Manhattan Beach About Town
Manhattan Beach and USC are co-hosting a beach walk. Photo courtesy of City of MB
Beach walk
Interested in how King Tides impact the Southern California coastline? Attend the City of Manhattan Beach’s upcoming beach walk to explore beach ecology, capture the changing shoreline, and learn about beach dune restoration.
The city has partnered with USC Sea Grant to conduct its first-ever Urban Tides Beach Walk. Urban Tides is a community science effort launched by USC to document tidal lines, beach erosion, coastal flooding, and other changing coastal conditions. The initiative supports the broader efforts of the California King Tides Project and encourages people to visit the Southern California coast during extreme tide events and to take photos of the changing shoreline and any impacts on beaches or nearby communities. Extreme tides, particularly king tides, can help researchers identify current flooding hotspots and visualize what future sea-level rise will look like along the coastline. Photos of these events help fill gaps in documenting coastal issues as well as identify areas of concern to assist in local planning and policy efforts.
The Jan. 10 walk is from 8 to 10 a.m. starting at the Strand and 38th Street. See CityofMB.info for more information and to sign up.
Undergrounding approved
At the January 7 City Council meeting, a public hearing was held and ballots were tabulated regarding Underground Utility Assessment District 19-4, located in the Hill Section with boundaries ranging from Boundary Place to 1st Street and Ardmore Avenue to Sepulveda Boulevard. A little over 75 percent of property owners voted in favor, meaning undergrounding will go forward. Costs per full residential parcel range from $35,851 to 61,120, while costs for commercial properties range from $42,280 to $128,323. Council approved a financial assistance program for residents unable to meet those costs. The program helps homeowners over age 62 with an annual household income of less than $100,000 defer all or part of the cost of undergrounding utilities until the end of the bond term or upon the sale or transfer of their homes. Construction is estimated to begin in April 2020 and pole/wires are expected to be removed in fall 2022.