Council directs competitive bids for Marquitas slope interim repairs after debate over emergency contract

The San Clemente City Council voted unanimously June 3 to direct staff to solicit competitive bids, on an expedited schedule, for interim reconstruction work at the Marquitas slope that threatens a city sewer pump station.

The project seeks to install structural supports — including caissons and tiebacks — to shore up the slope above the pump station and prevent further lateral movement that could damage the facility. Staff described a history of temporary measures and prior emergency permits; engineering reports presented to council said the existing temporary retaining wall has reached its capacity and additional movement in a heavy rainy season could damage the pump station.

Council debate focused on procurement approach and schedule. Public works staff and the city manager recommended an emergency contract to get work underway quickly, citing the need to complete the bulk of work before the winter rainy season and potential complications in securing railroad and Coastal Commission permits. Several council members questioned the emergency procurement and urged pursuing competitive bidding to seek lower costs and better contractor pricing.

Council action

Councilmember Victor Cabral moved that staff put the project out for competitive bid with a compressed timeline (staff to develop specifications quickly, use a shortened bid posting period) and that staff communicate immediately with the California Coastal Commission about extending emergency permit authority while bids are collected. Councilmember Zen Wu seconded. The motion passed 5‑0.

Technical and schedule details from the meeting

- Staff said obtaining full engineered specifications and an open competitive process could add roughly 2–3 months to the timeline; council discussion placed that risk against potential savings from competitive bids. - Public works staff said railroad permitting (for work near tracks) can take 4–8 weeks once a contractor is selected and that the Coastal Commission’s emergency coastal development permit should be extended while the city pursues the competitive procurement. - Staff noted the pump station handles roughly 300,000 gallons per day on average and can reach up to a million gallons during peak flows; an interruption to the station would pose operational and public‑works risks.

Quotations from the meeting

- “I believe so. The time it will take to go through the formal process ... we would have to put out an RFP to get design work done,” said a staff member explaining the schedule tradeoffs. - “I think if there's a chance to save some taxpayers money, I think it is important,” said one councilmember advocating competitive bids.

Clarifying details

- The staff report referenced an emergency coastal development permit that the city had previously obtained for prior temporary work; staff recommended maintaining or extending the emergency permit while pursuing procurement. - Staff said the current temporary wall and raker system had been modified multiple times over several years and engineers judged the temporary measures had reached their useful life.

Next steps

Staff will draft bid specifications immediately, seek any necessary extension or guidance from the Coastal Commission to preserve emergency permitting while bids are solicited, and return to council with bid proposals and a recommended contract award. The council’s motion explicitly directed staff to shorten standard timeline windows where possible to accelerate procurement.