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1. What’s happening and why?

Since early Summer 2023, the City has seen a significant increase in land movement in the neighborhoods of Seaview, Portuguese Bend Beach Club (PBC), and Portuguese Bend Community Association (PBCA), which has resulted in roadway damage and the red-tagging of two homes on Dauntless Drive near Exultant Drive on June 30 and August 31. In these three neighborhoods, the City has also seen utility impacts, including broken water and gas distribution pipes, displaced sanitary sewer collection pipes, and leaning utility poles.

Recent land movement in these neighborhoods is due to their proximity to the complex of ancient landslides on the south side of the City, in particular the 240-acre Portuguese Bend Landslide. Increased movement has been observed elsewhere in the complex, including in the Portuguese Bend Reserve, a subarea of the City’s Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.

All the recent movement is believed to be primarily the result of heavy winter rainfall resulting in surface water percolating into the ground and lubricating the bentonite soil condition, since it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after the rainfall for the land to move. While the City continues to closely monitor the conditions and conduct inspections requested by property owners, no evacuations of homes in the area are needed at this time. 

2. How is the City responding?

Since accelerated movement was first observed in early Summer 2023, the City has taken the following key steps:

• Pursued more detailed surveying of the movement and hired a geotechnical engineering firm to conduct additional field observations. The City already conducts year-round monitoring of movement within the landslide complex to detect rates of movement and identify the boundaries.
• Coordinated with public safety partners, utilities, the Abalone Cove Landslide Abatement District (ACLAD) and the Klondike Canyon Landslide Abatement District (KCLAD) to monitor the activity and ensure we are ready to respond to any movement. The City requested that Cal Water deploy automatic pipeline leak detection technology at strategic locations to identify leaks immediately.
• Directed the City’s Building and Safety Division to conduct regular street-level visual checks in the Seaview, PBCA, and PBC neighborhoods to monitor any new movement, as well as home inspections on request.
• Declared a local state of emergency on October 3 to bolster the City’s ongoing response and allow staff to request state and federal assistance to address the landslide activity. The City Council extended the emergency declaration on November 14 for 60 days.
• Adopted an urgency ordinance putting a moratorium on new construction in the landslide complex that may contribute to movement. The City Council approved the moratorium on October 3 and extended it until October 3, 2024, on November 14. The California Department of Housing and Community Development has approved the moratorium.
• Implemented mandatory water restrictions for all properties in the landslide complex.
• Temporarily closed approximately seven miles of trails within the Portuguese Bend Reserve to protect public safety.
• Kicked off efforts to form a working group of key stakeholders — including ACLAD and KCLAD board members, homeowners associations from PBCA, PBC, and Seaview, and utility representatives — to address issues related to the land movement and keep channels of communication open.
• Continued to advance a long-term remediation project to slow the Portuguese Bend Landslide by removing water trapped deep underground and preventing future rainwater percolation.

3. What should I do if I have concerns about my property?

Per Ready.Gov, if you are worried about land movement on your property, look for signs of potential land activity, such as cracks or bulges in the ground, street pavement, or sidewalks; soil moving away from foundations; tilting of patios or foundations; broken water lines; or leaning telephone poles, trees, walls, or fences. Watch for slow-moving landslides, or earthflows, that pose threats to property:

• Changes occur in your landscape such as patterns of storm-water drainage on slopes (especially the places where runoff water converges) land movement, small slides, flows, or progressively leaning trees.
• Doors or windows stick or jam for the first time.
• New cracks appear in plaster, tile, brick or foundations.
• Outside walls, walkways or stairs begin pulling away from the building.
• Slowly developing, widening cracks appear on the ground or on paved areas such as streets or driveways.
• Underground utility lines break.
• Bulging ground appears at the base of a slope.
• Water breaks through the ground surface in new locations.
• Fences, retaining walls, utility poles, or trees tilt or move.
• The ground slopes downward in one direction and may begin shifting in that direction under your feet.

For urgent matters or observation of any sudden shifts on your property, please call 9-1-1. 

You may consider hiring a geologist to review the conditions of your property. Please note that the City’s geologist does not conduct site visits of private property that is not part of a development permit application. While the City does not make referrals or recommendations, the Building and Safety Division maintains a list of geotechnical engineers who work in the area, which is available on request. The Building and Safety Division can be reached at 310-544-5280 or buildingsafety@rpvca.gov.

4. How do I stay prepared?

In addition to keeping an emergency supply kit and having a plan for your family, make sure you are signed up for Alert SouthBay emergency alerts by texting “alertrpv” to 888-777 or registering at alertsouthbay.com. Get familiar with the Peninsula cities’ new Know Your Zone evacuation information platform. Go to PVPready.gov to find your zone number, then save it in your phone or write it down and keep it somewhere that’s easy to find in an emergency, such as on your refrigerator or near the front door. In an emergency, such as a landslide or wildfire, check the zone map at PVPready.gov to see if your zone is under an evacuation warning or order.

5. Does homeowners insurance cover land movement?

News reports underscore that land movement-related damages are not usually covered by most homeowners insurance policies. Now may be a good time to re-read your policy. While understanding the nuances of your insurance coverage is essential, generally, homeowners insurance policies in California offer coverage for accidental physical loss to property, but with certain exclusions and limitations. Standard exclusions often include damages from floods, earth movements, earthquakes, landslides, mudflows, etc. You may have read that a specialized difference in conditions (DIC) policy can secure coverage against land movement. However, it is City staff’s understanding that these policies are nearly impossible to find, available only from large brokers who sell commercial insurance, extremely expensive, and/or may not be currently available in Southern California. Please note that these DIC policies are different from DIC policies that are paired with FAIR Plan policies to fill gaps in coverage. Residents are encouraged to contact the California Department of Insurance with any homeowners insurance questions they may have at 1-800-927-4357 or by going to insurance.ca.gov.

6. Why did the City close some trails in the Portguese Bend Reserve?

Out of an abundance of caution, on October 12, 2023, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes temporarily closed 6 miles of trails in the Portuguese Bend Reserve due to the potential for hazardous natural conditions associated with increased land movement that has been observed in the greater Portuguese Bend Landslide area. Conditions associated with the land movement include sinkholes, unstable trails and surfaces, erosion, steep cliffs, and falling rocks. 

The trail closures follow the recommendations of the City’s geologist, Cotton Shires & Associates, who evaluated the area due to an increase in fissures and signs of land movement observed since late spring and early summer. A copy of the geologist’s September 2023 report is available on the City website.

7. Which trails are currently closed?

A map showing the trail closures is available on the City website. The City does not plan to close additional trail segments at this time. However, we continue to monitor the land movement and are also monitoring movement in the adjacent Filiorum Reserve, specifically along the Pony Trail, due to observed fissures.

8. Is there an estimated time when closed trails will reopen?

The City is working with geologists and its land co-managers, including the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, and state and federal wildlife agencies, on solutions to restore public access, ensure public safety, and protect natural resources.

 For the latest updates on the status of trail closures, visit rpvca.gov/trailalerts.