Erosion concerns resurface in Pacifica after trail sinkhole

PACIFCA, Calif. (KTVU) - A sinkhole that opened up over the weekend on private property along a cliff face in Pacifica appears to have blocked access to a public beach. 

The property is the responsibility of the owners of an apartment complex called Land's End Apartments on Esplanade Avenue, according to Pacifica City Manager Lorie Tinfow. 

"We received calls from the media over the weekend about the beach access pathway being closed but I have heard nothing directly from Oceanaire," said Tinfow. "Because the property is privately owned, the City is making no other statements at this time."

Over the weekend, someone associated with Land's End blocked access to a trail that leads down to the beach and put up a sign reading "beach access closed."

"They put up the sign and roped off the access to the beach over the weekend," Tinfow said in a statement. "The City did not play a role in those activities."

Photos and video posted on social media sites show a large gap in the earth that has partially destroyed the path.

The sinkhole is near the site of an apartment complex at 320 Esplanade Ave. that was demolished in March due to massive cliff-side erosion that threatened to pull the building into the ocean.

"The sand just washed away. So we have a big cavity," said Nasser Elslhi who said he was he conractor and an owner of the property.

Video taken by a passerby with a drone shows some of the erosion of the cliffs above the shoreline. And that erosion will have concequnces for the area.

The property next to the beach path, 310 Esplanade Avenue, was declared unlivable earlier this year. And the buildig is condemned because it sits too close the cliff's edge.

The two apartment building next that one have already been demolished.

And longtime neighbors further down on esplande sense the problems won't go away.

"This will next to our side here and that will come out. And where we're standing right now probably will too eventually.," said Fred Phillips who stood near the condemned properties.

The city issued a statement sayiing the sinkhole is the responsibility of the owner.

But the cty also says: "The city also received reports of new bluff erosion at 310 Esplanade Avenue and has contacted its geotechnical consultant for review."

The owner of the beach path property says he wll make the path safe.

"We are going to fill up the area with concrete and do what we need to do after that," said the owner.

The work should be completed by the end of the week, officials said.

The city has built concrete barriers into the the bluffs near here for protection. But with king tides expected this week, the city will almost certainly be monitoring the bluffs.

KTVU reporter Rob Rother contributed to this report.