City Council approves contract for Naples Seawall project

City Council approves contract for Naples Seawall project

LONG BEACH – An extensive repair of the aging Naples Island Seawall, which was erected in the early 1900s, received the go-ahead from the Long Beach City Council during a May  6 meeting.

The City Council unanimously approved a $9.9 million contract with Ford E.C. , Inc., of Los Angeles to begin repairs on the Naples Seawall. The six-phase project includes repairing the Bay Shore Avenue walkway and to repair the seawalls located on the Rivo Alto Canal between the Ravenna and The Toledo bridges.

Phase one of the project is the repair of the portion of the seawall that is the most deteriorated and in imminent danger of collapse in the event of a moderate earthquake. Initially, the City Council approved $9.5 in funding for the project, however, by Oct. 9, 2013, the California Coastal Commission approved the project but required several special conditions.

Those special conditions include, the development and implantation of a Habitat Mitigation Program to offset the project’s impact to eelgrass and the soft-bottom habitat. The mitigation program will also enhance the ongoing restoration efforts at Colorado Lagoon by creating 1.5 acres of intertidal and shallow and soft-bottom habitat, and up to 1.8 acres of eelgrass habitat. That portion of the project is estimated at a $5 million cost. The money will be requested as part of the CIP Budget.

“The city prudently paid attention to the cries of homeowners and the Naples Improvement Association,” said Maureen Poe, a Naples Island resident. “This is a good use for the public to have access to local waterways. The Coastal Commission has blessed it and we’d like you to bless it.”

The extra money will come from the Tidelands Operating Fund.

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