Coastal erosion has wreaked havoc on communities alongCalifornia’s coastline as increasing amounts of coastal bluffs are collapsing onto our beaches. This issue has risen to a critical level in the Counties of Orange and San Diego.

Millions of people visit the beaches in this region each year but are forced to sit at the base of collapsing bluffs due to the lack of sand replenishment and minimal beach area during mid to high tides. The current status quo will not suffice. There needs to be an effective and constructive path for locals to mitigate erosion of vertical bluff faces in these densely populated coastal hazard zones in order to alleviate further fatalities, injuries, infrastructure destruction, and emergency repair costs and litigation.

In August of 2019 at Grandview Beach in Encinitas, California, an oceanfront bluff suddenly collapsed and killed three members of the Davis family who had gathered to celebrate Mrs. Elizabeth Cox’s victory over breast cancer.1This San Diego-area tragedy followed similar preventable bluff collapse fatalities in 1995, 2000, 2002, and 2008.

In October of 2018, a concrete beach walkway near the back of Capistrano Beach collapsed as a result of ocean driven erosion.2 In November of 2019, a major bluff collapse in Del Mar put the entire coastal rail-line in jeopardy and will now cost $100 million to fully repair after the fact. The unchecked erosion of the bluffs on California’s highly populated beaches is becoming an even more critical threat to public safety, public infrastructure, and private property. California has a responsibility to protect the public’s right toaccess and use these spaces, while also ensuring their safety. All costs associated with the permitting, construction, and beach sand replenishment will be paid for by the applicants.

CURRENT LAW