Saturday, November 19, 2011

Annual HOA Meeting Very Positive

On Saturday, Nov. 19th, 31 of the 111 units were represented by more than 50 attendees at the annual meeting of homeowners.  Many thanks to those owners who took time to attend the meeting, many from out of town.   Nominations for representation on the Board were taken to fill the 3 available two year terms.  Terry Brotherson accepted the nomination and was elected together with Dan Steurer and Jason Schall who agreed to extend their terms of service.

A report of the financial condition of the HOA was given and concern was voiced about the number of non-paying owners (currently 14) which causes a cash flow challenge for the HOA.  The HOA has the powers of a community government and the HOA fees are like taxes.  It was explained that the HOA has the right to file a lien and foreclose for non-payment of fees.   Additionally, services can be curtailed (such as cable TV service).

Those in attendance expressed gratitude for the service rendered by the board members.   A spirit of volunteerism is emerging once again as Richard Evans announced a community effort to repaint the entrance wall and signage.  Those wishing to spend a few hours to help pressure wash and paint should contact Richard who will organize the effort.  A number of maintenance and landscaping concerns were brought to the attention of the board.  If owners are aware of any issues, call or better yet, email Kimberly at C.A.M. to report items or concerns.

Lamond Woods, from Century West Insurance explained that the HOA policy covers the buildings and  everything that is "attached"(including cabinets, carpeting, etc.).  He taught why each owner should obtain personal property coverage to cover not only personal, "un-attached", property but also to cover the exposure of having to pay a $10,000 deductible should a claim be made against the HOA insurance policy.

The majority of the meeting time was spent discussing the current status and progress of the landslide abatment efforts.  Attorney Joseph Hood explained the progress made in negotiating a cost sharing agreement with commercial landowners also affected by the slide.   Homeowners received recently notification of a general assessment of $650 per unit to help fund the construction of an earthen buttress designed to halt the progress of the slide.  Copies of the recent report  and engineered designs are available at the following links:

Buttress Design Letter Link
Buttress Design Illustrations 1 - 4

We will need to get revised construction bids to see if this design is within the draft budget.   We have received permission from the owner of Monster Storage to take dirt at no cost from his site nearby.  There is somewhere between 6,000 and 10,000 yards available and it’s a short haul to our location.   If we run out, the BLM site behind the BeeHive property on Tonaquint is available for the taking.  This should help reduce the cost of obtaining suitable fill dirt.

The buttress is design to be faced with a black geotech fabric which is layered every 18".  However, the fabric as shown on the design will eventually deteriorate due to UV exposure (5 years?).   The design has morphed from being a temporary stop gap to a more permanent structure.    A more expensive option is to face the buttress with gravel filled wire cages which will add about about $6 per sq. ft. to the cost . Once we know the cost we can decide if we can afford to use the wire cages.   The consensus at the meeting was to do it right even if it cost a little more.

Because of the need to keep the drive-thru lane open at the DQ, the design provides only a 20% "safety factor". After meeting with Jim Nordquist this week, I think I now know how to explain what the “safety factor” percentage means.  The design is expected to halt the slide according to the math.  The 20% margin is the extra “fudge factor” in the design to account for some of the unknown or unaccounted for possibilities.  This is the percentage that the design is over-engineered.   The problem here is that the building code (hence, the City)  typically requires a 40% to 50% safety factor before buildings are allowed to be constructed (or reconstructed) on such soil.  What this means is that even if the berm is successful in halting the slide, AGEC is not willing to certify that the site is safe for re-construction or permanent occupancy until the safety factor is increased.  We have asked AGEC to provide a draft design that would provide for an increase the safety factor so that we can obtain a cost estimate and determine how to increase this factor so that we can make repairs to the buildings and satisfy code requirements.  This has to be figured out before evicted residents will be allowed to re-occupy their homes.

In a perfect world we would not do the berm now but try to move quickly to do the 50% safety factor design, organize the improvement district and fund the more sure solution.  Given the fact that the slide is accelerating and that it’s taken 5 months for the various land owners to agree to share costs for just the berm requires that we do the most expedient option which is to build the buttress in hopes that further property damage can be halted.  

