Brief

Introduced by Councilmember Traci Park and seconded by Tim McOsker on August 21, 2026, this motion directed city departments to coordinate emergency preparedness and response efforts related to El Niño weather conditions. The motion moved through Public Works and Public Safety committees, both of which approved it, with Public Safety approving as amended on September 15. Council voted 11-0-4 on September 16, and the action became final on September 18, 2026.

Full summary

Councilmember Traci Park introduced this motion in response to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast giving greater than 90% odds of a very strong or "super" El Nino event hitting the Northern Hemisphere in 2026-27. Citing the destructive 1997-98 El Nino — which caused fatalities, mudflows, collapsed hillsides, and hundreds of evacuations in Los Angeles — as well as the more recent 2015-16 event, Park argued that residents deserved a clear picture of how the city was preparing to protect life and property from flooding, debris flows, and coastal erosion. The motion instructs the Emergency Management Department, coordinating with the Bureau of Engineering, Bureau of Sanitation, Department of Recreation and Parks, Department of Water and Power, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Bureau of Contract Administration, and the Los Angeles Fire Department, to deliver a preparedness briefing to the Ad Hoc Committee for LA Recovery. The presentation is required to cover five specific areas: fortifying low-lying coastal areas and fishing piers against storm surges; emergency notifications, evacuation planning, and temporary shelter; clearing catch-basins, debris basins, and storm drains to increase capacity; stabilizing hillsides and roadways in the Palisades burn scar and other high-risk areas against mud and debris flows; and managing overgrown vegetation in Fire Hazard Severity Zones that could become a fire risk after a wetter winter. The Bureau of Contract Administration was added during the committee amendment process and was not in the original motion. The motion was referred jointly to the Public Works and Public Safety committees on introduction. Public Works approved it on September 8, 2026, and transmitted it to Public Safety. Public Safety approved the amended version on September 15, with committee members Lee, Price, Raman, and Soto-Martinez voting yes and Park absent. The Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council submitted a community impact statement the day before the Public Safety vote. The full Council adopted the motion 11-0-4 on September 16, and the action became final on September 18, 2026.

Activity (8)

• 2026-09-18 Council action final.
• 2026-09-15 Public Safety Committee approved as amended .
• 2026-09-14 Community Impact Statement submitted by Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council.
• 2026-09-11 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on September 16, 2026.
• 2026-09-08 Public Works Committee transmitted Council File to Public Safety Committee.
• 2026-09-08 Public Works Committee approved item(s) .
• 2026-09-04 Public Works Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on September 8, 2026.
• 2026-08-21 Motion referred to Public Safety Committee; Public Works Committee.

Documents (9)

• 2026-09-18 Council Action · council_action
• 2026-09-15 Report from Public Safety Committee · report
• 2026-09-15 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-09-14 Community Impact Statement submitted by Bel Air-Beverley Crest Neighborhood Council · cis
• 2026-09-08 Communication from Bureau of Sanitation (presentation slides) · communication
• 2026-09-08 Report from Public Works Committee · report
• 2026-09-08 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-08-23 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-08-21 Motion · motion

Council votes (1)

• 2026-09-16 Adopted — 11-0-4 · Regular