Council To Decide Dec. 16 Whether To Continue Sprayed Concrete Or Choose Biotechnical Means To Deal With Bluff Erosion

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City staff recommends finishing work as staff planned with shotcrete + staining + landscaping + soil nails; shoreline advocate Kajer admits biotechnical methods are costlier in Tidelands funds but says it's worth it to preserve face of LB's public beaches

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(Dec. 15, 2014, 8:15 p.m.) -- An item agendized by city management for the Dec. 16 City Council meeting seeks the Council's direction on how best to address erosion of LB's bluffs along Ocean Blvd. and specifically, whether to use biotechnical or sprayed concrete to complete a bluff "erosion and enhancement" project.

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The issue arose after shoreline advocates Gordana Kajer and Joe Geever showed the Council and the public (April 2014) photographs of then-ongoing bluff work that used "shotcrete" (sprayed concrete) and urged the City to use alternatives including biotechnical methods. City staff said shotcrete was effective and economical and acknowledged that while shotcrete looked unappealing during the work, it was always planned to stain the sprayed concrete to resemble the bluffs' natural color and install landscaping.

As indicated in an agendizing memo (full text at this link), city staff recommends resuming doing what it was doing before the Council suspended the bluff work to consider alternatives: staff advises the Council to resume using shotcrete + staining + landscaping + soil nails to the project's conclusion. As stated in the staff's memo, is recommendation is to "complete the Project in accordance with the original plans and specifications, especially considering that shotcrete and soil nails are fairly common bluff stabilization techniques used throughout urban areas."

Ms. Kajer remains strongly opposed and, in a paid advocacy ad appearing on LBREPORT.com's front page and in the print edition of the Grunion Gazette, writes that biotechnical methods "allow the bluffs to provide habitat for rare plants and animals, beautify the beach for our enjoyment, and minimize natural erosion. The city's experts state in no uncertain terms: either of the biotechnical methods can safely stabilize Bluff Park." Ms. Kajer acknowledges that the biotechnical methods would cost more in Tidelands funds but argues that "civil engineering should not be bargain priced at the expense of our natural resources. Our expansive bluffs at Bluff Park are the face of our public beaches, a looming symbol for residents and tourists alike..."

City staff's memo describes the Council's options as follows:

[City staff memo text] Option #1 - Complete Original Project
Staff has worked with the community over the past several months to design a landscaping plan in previous shotcrete areas that will help maximize coverage of the shotcrete at full implementation (see Attachment D for rendering). Previous experience in other areas demonstrate that shotcrete is the most cost-effective method of erosion control and seismic stabilization and, that with a proper landscape plan and sufficient time, the aesthetic appearance of the shotcrete can be mitigated and allow it to blend in with the existing bluff.
Of the alternatives outlined below, completing the project as originally planned with shotcrete would be the most cost-effective and expedient option as well as provide the necessary seismic and bluff stability.
Option #2 - Biotechnical Alternatives
Staff has completed the review and evaluation of biotechnical alternatives for surficial erosion protection for the Project's uncompleted areas as discussed in the Geotechnical Peer Review Report. Staff has researched biotechnical bluff stabilization options applied throughout the State of California and also interviewed biotechnical experts and contractors regarding the feasibility of applying biotechnical alternatives in Long Beach. While biotechnical alternatives in areas with steep slopes have been more widely used in inland areas, they are also feasible in coastal areas, but will likely require active adaptive management to ensure the landscaping takes hold as designed. The City's geotechnical engineer has developed feasible site-specific biotechnical concepts that take the following criteria into consideration: 1) durability and seismic stability; 2) erosion control; 3) vegetation/planting quality (including irrigation); 4) construction and maintenance costs; 5) implementation schedule; and, 6) regulatory permitting requirements.

Tidelands funds are restricted for use on items within the shoreline/coastal area...and the Council is tapping them in large parts for a rebuild of the Belmont Plaza Pool and to repair seawalls protecting private homes along the Naples canals (in a project using the more costly and longer-term of two repair methods selected by the City Council in 2010.)

LBREPORT.com will (as always) provide LIVE coverage of the Dec. 16 Council meeting on our front page: www.LBREPORT.com. .