Currently, there is an agreement in principle to share costs related only to the buttress based on the pro-rata share of assessed valuation:
•EDG Group (DQ, Pier 49)              14%
•Knights Inn Motel                           20%
•Claim Jumper Restaurant                 11%
•Gardens South HOA                       55%

Until now, Gardens South has shouldered 100% of the burden.   Having the commercial owners agree to share in the costs an allowing the berm to be built on their property is a huge step in the right direction.  It is uncertain if the initial budget of $190,000 for the berm is sufficient, especially if the more expensive option of using the wire cages to face the buttress is chosen.  The draft budget at the moment includes the following anticipated expenses:

DRAFT BUTTRESS BUDGET

  Demolition and Buttress Construction:                 $125,000
  Engineering and testing:                                      $  40,000
  Asphalt Replacement:                                         $  20,000
  Legal:                                                                $    5,000

    Total:                                                               $190,000

Gardens South HOA has about $40,000 in a reserve account set aside for landslide abatement costs.  If the $650/unit special assessment is passed, another $60,000 needs to be raised to help meet the nearly $100,000 obligation that the HOA will have in funding the buttress construction.  If the assessment is not approved, the board will be forced to take action to raise the funds by increasing the monthly dues and making a mandatory assessment as allowed by the CC&Rs and HOA By-laws.   Because the funds are needed immediately, passing the $650 assessment is in the best interest of the homeowners.   Owners will be given the option of paying the total amount or splitting up the payments over three months beginning January 1st. 

We're getting really close to seeing dirt fly and stopping the slide as soon as we accomplish the following:

1.  Obtain construction bids for the buttress as designed and for the wire cage option
2.  Obtain the remaining signed releases and consents from all affected property owners
3.  Finalize and sign the cost sharing agreement among the commercial property owners
4.  All participants fund the costs construction, probably by placing monies in a neutral escrow account prior to  authorizing the start of construction.
5.  Finalize the participation of the city in assisting with the demolition and waiver of land fill fees.
6.  Award the contract to construct the earthen buttress

Again, thanks to all who have contributed to this joint abatement effort and for the cooperative spirit that seems to be forming among the various owners affected by this unfortunate freak of nature.   



Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Property Taxes Lower for 2011

The county assessor has again reduced the 2011 assessed value for most of the properties associated with Gardens South due to the impact of the landslide on values.   The actual property tax bill for most owners is $100’s less than a few years ago.   Just within the last year, there has been a reduction of more than $26,000 in total taxes charged to Gardens South owners.   

The HOA Board will need to raise the monies to fund the association’s share of the landslide abatement costs as well as the future repair costs to Buildings L and M.   It has been suggested that by paying what we’ve been accustomed to paying before values dropped, some to the county and the balance to the HOA, it should greatly ease any financial hardships on property owners.   If owners would pay to the HOA the difference of what  they used to pay when values were higher, the association would have less need to raise dues or make burdensome special assessments.  It may be years before values rebound, but unless funds are raised and the slide halted, more properties will be affected and the damages and costs will escalate.   Condo owners should plan to budget for more special assessments so that the HOA can meet its obligations and so that property values can once again stabilize.   It's in everyone's best interest to fix the problems so that public and lender confidence can be restored and property values increase.  

Landslide Abatement Update


After nearly four months of negotiations, attorneys for the various property owners affected by the slide have finally reached an agreement in principle as to the sharing of costs associated with demolition of affected buildings and the construction of an earthen berm.  Final design specifications for the earthen berm are being prepared by Jim Nordquist of AGEC who has been retained by Gardens South as the primary geotechnical  consulting engineering firm.   The purpose of the berm is to add substantial weight to the bottom toe area of the slide area in hopes that it will slow or possibly stop the property damage caused by the slide.  AGEC assures that the berm is the most expedient solution to arresting the movement of the hillside.  
The proposed budget for the demolition and berming is as follows: 

Total: $190,000
Engineering: $40,000
Demolition:  $30,000
Asphalt Repair:  $20,000
Miscellaneous: $5,000
Berming:  $95,000 or less.

The plan is to demolish the condemned east half of Building “L” of Gardens South Condos and the condemned hotel building located behind the Claim Jumper restaurant and construct the berm where the hotel now stands and behind the Dairy Queen property.    The hope is for the earthen berm to be more permanent than temporary.  The property owners want to give it their best shot to stop the hillside movement with the berm. 
As to the Dairy Queen side, there is an agreement with the EDG Group and the DQ Group as to the placement the berm at a line approx. 23' north of the existing retaining wall.  The line is painted on the asphalt and has some curvature to it.  The berm behind DQ is to be stepped with a 5-6 foot initial lift and about a 6 foot step back before the next lift.  DQ does not want access to the drive through blocked during construction.  Most of the work may need to come through the Motel side.

