As of this writing, 2 pm, Thursday, June 20th, Rag writer Geoff Page can report that the City has not done a thing about the dangerous crack in the bluff at Sunset Cliffs. Page just visited the site — and witnessed a number of beach goers — and a child or pet — directly below the cracked bluff section.
Geoff reported there was no caution tape or any kind of warning at the beach near the bluff endangered.
The Rag notified the city yesterday, June 19, of the situation at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park and Page met with 3 lifeguards in the afternoon. Geoff took them to the top of the bluff and it looked worse than our published drone photos showed. The lifeguard in charge of the detail told Geoff he was contacting the city so the city could get its geologist out to the site. Geoff also sent an email about it to the Park and Rec Department.
To be honest, the dangerous portion could fall tomorrow or it could fall a year from now. But at this point, the city is endangering the public.
Please — if you know anyone in the media or upper echelons of the city or at the Point Loma Nazarene University — directly above — let them know of this situation. (The Rag does not have the resources to do so.)
I went ahead and looked up the Director of the Department, Mr. Andy Field, called him and left a detailed message identifying the issue, the location, and left my phone number and also referred him to either me or to the Rag articles for more detailed information. I was thinking that if he called I could direct him to the Rag articles, as I am not an authority on this sort of an issue. His number is 619-235-1110 should anyone wish to also call. Typically, in my own experience I have found the City to be very responsive to my inquiries when I call. I will let you know if I hear anything.
/s/ Chris Kennedy
Chris K – thanks so much. We really do rely on our readers to help carry posts and their issues.
Thanks, Chris. I sent an email to Fields and both assistant directors. I sent the email at 1:10 p.m. on Tuesday and Field responded eleven minutes later. I was very impressed. I have always found Parks and Rec to be responsive and cooperative. But, I was angry to see that nothing was done 48 hours later.
Coincidentally, I also received a lengthy voice message from Assistant Director Karen Dennison a few hours ago, and, based on the message, sent her a link to your articles pointing out with specificity where the crack is and also left a voice message that I would be doing this given the apparent urgency. There are likely many hazardous conditions out there, but this one appears to be of particular urgency, something I stressed both in my voice message and email.
/s/ Chris Kennedy
As reluctant as I am to give the city a pass on anything, they may have their hands tied on this.
Some years ago when I was working for state parks, I was called upon to get approvals to abate a very similar hazardous situation. This was an overhanging and precarious section of a bluff that was located above and adjacent to a beach access trail. Because neither I nor anybody else could quantify with any certainty the actual hazard to the public, the staff at the Coastal Commission, of whom I am generally supportive, would issue an emergency permit. It ended up taking months to get anything done.
I spent my career in an entirely different world than yours, Paul. I always appreciate your comments because I know they come from real experience in the public sector.
That said, in my world, you go out immediately and knock the fucking thing down and ask forgiveness later. I spent much of my career in civil construction work, underground utilities, earth-moving, etc. I know a cave-in threat when I see one.
Hell, even if the city was fined for doing that, it would be far less than the lawsuits would garner for anyone hurt or killed by a known danger.
Well, when you are a private individual you can do that. When you work for a government agency, you have to learn to get along with other government agencies in the sandbox. Every governor I have worked under, dem or republican, absolutely hated it when two State agencies are at odds, especially if the conflict gets public attention. A good way to earn the dreaded “goldenrod” letter, which I received more than once.
Here is this but the crack is not disclosed or addressed
https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/sunset-cliffs-safety-issues
The recent Black’s cliff collapse come to mind. I didn’t read anything about it even being noticed that it was letting go unlike this photo which makes the instability quite obvious. Holy smokes is that obvious!
People have always liked to back up against the cliff faces to sunbathe and hang out. Me, too, for that matter, we’d always come out of the water and do the same thing!
Only question is when before a fractured section like this just lets go and catches a group or family below that gets crushed and buried. Since it is summer with bigger crowds all heading to the secluded coves and beach areas, the risk increases… Watch yourselves, folks!
sealintheSelkirks
City should install a sign on top stairs.reading stay back 100ft from cliff.
.
Maybe someone can contact Dr. Pat Abbott.
Professor Emeritus | College of Sciences | Geological Sciences – SDSU
He’s on local TV fairly often.
Yes he is and he is the go-to guy for the city. The city should have contacted him by now and had him investigate the site.
I know the local mainstream media (TV stations, UT) reads the Rag — but no one has picked this story up. I have left messages with reporters I know, but no one has responded.
Wow, OB/Point Loma Monthly, Reader, Beacon & Times of San Diego all must not think a story worth telling until the collapse happens either that or none of them have writers or investigators. Disappointing.
Hello, everyone:
I just received a detailed further follow up email reply from Assistant Director Dennison. She reports that the City’s personnel visited the site on 6/18 and 6/19, she described certain initial observations made, and wrote that an analysis with recommendations is in process. I thanked her, and suggested that she may want to also send her reply to me to Mr. Page. I don’t have his email address, and wouldn’t forward it anyway without her permission.
/s/ Chris Kennedy
Again, thanks Chris K. The Rag alerted the city via the lifeguards on Tuesday, June 18, and Geoff met with 3 lifeguards that day and showed them the site. So, the city has known about this directly for 5 days now.
And local mainstream media still has not picked up on this situation.
Nah, they’re just tired of always having to give credit where credit for the story is due; the OB RAG. Jealous little
It’s got to be pissing them off at getting scooped so dang much!
Geoff is right, somebody just needs to go knock is down before it kills people. But then that’s the most logical and sanest thing to do, and those two words don’t really describe bureaucrats very well. At least not the ones you all are dealing with down there.
By now you’d think that there would be a large area yellow-taped off and KEEP OUT signs all around it. At least that would allow the city taxpayers to NOT pay out huge settlements to the X families that will get killed when it lets go.
You’d thunk, anyway.
sealintheSelkirks
Just saw this info about erosion – but no mention of crack in bluff
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/sunset-cliffs-coastal-erosion-street-repairs/3589111/