City Council Meeting Highlights

Highlights from the March 19 City Council meeting:

• The Council approved moving forward with emergency measures to slow accelerated movement in the Portuguese Bend landslide complex, including installing two dewatering wells to remove water that is trapped underground and contributing to sliding. Due to the urgency of the situation, this $8 million work will proceed ahead of the rest of the larger Portuguese Bend Landslide Remediation Project, which remains in the environmental review stage. 
• Critical regrading work is being planned for Palos Verdes Drive South, which will require a temporary closure in the landslide area. The City will share details on the construction timeline at the April 2 City Council meeting.
• The Council voted to explore ways the City can provide assistance to two independent geological hazard abatement districts (GHADs) in RPV for their landslide mitigation projects, such as no-interest loans, grants, and/or in-kind services.
• The local emergency declaration that was put in place in October 2023 to bolster the City’s response to the land movement was extended through May 18.
• Staff will also coordinate an upcoming town hall meeting regarding the City’s and GHADs’ plans to slow the landslide movement.
• The Council approved making several changes to the ParkMobile parking system near Del Cerro Park that will be rolled out in the coming months:
  • Eight parking spaces directly adjacent to the park on Park Place will be converted to general public parking requiring ParkMobile reservations.
  • Six spaces on Park Place will be reserved for Park Place Homeowners Association visitors, City staff and contractors, and Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy volunteers.
  • Two spaces on Park Place will remain designated as ADA spaces.
• Zone C, which is the closest ParkMobile zone to Del Cerro Park on Crenshaw Boulevard, will be converted to Residential Recreational Parking Permit parking.
• Staff will also install a sign at the park acknowledging the transfer of the land, a former Nike missile radar station, to the City by the federal government in 1976.
• Finally, the Council authorized the Mayor to submit an opposition letter to the California Public Utilities Commission on AT&T’s plans to discontinue its landslide service in California, citing concerns about the reliability of cellphone service on the Peninsula, especially during an emergency, as well as the region’s significant senior population.

For all City Council actions from the meeting, watch video at rpvca.gov/agendas.