As to the Motel, the berm has no similar restrictions and can go next to the North-South running building, though there may need to be rock cages or concrete blocks stacked near the North end of the building to achieve the necessary height.  The berm can then fill the area where the hotel building was.  The design will need to make sure the ally between this building and the Claim Jumper Restaurant is preserved. 
Because it is a stretch for all parties to raise the necessary cash, the most effective yet fiscally conservative berm design is desired.  Once the design is finalized, bids obtained and approved, and all consents signed by the various owners and other parties affected, the work should begin hopefully before the end of the year.  

Monies will need to be collected from the property owners and deposited to an escrow account for disbursement as work progresses. If the berm is successful in arresting the movement of the slide, each of the major property owners will then be responsible for the repairs to their respective properties.



For Gardens South, the cost will need to be spread among all condo owners.  As to the repairs of Buildings M and L, there will need to be sufficient time and evidence proving that the slide has stabilized before the City will permit work to be done on restoring the buildings.  At present, it appears that the buildings may be saved from demolition and eventually repaired.  However, the City will require that all utilities be exposed, inspected and that a structural engineer certify that the buildings are safe for occupancy before anyone can move in again.  Monies will need to be raised to fund the repairs by special assessment so that funds are available to make the repairs.  

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Agreement Hopeful

The City of St. George has agreed to assist in reducing the cost of demolishing the west hotel building and half of bldg. "L" of the condos by waiving the landfill fees (nearly $20k).   We are now into the third month of trying to obtain a consensus among the various property owners as to how to fairly split the costs of constructing a large berm where the hotel now stands and behind the Dairy Queen.   The total cost of demolition, berm construction, engineering fees and asphalt repair is estimated to be about $200,000. Using the assessed valuations of each parcel, Gardens South would be responsible for about 54% and the balance would be divided among the other four property owners according to their pro-rata share.   Numerous meetings with the owners and their attorneys have been held since July with little progress.  Another meeting was held on Monday, Oct. 10th and we think we are closer to an agreement.  The city has imposed a deadline of another week to see if all parties can agree.    Once all owners are in agreement, the plan forward is to demolish the buildings and construct the berm.  The theory behind the berm design is that by adding weight and mass to the bottom of the the slide area, it will help to stabilize and slow the movement. With a little luck it may even halt the movement entirely.  There has been continued movement during the last 90 days and there is more damage to "M" building that did not exist 120 days ago.   If the berm is successful in halting the slide, it may be feasible to eventually repair the damages to "M" and possibly the west half of "L".  Funding the cost of the berm for Gardens South will be a matter of discussion at the annual meeting of homeowners scheduled for November 19th.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Date Of Annual Meeting Announced

The Gardens South Annual HOA Meeting will be held on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 10 a.m. at the Lexington Hotel (previously Holiday Inn) on Bluff St.    We encourage all owners to attend this important meeting during which many issues concerning the HOA will be discussed.
Property owners are welcome to attend the monthly Board meetings which are usually held at 5pm on the third Tuesday of each month at the offices of Condominium Association Mgmt. on the corner of Tabernacle and 400 E. in St. George.  If you have a concern or particular item to discuss, please notify the Mgmt. Company at least a week in advance so that they can schedule time on the agenda.  Call to confirm the meeting time and date as occasionally the meeting date must be changed in the event of a conflict.

Property Tax Notices ... the good and bad news

Property owners recently received the property tax assessment notices from the Washington County Assessors Office and those within Garden South should have noticed a nearly 50% reduction in the market and assessed values.  The County Assessor has discounted the values to reflect the depressed market values caused by the uncertainties and extra costs that property owners are expected to incur as a result of the landslide.  I noticed that the owners of Building M may want to formally appeal the value of their units next year to further reduce the amount of taxes charged as the Assessor has not recognized the condemnation action in the current values.  You can learn more about the appeal process by pressing HERE.

