CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

China Cove Seawall On Coastal Commission Agenda

A China Cove homeowner will go before the Coastal Commission today, seeking permission to repair a seawall that failed last summer and caused major damage to his beachside house.

Harley Broviak’s home at 2709 Cove Street was under construction last July when neighbors heard a loud noise and discovered his foundation had collapsed. City officials said the failure occurred because of erosion through a failure in a bulkhead wall. City emergency crews arrived quickly after the July 23 collapse, filling the foundation with slurry, propping the home with boards and adding a red tag to the site. (Read our stories here and here.)

Broviak is seeking Coastal Commission approval to reinforce the existing seawall/bulkhead to protect the home. The Commission’s staff report, which can be read here, recommends approval of his request with seven special conditions that include not extending the seawall, and taking specific steps to protect the beach and ocean from construction debris.

The Coastal Commission’s July meeting began Wednesday in Santa Rosa, and Broviak is scheduled on today’s agenda. The meetings are livestreamed; you can click here to see the agenda and find the video feed.

Broviak did not reply to emails seeking comments and updates on his home. In October, he filed a claim against Newport Beach seeking $1 million in damage because he claims the city did not take care to keep enough sand on the beach, which he believes contributed to his foundation’s collapse.

However, Newport Beach City spokeswoman Tara Finnigan said that his claim was rejected on Dec. 21, and the statute of limitations to file a court case against the city expired June 21.

“He is pursuing his seawall fix before the Coastal Commission,” she said. “He is no longer pursuing the City.”