Timeline

November 7, 2024: 

As of November 7, 2024, all work by Hardy & Harper, Inc. has been completed and accepted as it relates to the excavation, backfill with slurry backfill, and replacement of asphalt pavement. The next Malaga Cove Working Group meeting is being scheduled. On November 7, 2024, City staff met with representatives from Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn’s office, as well as Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (“DPW”) engineers to provide a brief overview of the existing conditions and what has been completed through various analysis conducted over the past year.  DPW staff agreed to provide peer review of analysis and reports prepared, as well as any proposed mitigation measures the City develops. City staff will continue to maintain contact with DPW staff, as well as Supervisor Hahn’s office moving forward. Read more in the Staff Report from the City Council meeting. 

October 22, 2024:  

At the October 22, 2024 City Council meeting, the Mayor suggested to notify residents of the Malaga Cove area of the on-going work the City is undertaking regarding the groundwater intrusion. In the November 14 city newsletter report, an article was published notifying the public of the progress the City is making regarding the groundwater intrusion issue, along with notice that the City Council will be discussing every two weeks.

October 21-25, 2024:

Geosyntec conducted an additional survey to identify groundwater seepage pathways around City Hall which expanded the previously conducted survey along Via Campesina and Via Chico. The purpose of the survey is to understand the movement of the groundwater in order to develop remedies to minimize surface impacts of the groundwater seepage.

October 16, 2024:

As of October 16, 2024, the City Manager entered into the following agreements on behalf of the City to repair the subsurface damage to Malaga Lane:

1. Agreement for Consultant Services between the City of Palos Verdes Estates and Geosyntec for investigation and repair of subsurface damage to Malaga Lane, in an amount not to exceed $12,000 for field observation and inspection services to document the slurry backfill process and prepare a letter report to document these observations. X MEMORANDUM

2. Agreement for Construction Services with Hardy & Harper, Inc., in the not to exceed amount of $36,050 for investigation, excavation, slurry backfill, and replacement of asphalt pavement.

As of October 16, 2024, the following work has been completed along Malaga Lane relating to the water intrusion:

• Excavations to confirm existence and extent of sinkhole and potential voids.
• Placement of Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM), otherwise known as “slurry mix” into the sinkhole and other encountered voids.
• Observation under the direction of Geosyntec and City Public Works staff to confirm material placement

As of October 16, 2024, the following work is yet to be completed along Malaga Lane relating to the water intrusion:

• Asphalt paving of the excavation areas needed for the investigation of sinkhole and subsurface voids, while under the direction of Geosyntec and City Public Works staff.

As of October 16, 2024, the City has received the following invoices for the cost of the external contract work related to the subsurface repairs on Malaga Lane: $22,450 from Hardy & Harper for construction related services for Malaga Lane.

The working group of residents and city staff also met on October 16 and discussed the following:

• The initial contractor contacted to run a camera and attempt to clean out the Malaga Lane drain declined to provide a quote. A new contractor is being contacted.
• Malaga Manor is developing costs associated with creating a new subdrain and storm water connection are being developed. The group held an initial discussion on who would be responsible for future maintenance of the infrastructure.
• Representatives from Geosyntec will be invited to speak with the group at the next meeting to provide an update.
• An update on the status of the de-watering permit application will be provided at the nest meeting.

October 8, 2024:

At the October 8, 2024 City Council Meeting, the City Council adopted a “Proclamation of existence and threatened existence of a local emergency by the Director of Emergency Services due to erosion along Malaga Lane”, finding that severe problems exist in the underlying soils along Malaga Lane. This Proclamation authorized the City Manager to proceed at once to make needed repairs to Malaga Lane relating to water intrusion.

September 24, 2024:

At the September 24, 2024 City Council Meeting, the City Council approved an agreement to retain Geosyntec to conduct a survey to identify the geological pathways responsible for groundwater seepage in and around the City Hall area. This survey is similar to the one performed in April 2024 where temporary road closures were experienced. The survey was conducted October 21 through October 25 along Via Corta and Tejon Place.

April 22 - 26, 2024: