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Council asks staff for report on "ghost kitchens" after neighbors cite traffic and safety problems
Summary
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously requested a city report on 'ghost kitchens' and how delivery operations affect neighborhoods, approving item 32 by voice vote 13-0. Councilmember Soto Martínez described complaints about traffic and safety where delivery-only kitchens operate in areas not designed for heavy vehicle queuing.
The Los Angeles City Council on July 30 approved a request for a city staff report to study the impact of delivery-only or "ghost" kitchens on neighborhood traffic, safety and business operations. The motion, introduced by Councilmember Soto Martínez, passed without recorded opposition, 13 to 0.
"In my district we are seeing ghost kitchens in places not equipped to handle hundreds of vehicles entering and queuing, leaving neighbors with congestion and unsafe driving conditions," Councilmember Soto Martínez told colleagues when calling item 32 for a separate vote. "This report will look at what technologies or approaches the city can use to create a buffer so that people may wait a few blocks away and not cause so much traffic, balancing small businesses and neighborhoods."
Soto Martínez described the request as an information report to evaluate options rather than a regulatory change. The council opened the public list for the item and then recorded the vote; the transcript records the final tally as 13 in favor.
Supporters said the study aims to preserve local small businesses that use delivery models while addressing residents’ quality-of-life concerns. The transcript contains no specific regulatory language or required deadlines for the study; councilmembers indicated an intent to work with colleagues to find a balanced approach.
The item was heard during the council’s regular agenda and was not amended on the floor. The council did not specify an exact timeline for the staff report during the July 30 meeting.
