City Council approves ordinance to fast-track some Olympic projects but narrows scope after public outcry

The Los Angeles City Council voted to authorize drafting an ordinance that would exempt designated projects tied to the 2028 Olympics from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and certain city planning approvals, but the measure was narrowed after sustained public opposition and several council amendments. The final vote on the package of amendments and the motion was 11 ayes, 1 no.

The vote authorizes staff to prepare an ordinance and report back to the council with a clarified list of what qualifies as an "Olympics-related" project, timing and proposed safeguards. Council amendments require the ordinance not to be considered until the requested reports are prepared and considered, and they added language to exclude "large-scale permanent" cable-guided transportation projects and associated infrastructure from the exemptions.

Council members and members of the public said the deadlines and the scale of potential projects required clearer limits. Phyllis Ling, chair of the Historic…