Funds Pursued for La Conchita Landslide Study : Safety: County would use FEMA money for geological survey of the beachside community to determine the potential danger for residents.

Ventura County will seek federal disaster money to conduct an extensive geological study to determine if residents of landslide-ravaged La Conchita should be allowed to continue living in the beachside community, officials said Monday.

“The county is struggling to help people make some good decisions,” said Supervisor Maggie Kildee, whose district includes La Conchita. “Right now, I don’t know what I would tell people to do.”

Kildee said the study will explore what, if any, actions can be taken to stabilize a moving hillside that last month sent 600,000 tons of rain-loosened dirt crashing into nine homes in the community on the western edge of the county.

“I don’t have an answer,” she said. “I can’t tell (residents) it’s safe to be there. Maybe by doing the study we’ll have a better answer about what ought to happen.”

Kildee said that the county will apply for grant money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to pay for the geological survey, which could take months to complete. She said state and federal officials have agreed to help the county obtain the money.

But even if county officials find a solution to make the hillside safe, they said there is still the question of who will pay for it since both the hillside and the property below is privately owned. About 400 residents live in the community.

“Do we protect people?” Kildee said. “Or is it the responsibility of private property owners (to protect themselves)?”

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By grading the hillside, Kildee said the county could open itself up to lawsuits should more slides occur. She also pointed out that there is an active fault along the hillside.

“The concern I have is that only one-third of the mountain has come down,” she said. “I don’t know what will happen if we clear away (the dirt that has already fallen).”

Kildee said that the county will do a preliminary study over the next month to determine the scope of the more detailed geological survey. Once that is completed, she said the Board of Supervisors will open up the bidding process, which could take another month before a contract is awarded.

It is not known how much the survey will cost or how long it will take to complete, Kildee said.

In the meantime, county officials plan to “yellow tag” all 200 houses and trailers in the community on April 15, which is officially the end of the rainy season, said Marty Robinson, county deputy chief administrator. “Geologic Hazard Area” signs will also be posted on all structures.

Once the signs are posted and the housing is tagged, residents will be asked to sign a county waiver before entering their property at their own risk, Robinson said. A voluntary evacuation is currently in place.

Portable toilets and fencing erected around the community will also be removed April 15. The Sheriff’s Department, however, will continue its 24-hour patrol of the area, Robinson said.

The Board of Supervisors today will consider allocating $54,000 to purchase and install survey devices to help monitor earth movement in the La Conchita area.

The county plans to purchase six inclinometers, two of which will be planted in the hillside and four others along Vista del Rincon Drive, said John Crowley, deputy director of public works.

Before the March 4 landslide, Crowley said that there had been five measuring devices planted in the hillside.

“They were all lost,” he said. “They were buried.”