BRIEF: San Diego will pay $1.4M for La Jolla Shores flood damage blamed on aging storm drain system

Oct. 16--San Diego is paying $1.4 million to cover flood damage in early 2016 to a single-family home in La Jolla Shores, damage that is being blamed on a clogged city storm drain.

The payout is one of many by San Diego related to its aging storm drain system, which the city's independent budget analyst has urged city officials to upgrade to reduce liability from property damage and potential sinkholes.

The house at 8554 El Paseo Grande was flooded in January 2016 during a severe rainstorm, according to city documents.

The flood was caused by a section of storm drain pipe becoming offset at a joint uphill from the property on La Jolla Shores Drive. The pipe became plugged with debris, which caused runoff to bypass storm drain inlets and flow down into the property, city documents say.

The payout will be divided between Lexington Insurance, which will receive $1.2 million, and property owner E.S. Holdings, LLC, which will receive $200,000.

The City Council unanimously approved the payout on Tuesday, one month after voting in favor of the payout in a session closed to the public.

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