For the past year, AN has followed the damage done to Wayfarers Chapel—designed by Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright—due to the Portuguese Bend landslides. And while the ecclesiastical structure has been disassembled and stored away for safe keeping, local residents in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, are facing similar problems, and policymakers are stepping in. The city of Rancho Palos Verdes recently announced plans that would modify municipal code, permanently banning all new construction in the area with no expectations.
When the word “ancient” is used to describe a landslide zone, the thought of an imminent threat to settlers or inhabitants seems prehistoric—an ailment from a different time. For many years, that was exactly the case in Palos Verdes. The Portuguese Bend landslide complex sat dormant for over 30,000 years. Then, in 1956 the area was reactivated by local construction, and it hasn’t stopped moving since.
As homes are fractured and streets straight up split, local policy is struggling to keep up with the divide. In August, Rancho Palos Verdes City Council will meet to discuss a proposed ordinance that would prohibit the creation of new construction, home additions, or accessory structures in the area. Though it permits repairs, restoration, and the replacement of residential property—permitting homeowners to rebuild damaged houses on the existing footprint of the original property.
The proposed ordinance is an extension of an existing, temporary moratorium enacted in October 2023 after a state of local emergency was declared. Due to state law, the temporary measures are set to expire in October 2025. The order follows precedent set by a separate moratorium passed after landslides in 1978, which imposed development restrictions. Since then, the city has adopted additional interim ordinances, but none have ever wholly prohibited construction, nor have they been permanent measures. The proposal prohibits new construction indefinitely and includes the revocation of building permits previously issued.
In a recent town hall meeting, city officials referenced a prior lawsuit in 2008, which allowed land to be developed on lots that have since been damaged by the landslides. Five of the 16 lots constructed as a result of that case are now uninhabitable, and the risk only grows. In the case of property rights versus public safety, the extreme measures seem like the only way to mitigate further loss.
The city is facing backlash from local residents, who argue that an all out ban is too severe of a stance to take. For owners of vacant lots who had intended to build, the impact is most severe as the land itself isn’t often covered by insurance.
New construction on top of well-charted but often unpredictable landslide movement is a gamble, but residents argue that it’s their risk to take. For homeowners that have resided in the area since the 1970s, they worry their land will lose significant economic value.
Additionally, boundaries included in the policy contain areas that could be at-risk, but haven’t yet seen any major damage—or where movement has completely stalled. Additionally, the landslide prohibitions map the new ordinance is based on also includes a different, but nearby area known as the Abalone Cove landslide, which began to shift in 1974. Some who oppose the moratorium are concerned about being lumped in with the higher risk areas. If properties never fall victim to landslide activity, the resale value of the homes could be tanked by the negative stigma surrounding the ordinance.
According to the city, 40 homes in the area have been red-tagged and are considered uninhabitable, while 38 have been yellow-tagged and contain major structural damage. The inspections are voluntary, however, so more could be out there.
A voluntary program through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant program has received some financial support, allowing the city to buy back property from homeowners and convert it to open space. The city has requested another $40 million from FEMA to support the program.
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