Pismo Beach City Council revisits controversial plan to deal with eroding bluffs

Posted: Apr 5, 2011 3:50 AM by Bethany Tucker, KSBY News
Updated: Apr 5, 2011 9:12 PM

Pismo Beach city leaders take another look at a plan to tackle those eroding bluffs.

Storms have caused some serious cliff erosion over the years. At Tuesday night's city council meeting, city leaders may vote to move forward with the Shoreline Protection Project to stabilize those cliffs.

Back in February of 2008, the Army Corps of Engineers had a look at the bluff erosion in Pismo Beach to assess problems related to beach and bluff erosion. It came back with six sites that needed the most protection from erosion. They include St. Andrews Lift Station, Vista del Mar Lift Station, Ocean Park, Price Street North, Price Street South and Cypress Street Lift Station. According to a city staff report, the two most threatened areas are the St. Andrews and Vista del Mar Lift Stations.

Moving forward with the project would be a controversial decision. The California Coastal Commission objected to the project last month, when the city presented a plan to reinforce the two worst areas out of the six. The CCC said the project would not be in compliance with the California Coastal Management Program. However, the commission did find that when structures are in danger of erosion there are alternative plans that can be implemented. Those alternatives include filling sea caves, installing bluff face drainage improvements, relocating lifts stations and sewer lines inland and narrowing Seacliff Dr. and Ocean Blvd. Those street modifications could include possibly turning them into one-way thoroughfares.

At Tuesday night's city council meeting, city leaders can take one of three actions. They can adopt the resolution to move forward with the Shoreline Protection Project, they can not adopt the resolution, or they can choose to put off making a decision until a later time.

This portion of the city council meeting begins at 6:30p.m. at Pismo Beach City Hall, 760 Mattie Road.