Landslide at San Clemente’s Casa Romantica marks a season of crumbling cliffs
On a rather cool spring day in late April, Amy Behrens was strolling through the manicured grounds of Casa Romantica, a historic San Clemente landmark known for its panoramic ocean view, when she heard a low rumble. As she looked on in shock, a portion of the steep sandstone cliff underlying the cultural center crumbled toward the beach below, dragging with it portions of Casa Romantica’s iconic ocean terrace and resplendent walkways planted in bright coastal flora. … A crack first discovered on the terrace April 16 had prompted a decision to cordon off the area while the city contracted with geotechnical engineers for a $75,000 study of soil movement on the bluff. The landslide followed 11 days later and left the terrace — a sought-after wedding venue — and portions of the coastline below red-tagged.