After a Big Swell or Storm: A Solana Beach Owner's Checklist

At a glance

• Context: the Governor proclaimed a statewide emergency on September 21, 2026, and the County followed on September 30, both ahead of a forecast El Niño winter with large waves and coastal flooding among the expected impacts.
• First rule: observe from safe ground. Bluff edges and the beach below them are not places to inspect after a storm.
• Most useful owner task: document. Dated photos and notes are what engineers, boards and the City work from.
• Drainage matters most on bluff-top lots: the City’s shoreline code requires surface water to be carried away from the bluff edge.
• Emergency measures exist in the code but are discretionary: the Planning Director decides, on specific findings.

Solana Beach sits on a narrow beach at the foot of sandstone bluffs, with homes and condominiums along the top. The City’s own shoreline code says the bluffs are subjected to wave erosion, particularly in winter, and that irrigation, storm water and construction have contributed too. This briefing is the follow-up plan for the morning after a large swell or a heavy rain: who looks at what, in what order, and how to keep a record that will be useful later.

Why this winter is on everyone’s radar

The Governor’s September 21 proclamation describes an El Niño event forecast to be very strong, possibly the strongest on record, and lists heavy rain, landslides, large waves and coastal flooding, especially when storms coincide with very high tides. It notes that California has already seen coastal flooding attributed to this El Niño. The County’s proclamation nine days later cites a National Weather Service outlook of more than a 90% chance of a strong event and names coastal erosion among the potential impacts.

The Solana Beach annex to the County’s 2023 hazard plan already treats these as linked hazards. It rates coastal erosion as likely, describes storm surge as most damaging when it coincides with high tide, and states that coastal erosion risk is highest where unstable cliffs become over-saturated by irrigation or rainwater. It also records several minor bluff failures along the Solana Beach bluffs since 2018 that affected private property, and notes that the City monitors the bluffs daily, including by camera.

Hour one: what not to do

• Do not walk to the bluff edge to look over. Fresh failures can continue.
• Do not go down to the beach below the bluffs to inspect a seawall during or right after high surf.
• Do not start digging, regrading or stacking materials near the edge.
• Do not turn irrigation back on until drainage has been checked.
• Do follow any instructions from the City, lifeguards or emergency services.

The first day: a walk from the street side

Start at the street and work toward the ocean, staying well back from the edge.

1. Gutters and downspouts. Are they flowing, and where does the water land?
2. Area drains and inlets. Clear leaves and sediment; note any that backed up.
3. Hardscape. Look for new cracks, lifted pavers or settlement in patios and walks.
4. Structure. Inside, note new cracks, sticking doors or water entry, especially on the ocean side.
5. Garages and lower levels. In condo buildings, check parking areas for water and new cracking.
6. The view from a safe vantage. If you can see the bluff face or seawall from a neighboring public viewpoint, photograph it. Do not lean over a railing to get the shot.

The County’s private drainage flyer advises owners to inspect and clean private drainage systems before each rainy season and after storm events, and notes that some systems are maintained by individual owners or by an HOA. On a bluff-top lot, that routine carries more weight.

Bluff-edge drainage and the code’s rule

The City’s shoreline and coastal bluff code, SBMC 17.62.160, is specific. Lots between the coastal bluff and the first public street must have drainage that carries surface water away from the bluff edge. Drainage over the edge or through the bluff is prohibited unless the water is contained in a piped system approved by the City Engineer. Automatic irrigation within 100 feet of the bluff is prohibited unless the system has automatic shut-off valves and moisture sensors.

After a storm, that turns into three questions:

• Did any surface water run toward the edge instead of away from it?
• Did any approved pipe outlet clog, break or overflow?
• Is the irrigation system’s shut-off and sensor equipment still working?

Our earlier post on the 1942 bluff-top irrigation lesson explains why groundwater gets this much attention here, and our foundation drainage page covers the structural side.

Lower-bluff and seawall observations from a distance

Some bluff-top properties in Solana Beach rely on a combination of lower seawalls and upper-bluff systems. Our post on upper-bluff piers and lower seawalls describes how those pieces fit together. After a storm, owners and boards can note, from a safe public vantage and only when conditions allow:

• missing or displaced material at the base of the seawall
• exposed footing or scour at the toe
• new cracking, spalling or rust staining on the wall face
• gaps opening between the wall and the bluff behind it
• fresh slumping or bare areas on the bluff face above

Evaluating any of these is work for a coastal engineer and an engineering geologist. Our seawall and upper-bluff repair page explains how that assessment is organized.

Emergency measures: what the code allows to be considered

SBMC 17.62.110 allows certain measures on a temporary basis after an emergency, subject to a temporary emergency special use permit: riprap, sand bags or other sand-filled devices, and temporary wood or metal shoring. The Planning Director may approve one only after finding that an emergency exists, that substantial damage or loss of life or property is imminently probable without it, that required permissions for any public property are in hand or will be obtained, and that the measure will not unreasonably affect public use of the beach.

The code also requires removal of temporary measures after a set period unless the Director grants an extension tied to a pending application for a permanent solution. The chapter states that its permits are in addition to any permit required under the California Coastal Act. None of this is automatic, and we never predict how the City or the Commission will decide. What it does mean is that documentation gathered in the first days is what any emergency request would rely on. Our page on Coastal Commission permits for foundation repair gives the wider context.

For ordinary building repairs, the City’s Building Services page notes that where equipment replacements and repairs must be done in an emergency, the permit application is to be submitted within the next working business day.

The first week: records and photos

• Photograph every observation with the date, time and location noted.
• Keep one folder per building or unit, and one master log for the association.
• Note tide and surf conditions if you know them.
• Collect any emails or notices from the City.
• Write down what was cleared, repaired or changed, and by whom.

Board items for the next meeting

1. Receive the storm observation log and photographs.
2. Confirm that bluff-side drainage and irrigation shut-offs were checked.
3. Decide whether a structural, geotechnical or coastal engineer should review specific findings.
4. Confirm the association’s emergency contact list and who may authorize urgent work.
5. Schedule a follow-up check after the next significant storm.

What determines the scope of storm follow-up

• whether observations involve the house, the drainage, the bluff, or the shoreline structure
• the type and age of any seawall or upper-bluff system
• drainage layout and condition between the building and the edge
• access constraints for inspection and repair
• whether engineering, geology or survey work is needed
• City and Coastal Commission review steps, which those agencies decide

We serve all of Solana Beach and coordinate with licensed engineers as needed, including coastal and geotechnical specialists. If a storm has left you with questions about your home or building, request a Free Quote.