Pismo Beach officials say the seawall is necessary to protect the St. Andrews sewage pumping station, located 12 feet from the edge of the bluff on Seacliff Drive at Baker Avenue, near Memory Park in Shell Beach. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has worked with the city on the project and is footing much of the estimated $2.7 million construction cost. As part of this approval, the commission has also required Pismo Beach return in five years to report on what steps it could take to relocate the sewage lift station. Community Development Director Jon Biggs told commissioners that work on a “managed retreat study” has already started. In addition, the city is to provide an assessment of the seawall in 20 years, which the commission’s executive director will use to determine whether the seawall is still needed and should be retained, removed or modified.
