The city of Carlsbad recently declared a local emergency due to erosion on an ocean bluff caused by the recent storms.
A portion of the bluff near Carlsbad Boulevard and Solamar Drive was restricted because of erosion, the city said. The recent rains damaged the integrity of the storm drain pipe there, causing more erosion.
On Tuesday, the City Council approved the declaration, which will stay in effect until the next council meeting. The Council may then extend the emergency if needed. The declaration allows the city to quickly address the erosion issue by streamlining the contracting and permitting process.
That stretch of bluffs overlooking South Carlsbad State Beach is popular with walkers, joggers and bikers.
San Marcos resident Anjali Hebel walks the bluff almost every day. She was not surprised by the erosion, especially after the recent storms, she said.
“This whole coastline has been kinda wrecked recently,” Hebel said.
That’s why the city declared an emergency. It came after the governor’s own declaration in late December because of storm damage here and elsewhere in the state.
The declaration was out of an abundance of caution, Carlsbad City Manager Geoff Patnoe said.
“The safety of our residents and visitors is our top priority,” he said in a statement. “Proclaiming a local emergency allows us to act quickly, coordinate resources and reduce potential risks.”
The erosion was a concern for surfer Michael Andrews. He was there on Wednesday afternoon for a quick surf session.
“(It's) definitely scary," he said. "This is a local surf spot, and I'm always nervous about the bluffs eroding more and more. As you can see, some of the paths down the side of the bluffs are not too enforced."
The city has already started the repairs, and it's expected to take a couple of weeks. In the meantime, the city has created a temporary walkway around the eroded area to keep the public safe.
But Hebel isn’t convinced. She’s still concerned about the integrity of the bluff.
“It's definitely concerning because if you're walking that path and it just crumbles underneath you, then like what?" she said. "It's such a busy walkway, you see a bunch of people always walking this path. If something were to happen, that would be really tragic.”
While work is underway, the city says people should be cautious in the area.
