HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 2021-10 RESOLUTION NO. 2021-10
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON
BEACH REQUESTING THAT THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
17UND AND IMMEDIATELY PROCEED WITH SURFS IDE-SUNSET BEACH
NOURISHMENT PROJECT STAGE 13 FROM ANAHEIM BAY HARBOR TO NEWPORT
BAY IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
WHEREAS the longshore current carries beach sand southward along the California
coast, nourishing the beaches of Orange County from Anaheim Bay Harbor through Huntington
Beach to Newport Beach: and
Prior to onshore structural development between the San Gabriel River outlet and
Newport Bay, local beaches received sand from Flood runoff of the Los Angeles, San Gabriel,
and Santa Ana Rivers: and
In 1942, the United States constructed jetties at Anaheim Bay to serve the Seal Beach
Naval Weapons Station, adjacent to Surfside Beach. Waves reflected off the East Jetty combine
with ocean waves, causing strong, localized southward-flowing longshore currents near the jetty.
These currents cause severe down coast erosion at both Surfside Beach in Seal Beach, and
Sunset Beach in Huntington Beach. In response, and without any formal Congressional action,
the Army Corps of Engineers initiated beach replenishments in 1945. 1946 and 1956; and
The Army Corps conducted studies and issued a Report (House Document 602, October
2. 1962) identifying three causes of Orange County beach erosion: (1) the jetties at the entrance
to Anaheim Bay; (2) flood-control structures constructed on the Los Angeles. San Gabriel, and
Santa Ana rivers reducing sand delivery; and (3) construction of the Los Angeles/Long Beach
breakwater system further altering and exacerbating the local sediment transport processes. The
Army Corps acknowledged that all three causes of beach erosion were the result of the Federal
government's own actions. Accordingly, the Army Corps recommended that the Federal
Government provide sixty-seven percent (67%) of the cost of initial deposition of sand, with
periodic beach nourishment. Congress authorized the Report's recommendations through the
1962 River and Harbor Act, Public Law 87-874, which the President signed: and
From 1964 through 1997, Beach Nourishment Stages I through 10 were completed. For
32 years, the Army Corps Commander considered beach nourishment a mandatory requirement.
However. in 1995, the Army Corps began a phase-out of nourishment without regard to its past
practice that nourishment was unique and necessary. Nourishment Stage 1 I was completed in
2001, and Stage 12 was not completed until 2009; and
On April 2, 2018, the City of Funtington Beach and the County of Orange executed an
Agreement For Construction of Periodic Nourishment Of the Orange County Beach Erosion
Control Project Stage 13, in which the City agreed to contribute $281.966 towards Stage 13
construction. The State of California, the City of Newport Beach and others will provide
additional contributions: and
In September 2018, the Army Corps issued a Draft Environmental Assessment for
Nourishment Stage 13, indicating the project would begin in the winter of 2019. and that Stage
14 would occur in 2023. The Environmental Assessment acknowledged that Stages 13 and 14
were required pursuant to the 1962 act of Congress, Public Law 87-874, and that "Federal
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RESOLUTION NO. 2021-10
authority directs the Corps to nourish the beaches between the Anaheim Bay jetties and the
Newport pier;" and
If nourishment is discontinued, Orange County beaches will erode, reducing recreation
opportunities and protection of shoreline facilities from of storm damage; and
Despite the warning that failure to nourish local beaches would not only reduce
recreation opportunities but also expose property to storm damage, the Army Corps has failed to
fund the Nourishment Stage 13 for I 1 years, and shows no signs of pursuing it;
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach does hereby
resolve as follows:
1. The City Council finds all of the above Recitals true and correct.
2. The City Council urges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, South Pacific Division
Los Angeles District to immediately fund and proceed with Surfside-Sunset Beach Nourishment
Project Stage 13.
3. The City Council directs the City Clerk to forward this Resolution to Lt. Gen.
Scott A. Spellmon,Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gen. Paul E.
Owen, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Pacific Division, and Col. Julie
Balten, Los Angeles District Commander.
4. The City Council directs the City Manager and the City Director of Public Works,
or their designees to meet directly with Colonel Balten, and take all other actions reasonable and
necessary to ensure that Nourishment Stage 13 proceeds immediately in 2021, and Stage 14
occurs within two years of the completion of Stage 13.
5. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach
at a regular meeting thereof held on the 19th day of Avril , 2021.
0
Mayor
R 1 D ANAP�PR�OVED: [NITIAT AND ROVE
• lam.
Manager Director of Public Works
APPRJED AS TO FORM:
w City Attorney
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Res. No. 2021-10
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss:
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH )
I, ROBIN ESTANISLAU, the duly elected, qualified City Clerk of the
City of Huntington Beach, and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council of said City, do
hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach is seven: that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted
by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all the members of said City Council
at a Regular meeting thereof held on April 19, 2021 by the following vote:
AYES: Peterson, Kalmick, Ortiz, Carr, Posey, Moser, Delgleize
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
RECUSE: None
City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of the
City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach, California