San Diego is known for its million-dollar views of the Pacific Ocean, and while it's pretty to look, at some Ocean Beach residents say they’re worried coastal erosion could seriously impact their condo complex.
“When I moved in, the bluff was eroding right in front of our complex,” said Russ Rasmussen, a resident of Oceanus in OB.
Rasmussen moved into his unit at the beachfront property on Bermuda Avenue 13 years ago. Since then, owners at the condo complex paid to put in a seawall just below the property. They say it was in 2012. Now though, they find themselves in a similar situation, since coastal erosion is undercutting the other side of their property. For the past four months, residents say, they’ve been trying to address the erosion that backs up to the edge of their street.
“Our seawall is holding the bluff just fine, but the property next to our property, the city property at the end of Bermuda, is eroding to the tune of 60, 70 feet of dirt, of earth,” Rasmussen said.
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City officials, however, maintain that coastal bluff erosion isn’t causing issues for any currently maintained public improvements. However, it is affecting Oceanus next door. They say the property was assessed in January, and there were no hazards to the complex, a determination the condo owners disagree with.
Geologist Pat Abbott said the foundation under the condo complex sits on rocks that are thousands of years old — but are weak.
”Which means it fails more just by gravity pulling it, more susceptible to waves beating it up,” Abbott said.
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In the meantime, Rasmussen and other owners at the complex said they’re frustrated and want the city to help pay for the fix, and fast.
“Our building can’t fall into the ocean,” Rasmussen said. “I don’t know what else to say except: Help.”
This was the full statement sent by the city:
"After conducting a geotechnical investigation earlier this year, it was determined that the current coastal bluff erosion is affecting the undeveloped Bermuda Avenue Right of Way (ROW) and abandoned legacy public improvements but is not affecting any currently maintained public improvements. The active erosion and bluff failure are affecting the private Oceanus Condominiums adjacent to the public ROW; they have flanked their seawall and advanced near their principal structure. This condition is the responsibility of the private property owner and should be addressed by the property owner (Oceanus) through the retention of a geotechnical consultant (or other professional) to advise them regarding the hazard affecting their property and improvements, including the condominium structure. Mitigation for this condition should be processed with the California Coastal Commission as a part of their Geologic Hazard Abatement District. The property was examined on Jan. 8, and no imminent hazard to the inhabited structure was observed at that time, but the coastal erosion is ongoing. Any mitigation measures elected by the private property owners should be implemented as soon as possible to avoid further erosion creating a hazard to occupied structures. No further action will be taken by the city at this time."
Rasmussen, who is also on the board of the complex's HOA, said it has hired private contractors to do a geologic survey and that the HOA is now soliciting bids to do an extended seawall, but they remain hopeful that the city will step in and help too. Those bids are around $600,000, according to Rasmussen.
Any work done would need to first be approved by the the California Coastal Commission, which, Rasumussen said, the HOA has been working with, along with the city.
The California Coastal Commission sent the following statement pertaining to the erosion near Oceanus:
"Assuming that the project boundaries are located wholly or partly within the commission’s permit jurisdiction area, the property owner would be required to apply to the Coastal Commission for a Coastal Development Permit after the city has processed all other necessary local discretionary permits required for the contemplated development. The commission staff would then review any application for conformance with the Coastal Act and certified Local Coastal Program before taking it before the commission at a public hearing."
At the same time this is ongoing, a capital-improvement project at the end of Bermuda Avenue is nearing completion. The city said the Bermuda Avenue Coastal Access Replacement includes new stairs, which have been replaced, that will give access to the beach below. The city said the stairs will open in the next two months.
