/24
121 39
9A 11/16/2024 25 (re-drilled 12/29/24, 5/10/25, 8/22/25) 10 10/24/2024 0 (re-drilled 5/11/25) redrill in progress 263 86 11 12/3/2024 N/A, Decommissioned 3/14/25 2 1
Totals 380 1,729 565
Status of Winterization Measures
Winterization work for FY 2026-27 began in July in preparation for the rainy season and a forecasted strong El Nino event. Winterization measures include securing canyon liners, cleaning and clearing drains, replacing sandbags, filling fissures, erosion control and drainage improvements in areas prone to flooding such as along Palos Verdes Drive South.
The City’s contractor started winterization work on August 20, 2026 at Kelvin Canyon which has been completed. Work in the Seaview and Klondike Canyon areas is ongoing and anticipated to be completed within a week. Construction crews mobilized to Upper Altamira Canyon and Portuguese Canyon on August 31 and September 8, respectively, and are expected to complete the work there by the end of September 2026. Additionally, a contractor has been selected to address drainage issues on Palos Verdes Drive South near the former Wayfarers Chapel and near Klondike Canyon. That work is expected to being shortly.
Additional details for the status of winterization measures and preparation for the 2026- 27 rainy season are provided in the companion September 15, 2026 staff report on tonight’s agenda under Regular Business.
CONCLUSION:
The effects of the ongoing land movement continue to be felt in the Greater Portuguese Bend-Ancient Altamira Landslide Complex. Staff recommend reconfirming that there is a need to continue to remediate the emergency identified by City Council-adopted 5 Resolution No. 2024-20 (originally by Resolution No. 2023-47) and reconfirm the need for continuing the work on the Portuguese Bend Landslide Emergency Project.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to Staff recommendation, the following alternative action is available for the City Council’s consideration:
1. Take other action or provide direction, as deemed appropriate. 6