The good news is that we will all pay less property taxes this year.  The bad news is that is property values in Gardens South are WAY down, even more than the market in general making it very difficult for owners to sell, especially if they have a mortgage.  There are about 14 owners out of the 111 that are seriously delinquent in the payment of their HOA fees and this is affecting the ability for the HOA to meet its monthly obligations.  Unlike the federal gov't which can issue debt or print more money, a HOA is a small government that must spend no more than it receives.   The total of non-payers and late payers has created about a $5,000 per month short fall in operating revenues.  The Board voted to temporarily use for operations some of the funds that would otherwise be deposited into our savings account for future repairs and maintenance until such time as the monies owed to the association can be collected which now total nearly $40,000 in receivables.  The HOA Board will have no other choice but to raise fees or cut services in order to protect the interests of all property owners.

The HOA is granted legal authority to file and foreclose a lien against any property that is delinquent.  Even those in the two condemned buildings M and L are required to pay HOA fees because it is viewed as a monthly tax or assessment that is used to pay the obligations for the common ownership of property.  Those who dismiss their mortgage obligation by foreclosure are still are liable for the HOA fees and a personal judgment is often sought even after a foreclosure is filed.

There is another problem that may arise as a result of the recent property devaluations by the County Assessor :   In order to form a Special Assessment District and sell bonds to finance the costs to permanently stop the landslide, investor lenders look for at least a five to one ratio of debt to assessed value.  The total assessed values (which is less than the market value) for Gardens South Condos and the commercial properties (Dairy Queen, Knights Inn Hotel, Claim Jumper, Pier 49 Pizza, etc.) was approximately $10,000,000 last year.  This year the total valuation has dropped to about $5,500,000 which may make it more challenging to obtain financing.  Of course, once the landslide is stabilized and property damage is repaired, values should rebound (and taxes increase) as a result of renewed market confidence.


What's happened lately?

After the evacuation of Building M, many are wondering what has happened behind the scenes during the past six weeks.  The recommendation from the geotechnical engineers was to immediately remove the north building of Knights Inn hotel and construct a large berm of compacted earth at the base of the hill where the hotel now stands and also in the parking lot behind the Dairy Queen.   Picture an ice cream scoop where a bite has been taken out of the front of the scoop... the weight of the remaining ice cream tends to slide down to take it's place.     By placing dirt, and we're talking A LOT OF DIRT (600 truck loads), at the toe of the slide, the extra weight is expected to dramatically slow the movement of the slide.

After six weeks of meetings, emails, and discussions to resolve legal and practical issues, draft agreements with the various property owners, obtain easements, etc. we are just now thinking that it might possibly happen.  Bids were recently obtained from several excavation contractors and the cost of demolition and building the berm exceeded $100,000.   The City of St. George has been very helpful in trying to reduce this cost and may even agree to help loan some of the funds to accomplish the demolition.  

The City has decided it may be best for them to take charge of the demolition portion of the job to save money and seek repayment from the property owners involved through property taxes.  It has been decided to tear down at least the south half of Building L in addition to the hotel building.   A structural engineer from Las Vegas was hired by Gardens South last week to inspect the north half of Bldg. L and he determined that the building is still structurally sound and could be repaired.   The city building dept. is in the process of making their own inspection this week and will decide if they agree with the engineers observations.  Tearing down any or all of the condominium buildings will do nothing to slow the movement of the landslide as the weight of the buildings is nothing compared to the total weight of the saturated earth that is actually causing the earth to move.  


A temporary water line has been connected to service Building N and will need to be either buried or somehow freeze protected (sand bags?) before winter sets in.  A major concern is whether or not the slide has damaged the main sewer line that services not only Buildings N, M, & L but also service the upper tiered buildings including P & Q.    If the sewer is damaged, this will be a major expense to repair and will delay the occupancy of M and L owners.   The other utilities (gas, electric, water, phone, and cable) are relatively secure and easily re-connected to Building M.


Assuming the legal and financial issues can be resolved soon, the demolition and construction of the berm will the first physical attempt to slow the landslide and attempt to halt the damages to property.  It will take several months of observation to determine if the earthen berm is successful in halting the slide.    This is viewed as a temporary, stop gap measure and is not expected to be the ultimate solution.   However, if it appears that the slide has stopped as a result of the berm construction,  we will approach the city to inspect the facilities and re-attach utilities to allow residents of M to re-occupy their homes.    Realistically, this will not happen until sometime next year.    Owners who wish to enter their homes in the meantime to remove personal possessions must obtain permission from the city building department to do so.  The city and HOA are concerned about the safety issues of condemned buildings and will not be responsible if anyone is hurt as a result of trespassing or entering Buildings L and M.    





