LA considers fast-tracking construction of temporary structures for promised 'no build' Olympics

The L.A. City Council advanced a plan Tuesday to fast-track the development of temporary structures for the Olympic Games.

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics have been touted as "no build" events because most sports will be played at already existing venues across Southern California. A couple competitions, canoe slalom and softball, will be hosted in Oklahoma City.

Still, hosting the Games takes more than just the competition venues and will require all types of supporting infrastructure such as spectator seating, bathrooms, training facilities, media centers and zones for fans to gather.

Those were the types of structures the City Council took aim at Tuesday, directing city staff to prepare an ordinance that would allow some temporary builds to bypass zoning regulations and city planning approval. That ordinance would require temporary projects to be removed within six months after the Games.

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Certain projects would not be eligible for these zoning exemptions. That includes Metro light rail projects, cable-guided or aerial transportation projects (like the controversial Dodger Stadium gondola) and housing demolitions, according to a "conceptual" draft of the ordinance produced by the city planning department.

Temporary projects located at Olympic venues or otherwise approved by L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' Office of Major Events and other city staff would be eligible.

The ordinance also would create a path for permanent projects related to the Games to be considered for an exemption from city planning and zoning regulations, if they are approved by the City Council directly.

These proposals have been months in the making, and multiple neighborhood councils have weighed in. A letter from the Studio City Neighborhood Council president specifically opposed including exemptions for permanent structures.

The Los Feliz Neighborhood Council penned a letter criticizing "blanket exemptions" for Olympic projects in general.

"The Olympics are a short-term, spectator event, and infrastructure that serves the public good, the city as a whole, should be prioritized over the Olympics," that letter reads.

Other neighborhood councils wrote into the council in support.

"Demand for city agencies and their staff will be above capacity as the games approach," the Rampart Village Neighborhood Council wrote to the City Council in July. "It is essential that the city takes all necessary measures to ensure the timely and successful delivery of the infrastructure required for this momentous event."

There still are several steps before the City Council has a final vote on this matter, and it could be slowed by the city's budget issues. In a report for the council, planning director Vincent Bertoni warned that the city's limited staffing could delay developing and approving the ordinance.

According to that report, the planning department's division overseeing the ordinance "has lost 40% of its staffing capacity" in the new budget.