Geraldine Wilkins–Kasinga / Los Angeles Times
In 1998, a hill below Via Estoril collapsed due to heavy rains during the winter. Properties were destroyed when they slid down the hill and the properties below the hill were damaged. Residents of the Laguna Niguel neighborhood thought no one would think to build on this location again.
Laguna Niguel Properties LLC, builder of the original Niguel Summit neighborhood, is proposing new condominiums at the base of the hill in 2022. They claim improvements have been made since the landslide to prevent future disasters. However, local residents are worried the construction will destabilize the hill, causing another landslide.