Storm-Ravaged Pier Might Not Be Replaced After All

When wrecking crews demolished the Aliso Pier in the wake of several damaging El Nino storms, residents in south Laguna took comfort in the promises from county officials that they would eventually rebuild the landmark fishing pier.

But two years later, efforts to construct a new pier have stalled, with many beach denizens as well as county leaders concluding that the beach is actually better without one.

For residents who live on the bluffs above the beach, the now-uninterrupted view of the ocean cove is more pleasing than the decidedly minimalist 660-foot concrete pier with its distinctive diamond-shaped end.

And that’s just as well, because the county has found that rebuilding the structure would be difficult if not impossible.

A pier at that location is simply a bad idea, engineers have told county officials. The unusual landscape beneath the water’s surface causes waves to surge from various directions, putting extreme stress on any structure built in the zone.

The wave action would prohibit the type of concrete and steel structure of the original pier, said Supervisor Tom Wilson, who represents the area.

Twice in its 28 years, the pier had to be repaired after El Nino storms caused extensive damage. History would just repeat itself, Wilson said, if another concrete and steel pier were built.

The only way to ensure that it would last, he said, would be to use wood.

But that would require massive sequoia trees, about 100 feet long, as pilings in the ocean floor. Unlike concrete and steel, wood pilings bend and have a better chance of withstanding the pounding.

But the prospect of cutting down a small forest of sequoias for a pier is unappealing, not to mention cost-prohibitive, Wilson said.

Anyway, the supervisor said: “Even people who live there say it’s a beautiful place without the pier.”

Both Wilson and Bob Hamilton, the interim manager of county harbors, beaches and parks, said community interest in rebuilding the pier has declined and representatives say they prefer the beach as it is.

Kelly Nalley, 41, of Scottsdale, Ariz., remembers visiting the pier every year with her family as a youngster. As much as she misses it, she admits she thought it was a little out of place.

After getting over the shock of seeing no pier, she concluded that it’s “pretty nice to have the view unobstructed.”

Aliso Pier was built in 1971 as the centerpiece of a 4.2-acre public beach development that included a parking lot off South Coast Highway.

The structure was one of the shorter and higher piers in Orange County. The deck rose 35 feet from the water, held up by dozens of concrete pilings with steel rods at their centers.

In 1983 and 1986, El Nino storms extensively damaged the pier. By 1987, the cracking concrete had become such a problem that the county closed the pier for more than two years and began a $1.2-million reconstruction project.

But the 1997 storms caused the most damage. One-fourth of the pilings were cracked or damaged, and at least three had major problems with corrosion of exposed steel that had expanded and pushed out the concrete.

Initial estimates put the cost of rebuilding the pier at $5 million, but some officials questioned whether the county had the money for such a project.

On a recent afternoon, feelings about rebuilding the pier were mixed.

“Now that it’s gone it’s really sad,” said Debbie Monicatti, 52, of Aliso Viejo. “You don’t have the opportunity to interact with the water, and a pier lets you do that if you’re not a surfer or a swimmer.”

Surfers Sean Pettit, 24, of Mission Viejo and Marcus Hirth, 26, of San Clemente bemoaned the pier’s demise as they stood on the beach deciding if the waves were good enough to ride.

“[The pier] was great for surfing,” Pettit said. “It was my favorite beach until they took away the pier.”

And what’s left of the pier--the building on the edge of the beach that houses the concession stand and restroom--may soon be removed as well.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has rejected the county’s request for funds for a new pier. But officials hope the agency will provide the $400,000 to demolish the building and construct a new restroom and snack area.

If the county gets the money, the last piece of the original pier development will be history as well.