CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

China Cove Slope Project to Go to NB Council

The Newport Beach City Council will vote on Tuesday on whether to approve a project to repair the slope above the China Cove neighborhood — a slope that began failing in the early 2000s and then saw more failure last year, according to a staff report.

The Council will vote on the project as part of the consent calendar, according to the posted agenda for the 7 p.m. meeting.

The project would cost $476,000, the staff report said, and would remove existing vegetation and loose materials, add manmade material that would be nailed into the hillside and add native or drought-tolerant plants, the staff report said. Sewer lines also will be repaired during the project.

“Upon completion of this maintenance contract, the entire slope will be permanently stabilized and aesthetically enhanced,” the staff report said. “Staff has reviewed this project and plant palette with the neighboring residents of China Cove, as well as presented the project to the Corona Del Mar Residents Association and received favorable response to the concept plans.”

The hillside is below Ocean Boulevard by the China Cove ramp.

The slope began failing in the early 2000s, the report said.

“Since that failure, Municipal Operations staff has routinely covered the slope failure area with plastic liners and sand bags to prevent further erosion during the rainy seasons,” the report said. “To address this slope issue, as well as replace the old irrigation system and refresh the landscaping, Public Works staff began working on improvement plans a couple of years ago.”

After a rainstorm last year, part of the westerly slope began to fail as well, the report said.

“Consequently, the scope of this median maintenance project was expanded to include both sides of the slope on either side of the existing staircase, as well as the sewer force main replacement,” the report said.

Overgrown ice plans and the steep slope caused the failure, the report said.

The project could begin next month and be complete by the end of the year, city officials said at a recent Corona del Mar Residents Association meeting; read our story here.

The meeting will take place in Council Chambers at City Hall at 3300 Newport Blvd. The public may attend and make comments.