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Council directs committee work with school and community college leaders on building sites and joint-use strategies
Summary
Councilmembers asked the Education and Planning committees to coordinate with the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles Community College District on school-site planning, joint-use agreements and land-use strategies; the motion to pursue committee hearings and a CLA legislative-history review passed unanimously.
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to move a motion directing staff and committee chairs to coordinate with the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles Community College District on school-site planning, joint-use partnerships and strategies to avoid eminent-domain displacement.
Why it matters: council members said land is scarce and urged coordinated planning so new schools, community colleges and shared facilities are integrated with parks, transit and libraries and avoid displacing residents where possible. The motion asks district leaders to appear before committee and requests a CLA review of the council’s legislative history on school-related land-use matters.
What the council approved Councilmember LeBonge introduced a motion seeking to convene the superintendent of LAUSD and the chancellor of the community college district for committee-level briefings and a possible special order presentation to the full council. Councilmember Ridley Thomas offered a motion — described as friendly and adopted in committee — to elevate the issue and asked that the council consider assembling a task force or joint committee meeting so the city, LAUSD and the community colleges coordinate plans and share public properties where feasible.
Council discussion covered multiple proposals, including: - Joint committee hearings (Education & Neighborhoods with Planning and Land Use) to gather institutional plans and related city planning data. - Directing the City Administrative Officer/CLA to compile the council’s legislative history on school-district matters to support committee deliberations. - Exploring creative site options including decking over underused corridors or freeway airspace and repurposing public facilities (e.g., certain city-owned buildings) to avoid residential displacement.
Formal action and vote - Motion: direct committees to convene LAUSD superintendent and community college chancellor, and request CLA report on council legislative history and site-strategy options. Vote: 14–0. Outcome: approved; staff to schedule a joint committee hearing and return recommendations.
Context and next steps Committee chairs committed to convene a joint committee meeting and return to the council with proposals; members suggested the first joint meeting as soon as practicable and recommended involving City Planning, DWP and other relevant departments to assess costs and feasibility, including a CLA analysis of costs to deck airspace over waterways or other locations.
Ending: Councilmembers said the matter is a multi-decade land-use issue that requires cross-departmental coordination, community engagement and a strategic approach to siting school facilities without displacing residents.
