New Pacific Palisades Fault Map Could Spell Trouble For Building

LOS ANGELES, CA — State officials Thursday released new maps outlining the locations of earthquake fault lines that run under Pacific Palisades and may spell trouble for landowners looking to build on their property.

The fault lines on the Westside and other parts of the Los Angeles area which could have a major impact on future development projects.

The maps from the California Geological Survey show a fault line cutting through neighborhoods in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and other Westside neighborhoods and were made under the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Act. The maps will now undergo a 90-day review. They also show the Santa Monica Fault line cutting through Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Century City, Westwood and West Los Angeles.

The general location of the fault lines have been known for years, but once finalized, the maps could prevent some future development projects, as the AP Act prohibits construction of certain structures for human occupancy on top of an active fault line.

Although the maps would not completely prevent structures from being built on fault lines, they do require developers working near a one to conduct a seismic review, and the ultimate approval of a project on a fault line lies with local authorities.

The new maps released also completed an analysis of the western edge of the Hollywood fault, and the northern edge of the Newport-Inglewood fault, which runs through Culver City, Mid-City and Pico-Robertson.

City News Service: Images courtesy of the California Geological Survey