Monday, July 11, 2011

Landslide Problems Attract Media Attention

Both newspaper and television reporters were invited by condo owner Garry "Bud" Thomas and Dairy Queen proprietor, Ken Webster, to investigate the issues surrounding the landslide.  Neither reporter chose to review this blog,  interview the geotechnical scientists involved, or talk to representatives of the condo association board or the other commercial property owners who might have given a more objective slant to the story.
Building M residents were officially notified on July 1, 2011 by the City of St. George to evacuate their units because the building was judged no longer safe to inhabit due to the risk of utility lines breaking as a consequence of the slow moving slide.   Four of the twelve units were occupied by full-time residents who were required to find alternative housing.  The other eight units are owned by non-residents as vacation or investment properties.   Three of the units in "M" were purchased at a deep discount within the last year from foreclosure sales.  Purchasers had full disclosure of the landslide issues prior to closing.
Further meetings with those representing the four commercial property owners and the condo HOA were held on July 5th, to discuss a possible cost sharing agreement and to obtain a consensus among owners regarding the implementation of recommendations from the geo-technical engineers to remove ASAP the condemned section of Knights Inn Motel and 1/2 of condo building "L" and place approx. 6,000 tons of dirt at the toe of the slide.  The added weight at the bottom of the slide is expected to slow the advancement of the slide.  Mr. Webster does not agree with the engineer's recommendations and is objecting to the placement of dirt on the parking lot for fear that it may affect his business.   Negotiations will continue with the goal of protecting all property owners involved.
Meanwhile, a more permanent fix is being designed so that construction bids and financing can be obtained to halt the slide and make repairs to the buildings affected.

Links to the news reports are found below:

Channel 2 News report, July 8, 2011

The Spectrum newspaper article of July 2, 2011

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Emergency Property Owners Meeting, June 28, 2011

About 60 people, including property owners or their representatives, attended an emergency meeting held at 393 E. Riverside Dr. 3A at 12 noon.   The properties represented at the meeting included:  Gardens South Condominiums, EDG (Dairy Queen and Pier 49 buildings), Knights Inn Motel, and the Claim Jumper Restaurant.
Mr. Jim Nordquist, President of AGEC, presented scientific evidence describing the slide and his recommendations for abatement.
Mr. Bruce Jenkins, Attorney, then presented information about the proposed formation of a Special Assessment District among affected property owners to raise the required funds to stop the slide and repair the damages to property.

Summary of Mr. Nordquist's presentation:

1.  The slide is part of a much larger ancient landslide that has been moving for a long, long time.
2.  Multiple slide planes were found to be moving, one 6.5 ft. below the DQ parking lot and other at 35 ft. below ground.  The soils are naturally saturated and the natural water table is high (within several feet of the surface).   These soil characteristics are true for most of the southern part of the airport hill.
3.  The structural strength of the soil is very weak.  Once it begins to move, it continues to weaken and move at a faster rate.
4.  The rate of movement has been slow over the last 20 years (about 1 inch per year), however, within the past year the rate of movement on the surface is increasing.   Nearly five inches of movement has occurred within the past 6 months.  One inch in less than a week.
5.  The slide is caused by the shear weight of the saturated soils.  By comparison, the weight of the buildings represents less than 1% of the total mass weight.   Hence, removing buildings will not stop the slide.
6.  The slide is causing the properties (Motel, DQ, and Restaurant) located at the "toe", or bottom, to lift and heave as dirt is pushed up along the slide planes.   Buildings "L" and "M" of the condo project are experiencing lateral movement as well as some heaving.
7.  The slide, if not stopped, will continue to migrate up the hill affecting properties higher on the hill and causing the lower properties to heave.
8.  Recommendations:
         a)  Immediately place approx. 6000 yds. of soil at the base of the slide to add weight.  This should dramatically slow the rate of movement.
         b)  a more permanent fix would be to drill and install large diameter (4 ft.?) concrete piers below the slide plane (60 ft?) and also drill laterally into the slope several hundred feet to install tie-back piers to hold back the slide.  Cost estimates are being compiled for both recommendations.

