Gov. Brown Says 'There Are Too Many Damn Regulations,' Signs Bill To Expedite NFL Stadium Construction

Design firm Rensler's rendering of the LA Live complex including Farmers Field.

Governor Brown lived up to his no-nonsense governance approach Tuesday morning outside of the L.A. Convention Center. He penned his signature on two bills designed to expedite construction projects throughout California, one being the $1.2 billion Downtown L.A. NFL stadium, a little project proposed by the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).

"We're going to remove some regulations, we're going to speed things up, and we're going to protect the environment," Brown told an enthusiastic crowd of elected leaders, union workers and local stakeholders, according to blogdowntown. "There are too many damn regulations, let's be clear about that."

Damn straight, Gov.

The first bill - AB 292 - is specific to AEG's Farmers Field proposal, which dreams up tearing down the Convention Center's West Hall, rebuilding the exhibit space over Pico Boulevard and erecting a 72k-seat stadium on the newly cleared land. Adhering to eco-friendly and expeditious devices, the bill assures that the project's environmental challenges can last no longer than 175 days by delivering them straight to the state appeals court and setting a strict briefings timeline.

SB 900, the second bill, calls for a similar timeline to proposals over $100 million that Brown dubs "leadership projects."

Projects are required to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards for green construction and to be designed to promote increased public transit use. AEG planners laid out a preliminary traffic plan for the football stadium to the L.A. City Council on Monday. Included in their plans are a parking strategy directing game-day drivers to parking zones based on their direction of travel plus an AEG-funded expansion of a light rail station on Pico Boulevard. Planners neglected to discuss plans, if any, for encouraging football fans to use public transportation. The stadium will be carbon-neutral.

Michael Bates, AEG's transportation consultant, estimates that 81.5% of fans would opt to drive to weekend games, resulting in a need for approximately 19,500 parking spaces. Bates foresees that there should be around 38,350 parking spaces available in downtown come 2016, the stadium's expected opening year.

AEG's Tim Leiweke teased attendees at Tuesday's signing ceremony by hinting on a special upcoming announcement. "There's a pretty revolutionary idea coming that people are going to hear that we are going to factor into Farmers Field," he told reporters, declining to answer followup questions. Leiweke also called on elected leaders to join him in petitioning the NFL's speedy return to L.A. "We're going to need your help, we're going to need your leadership, and we're going to need your enthusiasm."