Six beachfront homes in Dana Point have been red-tagged because of damage from the big waves and high tides that pummeled the Orange County coastline over the past few days.
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Two more have been yellow-tagged along the same stretch of Beach Road, along with three more in Laguna Beach
The homes in Dana Point are in the private Capistrano Bay District, a community that has been vulnerable in recent years as sand erosion has depleted beaches that once protected the homes from the ocean.
Observation of conditions in the community will continue as this situation evolves, especially with another high tide expected Tuesday evening, officials said.
“The city has been and remains in communication with the Capistrano Bay District community and is monitoring for damage,” an email from city officials said. “City staff have been and will remain on site to inspect damage and, when appropriate, place tags and advise residents to vacate homes that exhibit structural damage that make them unsafe.”
The affected property owners are collaborating with a coastal consultant and engineering firm on emergency measures to protect their property. Permits for that kind of emergency work are issued directly by the California Coastal Commission. Coastal Commission staff have been reviewing and approving the requested permits – including over weekends and after hours – as they recognize the urgency of the situation, city officials said.
“The interim emergency work underway includes installation of a boulder revetment behind the homes to protect them from wave action,” the city said.
Damage along the oceanfront homes dates back to last month when the city was first notified about a residential deck that was destroyed on Aug. 28. It was inspected that night and red-tagged as unsafe in its current condition due to the undermining of the slab foundation, according to city spokesperson Jessica Spaulding.
Donal Russell, general manager of the Capistrano Bay District, called the situation “a disaster.”
“We’re playing chase, which is the worst way to deal with the situation,” he said. “It kind of snuck up on us.”
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While the beach in front of the homes has been eroding for several years, the wave action since early June has been a “freight train of hurricanes and tropical storms that have damaged our communities,” he said. “While we are fully aware of sea-level rise and global warming, these series of storms since June 9 was a surprise.”
While some of the residents impacted are new to the community, many are second-generation owners whose parents or grandparents bought the home after World War II, he said. “They are older, shallow-footing homes not made to withstand this kind of damage.”
In Laguna Beach, the city received notice of a damaged seawall along the frontage of two homes on Lagunita Drive on Sunday, Sept. 6, city spokesperson Lauren Ezzell said.
The Laguna Beach Fire Department responded and assessed the situation, confirming there were no damaged utilities or immediate threats to the existing homes. The affected properties were secured as a precaution, Ezzell said.
City lifeguards cordoned off the beach area fronting the seawalls to protect beachgoers and passersby from potential hazards associated with additional erosion or deterioration.
The city conducted on-site safety inspections Tuesday morning and yellow-tagged three homes on the road, restricting access to the rear exterior portions of the properties.
“The yellow tags do not prohibit occupancy of the homes; they restrict access to the affected exterior areas as a safety precaution,” Ezzell said.
The city will continue to coordinate with the affected property owners to facilitate necessary repairs, she said. And, city staff will continue monitoring conditions and take additional safety measures if warranted.
Public safety remains the city’s primary concern, including protecting residents and maintaining safe public access along the beach, Ezzell noted.
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