You may view segments of the video-taped presentation by clicking on the following links:

Geotechnical Presentation, part 1

Geotechnical Presentation, part 2

Mr. Bruce Jenkins then explained the proposed creation of a Special Assessment District so that bonds could be sold to finance the construction and property repairs.  Property owners would vote to tax themselves and repay the obligation over time rather than having to each come up with the money immediately.   It is estimated that about $2 million will be required, however, owners will have an opportunity to vote on the exact amount once the costs are actually determined.  The following steps need to occur:

1.  The property owners must sign a petition and formally serve the City of St. George requesting the city to accept or deny the petition to create a Special District.  We expect the city to deny the petition.
2.  Each property owner must then be given a opportunity to vote (sign a petition) to form the SSD.  If 67% or more of the owners sign, then a formal election can be avoided and the process is accelerated.
3.  Once the costs to fix the problem are known, property owners will then vote to approve the assessment amount and if approved, the funding process is initiated by creating and selling bonds to raise the money.
4.  The bonds become a tax obligation and owners will receive a separate tax bill in addition to the regular property tax from the county.


A meeting with city officials was held at 2:30 pm during which Mr. Nordquist presented an abbreviated version of his findings. The city expressed a desire to help the property owners within the scope of its powers  and to help expedite the process to minimize further damage.   Concern was expressed for the safety of residents of Bldg. M of GSC and the hotel patrons and DQ customers and steps will be taken to minimize bodily harm until the slide can be stabilized.   Residents of "M" will be asked to find temporary housing until such time as the buildings are approved for occupancy once again.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Rate of Movement Increasing



From: Jim Nordquist [mailto:nord@agecinc.com]
Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2011 6:14 AM
To: Dan Steurer
Subject: RE: schedule

Good morning Dan -

Based on our measurements yesterday -
  • Building "L"
    • The east side of the buliding appears to have moved 0.8" in the last three months.  It had moved about 0.7" in the prior 3 years.
    • The west side of the building appears to have not moved.
  • Bulding "M"
    • The only good reading we have in the area of Builidng "M" is on the south end.   It appears to be moving at only a slight increase (during the last 3 months) from what it has been doing over the past 2.8 years.
    • The other inclinometers by building "M" and "L" have sheared off, so that we are not able to measure the actual movement

My suggestion is still to place soil (or something else really heavy like concrete blocks, rocks, etc.) east of the retaining wall behind DQ and also east of the wall in the area of the motel.  This would be the fastest way to help improve the situation.  The more that can be placed the better.  I will try and do some analysis to see the relative impact of placing 5, 10 and 15 feet of soil.

Good luck today!

Jim


    


From: Dan Steurer [Dan@sunwestdev.com]
Sent: Friday, June 17, 2011 4:59 PM
To: Jim Nordquist
Cc: Bruce C. Jenkins; Jason Schall; Karen Hatch; Terry R. Brotherson; Chip Bair; Kimberly Graff - Community Association Mgmt.
Subject: RE: schedule
Ok… we’ll get started on the legal petitions with group A.   I assume that group B “static and seismic conductions” means that they are impacted only in the event of a seismic event?   Shoring up the 400 ft. that is actively moving and damaging group A property wouldn’t benefit B properties unless the shoring efforts extended eastward, correct?
It sounds like placing soil behind the retaining wall is something that probably should have been done when it was built.  It will involve the neighbors below.   The city agreed to let us run a temporary power line to restore power to “M” today and do the repair next week.  This will allow the residents to get through the weekend (several are elderly and not able to easily make other arrangements).   The water line should be repaired by tonight.  

From: Jim Nordquist [mailto:nord@agecinc.com]
Sent: Friday, June 17, 2011 3:34 PM
To: Dan Steurer
Subject: RE: schedule

Dan –

A.   The areas of immediate impact appear to be (as you listed) the following:
·         Garden South
·         Soon Wilmette Trust
·         EDG Group LC
·         Park Dae Won
·         Richard Ringwood

This group would be impacted if the area of current movement were to continue.


B.   The next level of potential impact includes:
·         Family Circle Limited Partnership
·         The Bluffs, Phase 1
·         Black Ridge Terrace A, Commercial Condominiums
·         Black Ridge Commercial Center Condominiums, Phase 2
·         Jenkins Oil Co., Inc.
·         South Bluff Plaza Condominiums

This group would likely “fight” inclusion into the SSD.  Their risk is under static and seismic conductions.

