Council committee confirms Crystal Lee as permanent City Engineer, pledges focus on coordination and CIP alignment

The Public Works Committee voted to confirm Crystal Lee as the permanent City Engineer after an introductory statement and a series of questions about coordination, capital planning and project delivery.

Lee, currently deputy executive director at Los Angeles World Airports, told the committee she has more than 20 years of city engineering experience, including roles in project management, development services and capital delivery. She said her initial priorities include convening bureau heads, clarifying department roles for capital projects and developing a 100‑day analysis to align the Bureau of Engineering with CIP implementation and interdepartmental partners.

Council members asked Lee how she would balance megaproject schedules—such as stadium and convention center work—with neighborhood needs for aging infrastructure, how she would coordinate permits and station‑area planning with Metro for light‑rail expansion, and how the bureau should use technology and data to make decisions. Lee said she would convene key stakeholders, bring council offices into priority discussions, and pursue workforce development and succession planning to ensure the bureau can deliver.

The committee confirmed the appointment by roll call (And this Hernandez: yes; Councilmember Padilla: yes; Councilmember Hunt: yes).

Why it matters: The City Engineer’s office sets design standards, coordinates with multiple bureaus and plays a central role in CIP delivery. Committee members emphasized the bureau’s role in the city’s approach to resurfacing, signal and crosswalk projects, and in resolving persistent sidewalk and ramp capacity constraints.

Quote: "I want them to be ready to execute. I want them to be able to call to the job and bring that ownership to their tasks," Lee said of Bureau of Engineering staff.