Council approves supplemental payment for Venice Beach design consultant after accounting oversight

The Los Angeles City Council on Nov. 14 approved a supplemental agreement to pay design consultants on the Venice Beach Oceanfront project after staff said invoices were submitted and processed after the original contract expired.

Councilmember Holden raised concerns about work done without an active contract and asked staff to detail what had been completed and why payment was appropriate. Kathleen Chan, project manager for the Venice Beach Oceanfront project, said the consultant provided landscape, planning, architectural and civil design services. Chan described the timing as an accounting oversight: the consultant completed work, invoiced late and the invoices were processed after contract expiration.

Counsel and Rec and Parks staff said the consultant conducted community workshops and the community requested additions beyond the originally funded scope; some design elements could not be completed under the original coastal permit and required extra design time. The consultant paused further design work pending council approval of a supplemental agreement. Councilmember Holden pressed for accountability; Rec and Parks staff described extensive community engagement and defended the consultant’s role.

Council approved the payment and the supplemental agreement (vote recorded as 12 ayes). Staff said the total construction project is about $17.5 million and the consultant portion totals in the hundreds of thousands of dollars; a figure of approximately $600,000 was cited for the total consultant contract. The approved action authorizes staff to pay invoices and continue design work under the supplemental agreement so the Venice bike-path components and associated elements can be completed.

Councilmembers emphasized the project’s community engagement and the importance of timely invoicing and administrative oversight going forward.