C.            The next level of potential impact includes:
·         The areas developed on the geologically mapped landslide.
·         Their risk is likely tied to seismic activity at a level required by current code.
·         This group would definitely “fight” inclusion into the SSD.

I hope that this will help you – in such an eventful time.

If you need to quickly reduce the potential for movement, soil could be placed in front of the retaining wall west of the DQ.  The more soil, the better.  An option would be to place jersey barriers to maintain some access, and then placing soil between the retaining wall and the jersey barriers.    This may not help a lot, but some help or assistance would be beneficial.

Thanks,

Jim



From: Dan Steurer [mailto:Dan@sunwestdev.com]
Sent: Friday, June 17, 2011 3:15 PM
To: Jim Nordquist
Cc: Jason Schall; Karen Hatch; Terry R. Brotherson; Chip Bair; Bruce C. Jenkins
Subject: RE: schedule

  
There is increased urgency and a need to really expedite the process.   We had another lateral main water line to Building M break (yesterday?) and it wasn’t discovered until the sidewalk collapsed this morning and water began surfacing below at the DQ.   The M building has moved about four inches more in the last month, more than in the past 15 years.   The sewer lines on the west end of M are back-draining because the building has dropped.  This morning the electric lines were pulled away from the transformer and the 600 amp panel on the building was fried.  We have 8 units without power and water.  
I tried reaching both you and Arnold this morning but couldn’t, so I called Dave Black from Rosenberg to take a look and see if there is immediate danger.   I haven’t heard back from him yet but he said he would grab Walt Jones and have a look today.   We don’t want anyone to get hurt.  The west 8 units of Bldg M are moving intact with the foundation secure and the building does not appear to be leaning as much or coming off the foundation like building L.   The east end four units of M have moved less and therefore there is a widening split occurring at the fire wall where the 8 units are separating from the 4 unit section.   It’s been a busy day.   We’ve got a plumber trying to find the leak and an electrician trying to restore power as I write this  The city repaired the transformer and will need to reinspect the service panel repair  before they will allow power back on which means we will have 8 more owners displaced if they decide to condemn the building.   Is mother nature going to win this one before we can get manpower and money together?  
Are we safe to assume that only the GSC, DQ, Hotel, Steak House, and tax strip properties are involved?   If so, we’ll start the legal process and petition the city and owners to form an SSD.   I think we should also notify formally the owners of M building how serious the problems are and prepare them for the fact that they may possibly be evicted if the units are judged unsafe.    We’re trying to be proactive and keep the communication lines open to avoid stupid lawsuits.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Steps Required to Form a Services District for Funding

We are still waiting on AGEC to finalize their analysis of the landslide and provide us with a description of the properties affected and the estimated cost to stabilize the hillside.   Once we have this report, a meeting of all affected property owners will be held to evaluate the recommendations and formulate a plan for halting the continuing damage to property caused by the landslide.  
Meanwhile we did receive from attorney Mark Anderson information as to the steps required to form a Special Assessment District so that the affected property owners can vote whether or not to sell a type of municipal bond to raise the funds required to pay for the landslide abatement and property repairs.  The bonds would be repaid over time by a separate property tax collected by the Special District of property owners.   The amount assessed to each property owner would be based on the assessed value of each parcel as a percentage of the total assessed value of the combined properties forming the Special Assessment District.  This appears to be the least costly and fairest way to apportion the costs of stabilizing the hillside and repairing the damaged properties among the various property owners.

Here is a link to the Memorandum from Mark Anderson that details the steps required.
Funding Memorandum Link

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Recent Findings

Jim Nordquist of AGEC met with members of the Garden South HOA board last night to present the most recent conclusions resulting from analysis of the inclinometer readings taken in April, 2011.  The inclinometer located near the retaining wall behind the Dairy Queen was particularly interesting.   The casing has sheared in two different locations, one 6 ft below the parking lot, and the other is nearly 33 ft. deep.  The casing was offset nearly five inches indicating the amount of movement since 2008 in two separate slide planes.  This information will be used to create design specifications which can be given to prospective contractors in anticipation of receiving cost estimates to stabilize the slope.   The data indicates that most of the broader hillside area is moving, but at a very slow rate (less than 1/4" per year).  The most active area is limited to a section that appears to be an ancient ravine about 400 ft. wide.   When available, we will post aerial maps to illustrate the affected properties.   Once the findings are summarized and cost estimates are obtained, we will begin the process of educating property owners, government officials and others who have a stake in the problems caused by this slow moving landslide.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Landslide Summary


Brief Historical Summary:


* In 1992, Klienfelder Engineering issued a report on Building "L" of Garden South and identified problems with expansive soil - no problems with the slope were identified.

