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Council authorizes immediate repair of Sunset Beach abutment after erosion and structural movement
Summary
Parks staff and engineers reported movement and scour at the Sunset Beach dock abutment; council approved contracting a specialist to install pin piles and repair the prefabricated concrete block abutment amid concerns about further erosion and seasonal wave impacts.
The Lake Stevens City Council on June 3 authorized staff to proceed with contracted repairs at the Sunset Beach dock abutment after parks staff reported continued movement and scouring that pose a public-safety risk.
"I believe that we need to repair this as soon as possible," Parks Director Sarah Garceau told the council, summarizing repeated inspections and an engineering memorandum recommending repair work that includes pin piles to anchor the prefabricated concrete blocks.
Nut graf: Staff said inspections since November 2024 showed separation and accelerated movement of the abutment; a contractor with experience in similar small shoreline repairs recommended pin piles to anchor the structure and reduce further scour. The council approved proceeding with the contractor's recommended repair plan and asked staff to follow up on potential design or warranty questions with the engineer of record.
Garceau said the city inspected the abutment every six weeks and observed a significant change between March 18 and April 28; staff reported additional change in the adjacent ground. The contractor who originally constructed the park improvements built to the permitted plans and was not identified as responsible for the current movement; the contractor chosen for repair is a small firm with low-bid history on similar work and recommended pin piles as the appropriate fix. Staff also offered an in-house repair option that would be less expensive but would not include the pin-pile anchoring the contractor recommended.
Council members asked staff to notify and involve the engineer of record and to explore potential recoupment from responsible parties if the design or construction did not meet accepted standards. Staff noted that the original Fish and Wildlife permit limited hard armoring of the shoreline, which constrained earlier options.
Ending: The council unanimously approved moving forward with the contracted repair approach to install pin piles and stabilize the abutment; staff will proceed with the contractor and follow up with legal and engineering staff about warranty, design review and any potential cost recovery.
