Ms. Marcia Smerican, Mayor
Mr. Douglas Sheres, Deputy Mayor
Mr. Thomas Campbell, Council Member
Mr. Thomas Golich, Council Member
Mr. Joe Kellejian, Council Member
Mr. Steve Apple, Planning Director
Ms. Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Mr. Bob Aker, City Manager |
Subject: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOLANA BEACH, CALIFORNIA
DECLARING THE PROVISIONS OF LAW AUTHORIZING FORMATION OF A GEOLOGICAL HAZARD ABATEMENT
DISTRICT TO BE APPLICABLE WITHIN THE CITY
Dear Honorable Mayor, Council Members & Staff:
As you know, the Beach and Bluff Conservancy (BBC) is committed to saving the bluffs and rebuilding
the beach. We believe that the bluffs and the beach are an interconnected system that is in a dangerous,
emergency situation that demands our community's immediate attention. We also believe that saving the
bluffs and rebuilding the beach will require a substantial amount of funding from both private and public
sources. To this end we have been researching the creation of a Geological Hazard Abatement District (
GHAD) as a possible solution.
The BBC has the support of the Boards of Directors of the condominiums on Sierra Avenue and many of the
homeowners on Pacific Avenue. We have informally polled both groups and believe that a strong majority
favor the creation of a GHAD.
Therefore, the BBC, on behalf of its supporters, formally requests the City of Solana Beach consider
the attached pro-forma resolution to create a GHAD for the entire coastline of Solana Beach. We are
specifically requesting that the City create a committee made up of City Staff, Council Members and
BBC executives to explore and review the various aspects surrounding the creation of a GHAD.
When formed, the GHAD is a state agency governed locally either by the property owners within the
boundaries of the agency, by the City Council, or a combination of both. The GHAD will establish a
comprehensive Plan Of Control (POC) to stabilize and maintain bluffs as well as recreate the beaches.
We are attaching our first draft of the POC along with the resolution. You will see that our POC is
both comprehensive and elegant in its simplicity. The POC makes every effort to minimize the use of
seawalls and notch infills in favor of rebuilding the beaches. The POC, which has 17 photos of the
Solana Beach coastline, clearly and concisely illustrates not only the protection systems built to
date, but also all of the specific improvements to be completed by the GHAD.
Implementation of the POC is exempt from CEQA as an emergency project, though Coastal Act compliance
is required. The GHAD can issue bonds at tax-exempt rates to fund planning, design and construction.
Assessments levied on GHAD property owners pay for the bonds and maintenance of improvements.
Assessments are directly related to the amount of benefit each property receives.
The benefits of the GHAD to Solana Beach and its residents are numerous:
- A comprehensive plan for both the rebuilding of the beach and the protection of the bluffs
for the entire Solana Beach coastline
- A plan that delivers increased beach access and improved safety for everyone using the beach
- A means to finance sand retention systems with a combination of private seed money and
funding from various public sources, e.g. SANDAG
- A uniform and aesthetically pleasing solution for the entire Solana Beach coastline
- Economies of scale providing significantly lower costs, simplified procedures, and faster
results compared to pursuing a series of individual projects
- A vehicle to assure on going maintenance and renewal of existing protective systems
- A means to finance seawall and notch infill projects with private funding
- A financing vehicle for owners who otherwise could not afford the costs of improvements
- Relieves the City from the burden of paying for these improvements
- Provides a foundation for the Local Coastal Plan (LCP)
- Provides a proactive and positive demonstration model of coastline management for the
California Coastal Commission
- Protection from frivolous and malicious lawsuits
The BBC feels that action is urgently required, and the GHAD provides a logical and effective way
to remedy the emergency situation facing our beach and bluffs. We ask that Council act promptly
and favorably on the proposed GHAD creation process.
Best Regards,
Paul Santina
President, The Beach & Bluff Conservancy
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