Is a 1976 drainage plan to blame for 2023 Rolling Hills Estates landslide? Homeowners' lawsuit says yes

In 1976, city officials recommended avoiding concrete channels for drainage, prioritizing natural aesthetics. However, this decision ignored flood control standards and led to catastrophic consequences decades later.

The homeowners' lawsuit claims the city and county neglected proper drainage management, opting for an unprotected natural channel, resulting in a landslide that destroyed homes and endangered lives.

The management of stormwater into the canyon eroded the slope's base, causing a collapse in July 2023, despite known risks of landslides in the area.

Affected homeowners allege that the city and county's deliberate ignorance of proper standards, for the sake of aesthetics, led to the disastrous consequences experienced.

Read at Los Angeles Times