San Diego, California – San Diego is currently evaluating an emergency coastal development permit for a project aimed at stabilizing a rapidly eroding bluff beneath a private residence in La Jolla. The proposed stabilization effort, funded entirely by the homeowner, involves the construction of a reinforced concrete wall along the cliffside on Calumet Avenue.
The situation has drawn attention to the ongoing challenges of coastal erosion and the risks associated with building on unstable bluffs. Local geologist Pat Abbott, PhD, from San Diego State University’s Geology Department, offered his perspective, stating that the current predicament is not entirely unforeseen. “This isn’t just mother nature hitting an innocent home buyer,” Abbott explained. “Their predecessors basically built the house on top of an unstable foundation and now a price is being paid.”
If the city approves the emergency permit, the stabilization project will employ a reinforced concrete wall with tie-back anchors, a common method used to reinforce eroding bluffs in other coastal areas of San Diego, including Bird Rock, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Carlsbad. This approach aims to secure the existing rock face and prevent further erosion that threatens the structural integrity of the home…