Council votes to stabilize canyon

The City Council at its Nov. 21 meeting approved a preemptive strike against another possible disaster in Bluebird Canyon.

On a 4-1 vote, the council approved a proposal to stabilize the area east of Oriole Drive and south of Flamingo Road, sited between the 1978 and 2005 landslides in Bluebird Canyon, at an estimated cost of $225,000.

“This is a perfect opportunity to correct the final instability in that area,” Landslide Recovery Coordinator Bob Burnham said.

Evidence uncovered in the geologic investigation of the June 1, 2005 landslide revealed soil instability in the area, according to Burnham’s presentation to the council.

Eight homeowners in the unstable area and the city funded a more detailed investigation.

Geofirm, which conducted the investigation, reported that the instability was isolated to the top 15 feet of soil, much less deep than the previous slides, but a failure would adversely affect public and private property.

Removal and recompaction of the unstable material will achieve a desirable safety rating, according to Burnham.

The property owners in the project area and the city will share the costs of the repair, the city’s $125,000 portion to be funded by the Measure A sales tax, subject to council consideration of recommendations from the Measure A Oversight Committee. The tax is a special half-cent sales tax approved by voters to help with expenses after the June 1, 2005 landslide.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider objected to the use of Measure A funds and voted against the proposal, which she would support if otherwise funded.

Any spending of the city’s General Fund that dips into the mandated 10% reserve must be approved by a four-fifths vote of the council.

“Fortunately, in the case of this new unstable area, the total cost to fix it right now is relatively modest at $125,000 for the city, as painful as that might be,” said Linda Brown, a member of the Measure A Oversight Committee, speaking on her own behalf.

“It is prudent and cost effective to pay now to fix the instability rather that risking a future failure, and I think the repair should be funded.”

But not by Measure A funds.

Brown said she understands Measure A money was designated specifically to fund nonreimbursable costs to repair public infrastructure damaged by the landslide and to establish a Disaster Contingency Fund equal to 10% of the annual budget; to be used only for repairs to public facilities; and the emergency protection of lives and property during a disaster, natural or otherwise.

“I do not see a trigger for tapping the fund to finance fixes for potential problems that might occur in the future, as worthy as this might be,” Brown said.

She said the city must keep the faith with the supporters of Measure A.

“We have to give the voters what they voted for — nothing more and nothing less without their consent,” Brown said.

Committee member Neil Fitzpatrick, a former councilman, said some of the members don’t agree on the 10% figure for the Disaster Fund or even on the committee’s role beyond funding repairs to Bluebird Canyon.

The committee was appointed in January 2006 and has met twice. No reports have been issued to the public.

Fitzpatrick said a special meeting to review the council’s decision has not been called. The oversight committee is scheduled to meet next on Jan. 8.