* Approximately 10 years later, in or about 2002, Rosenberg Associates reviewed Building "L" and identified possible slope instability, though a landslide area was not specifically identified.

* In 2008 the Utah Geological Society issued a report identifying the area in and around Garden South as part of an historic landslide.

* In 2008, AGEC issued a report to Garden South and to Ence Construction confirming slope instability in the area of Buildings "L" and "M".  Evidence of separation between the fire wall partitions of building 'L' and the stress on utilities forced the city to evacuate residents and condemn the building.

* In 2011, AGEC conducted a detailed assessment of the entire area and determined the area involved in and affected by the slide, which area included Knights Inn, Dairy Queen, Pier 49, Claim Jumper, and the Gardens South Condos.  


Evidence of earth movement along the south end of the old airport hill in St. George, Utah has been visible for many years.   Recent geo-technical studies have shed additional light on the most active areas of movement which affects the following business properties located near 900 S. Bluff St.:   Knights Inn, Dairy Queen, Pier 49 Pizza, Claim Jumper Steak House, and the residential community of Garden South Condominiums.     Had this knowledge base been available 15 to 20 years ago when many of the buildings were constructed within the slide area, the construction methods would have been much different.

As a result of several geotechnical studies funded by Gardens South, the evidence suggests that the affected property owners are victims of an ancient, slowly moving slide that has existed for eons.  There appears to be two separate slide planes:  one about 10 feet below the surface and other located about 35 feet below.  The lower slide plane appears to be moving at less than 1/2 inch per year while the upper plane is moving at a faster rate.  The direction of the slide is not perpendicular to the slope of the hill, but rather at approximately a 30 degree angle to the south east.   The most active area appears to be contained within a 400 foot wide zone.

Earth movement is usually caused by the accumulation of water to unstable or layered soils.  The hydrostatic pressure increases the relative weight of soils within the unstable area forcing slope to seek equilibrium, at which time the movement stops.  During  the past five years there have been two notable floods in St. George (Jan. 2006 and Dec. 2010) with water levels in the nearby Santa Clara and Virgin Rivers reaching record highs.   Following the prolonged rains during the month of December 2010, evidence of accelerated movement within the slide area has been noted.   Underground water tables, which can fluctuate, were notably higher during the early months of 2011 (within several feet of the surface).  Stress on the utilities caused a gas line to break at the Knights Inn and two water lines at Gardens South to break in May and June of 2011.  The additional water caused the slide to move at an accelerated rate forcing the evacuation of building L residents on July 1, 2011 for fear that utilities would be further compromised.

Construction practices can also aggravate and destabilize a slide area.  Cutting out the toe of the hill or terracing can sometimes cause an imbalance in the slope.   The addition of water from heavy landscaping irrigation, broken pipes or water leaks, and poor drainage practices can add to soil weight and slope instability.   However, water can also be fed into the ground from remote sources including water that percolates into the soils from the top of the airport mesa above the slide area and the water that is permitted to drain over the cliff along the airport road.  Whatever the source, there is clearly substantial hydrostatic pressure resulting in soils movement along the slide plane.

Posted on this site are some of the geo-technical studies that have continued to evolve over the years as more scientific data is made available.  In 2008, a number of holes were drilled in the slide area to measure over time the location and rate of movement within the slide plane.  The most recent readings (April and May, 2011) were very helpful and we are now finalizing the recommendations for stabilizing the slope and attempting to prevent further property damage.

The plan forward is to:

a. Gather the scientific data to understand the extent and nature of the problem
b. Determine if it can be fixed within the scope of economic reason
c. If so, design a fix and obtain a cost estimate
d. Obtain funding, preferably via a Local Improvement District in which affected property owners vote to tax themselves over time (20 years?) to repay a general obligation bond that will be used to pay for the repairs.
e. Once funding is assured, perform the slope stabilization construction and repairs to buildings.
f. Live happily ever after!

We welcome questions and comments.   If you wish to have your questions addressed privately (not posted here publicly, use the "contact" tab and I will respond by email.