State differs with FEMA

The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services will appeal the Federal

Emergency Management Agency’s denial of financial assistance for

families who lost their homes in the June 1 landslide in Laguna Beach

and some of the costs to repair the damaged slope and infrastructure.

An OES team came to Laguna Beach Monday to discuss the appeal of

FEMA’s denial of the state’s request for financial aid.

“We were very disappointed that FEMA declined our request on

behalf of the residents of Laguna Beach,” OES spokesman Gregrory

Renick said. “It was contradictory to its own geologists.”

Geologists from the U.S. Geological Survey were on record that the

slide was “almost certainly” related to the heavy winter rains that

occurred from December through February.

No reason was given for the about-face.

“The person who signed the FEMA letter has been put onto another

assignment, which we totally understand, with what happened in the

South,” City Manager Ken Frank said.

“Our disaster was absolutely the worst size -- too big to be

handled locally and too small to be declared a separate emergency.”

City officials had asked FEMA to attach the June 1 landslide to

the one of two national disaster declarations covering damage in

California. They hoped it would be tacked onto the January

declaration, because that authorized financial assistance for

displaced families, as well as for repairs.

Frank estimated government funding of $900,000 in his July 22

report to the council, but warned that the city had yet to get a

commitment.

The city was advised Aug. 25 that FEMA had concluded that the

landslide was not specifically attributable to the storms.

OES officials announced their dismay the very next day. The

following day, OES advised city officials they were preparing an

appeal.

“We are gathering information to try to make a successful appeal

in as timely manner as possible,” Renick said Wednesday. “We want to

do it as quickly as possible, but as thoroughly as possible.”

Frank said it will probably take a couple of weeks for city

consulting geologist Hannes Richter to prepare another extensive

report, documenting his conclusion that the landslide was the result

of the winter storms.

OES analyst Daniel Thorpe, who was part of the visiting team on

Monday, is preparing the appeal.

“We realize the importance of the impacts of the storm on the

residents and the budget of Laguna Beach,” Renick said.

Temporary repairs, estimated to cost about $7 million, are

underway, despite the FEMA denial and without a firm commitment for

funding from the state.

“I will be presenting funding options for the $7 million to the

council on Tuesday,” Frank said. “And for the first time we will

speculate on funding for the permanent project, which I guesstimate

to be between $5 and $8 million.”

Frank’s “guesstimate” is a tad less than earlier projections --

which topped out at about $20 million.

“A lot of the temporary work will shore up the permanent work,”

Frank said. “And Hannes has come up with some cost-saving proposals.”

Frank said the city has no choice but to continue emergency

prevention measures to winterize the slope from further erosion,

restore drainage, protect homes above the slide and ensure safe

ingress and egress for the 350 families that live in Bluebird Canyon.

Funding options include the sale of one of the three city-owned

properties on Poplar Street, above the Festival of Arts, and the two

lots on which the Girl Scout House sits.

The four lots used as the city’s nursery also will be sold, but

the proceeds are earmarked for the relocation of the city maintenance

yard to the Act V parking lot in Laguna Canyon.

Once the appeal completed, OES will send it to FEMA for review.

FEMA is the final court of appeal.

QUESTION

Should the city sell public land to pay for landslide costs? Write

us at P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, CA, 92652, e-mail us at

[email protected] f7or fax us at 494-8979. Please give

your name and tell us your home address and phone number for

verification purposes only.

* BARBARA DIAMOND is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. She may be reached at (949) 494-4321.