Plum Committee requests report and draft ordinance to fast-track Olympic projects, adds opt-out and safeguards

The Planning and Land Use Committee voted to refer a motion instructing City Planning, the City Attorney, the Department of Building and Safety and other departments to prepare a report and a draft ordinance that would allow expedited processing for temporary and permanent Olympic and Paralympic facilities and related structures for the 2028 Games.

Committee Chair Paul Blumenfield opened discussion by saying departments should proceed but that the council needed a safety valve so that "particular projects that council determines based on things like size and location should not be subject to the streamlining process." Members added specific safeguards during the hearing: an opt-out mechanism by council action, clarity that projects identified as "2028 Games projects" must still comply with certain mobility improvements (Measure HLA), and an instruction that departments report back before an ordinance is finalized so councilmembers and the public can review proposed criteria.

The nut graf: With a short time horizon to 2028, the committee sought to balance the city's interest in enabling staging of temporary facilities with protections for community input, historic resources, mobility and environmental review. The adopted motion directs departments to prepare a report that outlines the universe of projects that could be expedited, the criteria for designating a Games-related project, and recommended safeguards, and to prepare an accompanying draft ordinance. Departments were also told to flag projects that should be excluded from streamlining and to notify council offices when potential projects move through the expedited process.

Planning's Ken Bernstein told the committee the motion recognizes the possibility of necessary temporary or related improvements despite Los Angeles' earlier description of the bid as a "no-build" Games. Bernstein said the department would collaborate with the Office of Major Events, City Administrative Officer and other departments.

Public comment included neighborhood council opposition from the Historic Cultural North Neighborhood Council, which argued the motion is vague and could enable projects without sufficient transparency. Members of the "Stop the Gondola" coalition testified that the motion could be used to fast-track transit infrastructure proposals that lacked completed environmental analysis and conditions required by Metro.

Committee members responded by instructing that the report back come before the ordinance and by adding the opt-out by council majority; members also added the CLA (Chief Legislative Analyst) to the reporting departments. The committee adopted the amendments and the overall referral 5-0.

The DCP was told to report back with recommendations prior to preparing the final ordinance and to include definitions of "temporary" versus "permanent" infrastructure, criteria for determining whether a project qualifies as a Games project, and procedures to ensure community notification and options for council review. The committee recorded the vote as 5 ayes.