L to R: Attorney David Bruce and geotechnical expert Bill Laprade shared their analysis of the August 18th landslide – and future landslides. (Emily Kwong/KCAW photo)
At last night’s meeting (02-09-16), the Assembly received an update on the city’s legal status in the wake of the August 18th landslides from attorney David Bruce and geotechnical expert Bill Laprade. Laprade’s firm, Shannon & Wilson, Inc., was retained by the city in November to assess future landslide risk in the Kramer Avenue area.
Click here to view the report.
In his analysis, Laprade said that there Harbor Mountain contains other pockets of poor soil and that future landslides may travel below the property line. Laprade did a run-out analysis, modeling the movement of future landslides, and produced a chart predicted which areas were most at risk.
An illustration from the geotechnical study commissioned by Sitka in the aftermath of the August 18, 2015 landslides. Geologist LaPrade confirmed that there are no “no-risk” zones below Harbor Mountain.
The report only investigates on small slice of Harbor Mountain, specifically the stretch between Jacobs Circle and Emmons Street.
Bruce encouraged the Assembly to run similar analyses for the whole town or adopt a critical area ordinance, “an ordinance that takes as inputs this kind of mapping and then establishes comprehensive land use regulation and rules for developing these kind of areas.” Bruce added,” You do have in your code the authority to require the kind of investigation this report recommends, but the Assembly may want to do that on a broader basis.
Geologist Bill LaPrade, an expert in landslides, credits a temporary berm for deflecting the slide from homes in the Sand Dollar Drive neighborhood.
Laprade also determined that the landslide on South Kramer Avenue, which claimed the lives of three men, destroyed one home, and damaged another, turned south because of two berms that diverted it’s path.
Tony Conforti, who lives on nearby Sand Dollar Drive, urged the Assembly to consider putting in berms to contain and divert future landslides.
“I’ve got two small children that have a difficult time sleeping to this day. The chute is directly behind our house. So I would just like you guys to strongly consider putting in some kind of berm like we asked before for the safety of the people down below,” Conforti said.
Bruce also met in Executive Session with the Assembly and city staff advise on legal issues resulting from the August 18th landslide.
Harbormaster Stan Eliason gave the Assembly an update on the deteriorating Seaplane Dock. A major piling crumbled last month and two others are in danger of collapse. Eliason said PND Engineers in Juneau, who also helped the city when the transient float failed, will inspect the seaplane dock next week.
City Administrator Mark Gorman told the Assembly he’s given Alaska Bulk Water Inc. a 30 day extension to produce $1 million to keep its contract. He added that the Gary Paxton Industrial Park, which plans to ship bulk water from Silver Bay, is preparing documents for other bidders, in case the company can’t deliver on its million dollar promise.
In committee news, the Assembly approved letting municipal staff serve on municipal boards, commissions, and committees. The Assembly also appointed Brendan Jones to the Port and Harbors Commission, Alene Henning to the Citizens’ Task Force, and re-appointed Gary Smith to the Building Department Appeals Board.
