Rock revetment resumes along Westward Beach Road Play

At Westward Beach, construction has resumed on a rock wall — a revetment — along Westward Beach Road opposite the Sunset Restaurant. This is where a nice sandy beach, Freesuma Beach, used to sit.

Malibu officials say the rocks are needed to protect Westward Beach Road as well as its water lines and fire hydrants. Travis Hart is the city's deputy public works director. He tells KBUU News that the road needs to be saved, and the city is going to use the county's crew that was already putting rocks in there trying to save the road to Point Dume from washing away in high surf.

"The county was over there at the county portion of the parking lot doing the coastal erosion revetment emergency work, and obviously due to the spreading, widening damage to the area of the city's infrastructure — which is Westward Beach Road, right where Birdview Avenue ties into it — the city has been collaborating with LA County Beaches and Harbor as well as Supervisor Horvath's office, and we were able to come to an agreement to utilize the county's contractor that was already mobilized."

Hart tells KBUU that the City of Malibu will pay 70% of the cost for the new rock oceanfront wall. The county will pay 30%.

Some surfers are griping that the former "Barrels" surf break there is now gone, and they blame the county's rocks along Westward Beach Road for having caused that problem. The city feels this is an emergency, and any talk about putting new sand on the beach can come later. The rocks need to go in now.

"These are temporary measures right now, obviously due to the emergency and critical concerns of protection of infrastructure. They are only temporary. A larger plan, a more permanent plan, will be discussed in the future. It is not something that is the plan for this to remain, but it is more of a protective measure to prevent and protect infrastructure."

Asked whether there are any other city installations along the coast in similar danger, Hart said no — Westward Beach Road is one of the only city-owned streets this close to the ocean being impacted by these tide conditions and the erosion.

Right now, LA County Beaches and Harbors and the Board of Supervisors have already approved a study about possible sand sources for replenishing not just Westward or Zuma, but practically every beach in LA County. But that's a long way away.

"Obviously the goal would be sand replenishment. I've had discussions with various parcel owners in that area. The big item at the moment is obviously protecting the infrastructure there, but then having a planned sand replenishment or other measures that may be able to be implemented at a future date."

As of now, a large trench has been dug along Westward Beach Road in the surf line to hold a fiber lining. The new rocks will sit on top of that fiber lining. Construction is happening during low tide, day and night, and that is disturbing sleep for residents who live nearby in the apartments below the Point Dume Club. The cost of the new revetment is not known.