By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor
Pacific Palisades Community Council hosted a special meeting on Thursday, January 23, inviting local officials to speak regarding recovery following the Palisades fire.
The three-hour meeting quickly reached capacity—with 1,000 people joining the Zoom and many more in the waiting room. A full recording of the meeting is available through the PPCC website.
“We are working on different options to increase attendance capacity at future fire recovery meetings,” PPCC confirmed.
PPCC President Sue Kohl began the meeting, speaking on the profound loss of homes and community due to the Palisades fire.
“It’s completely heartbreaking and devastating for all of us, our town has been decimated,” Kohl said. “The fire might destroy our homes and our buildings, but there is no way that our Palisades community could ever be destroyed. We are too strong, too resilient and too intent on coming back. We will support each other every step of the way, and we will stand together in this enormous effort to rebuild, and to bring back everything we lost and everyone we love.”
Kohl then introduced the first speaker, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who expressed her condolences before stating her commitment to rebuilding the Palisades “completely.”
“I am committed to making sure that Palisades comes back, and that we’re going to stand together as a community,” Bass said.
Bass said she is dedicated to being a part of community conversations, and to answer any questions residents may have.
“I think one of the most important things that I can do—and we can do—is to be in constant communication,” she said. “It is so easy for misinformation and confusion and rumors to take over, and if we stand strong with your organizations, we will be able to overcome that. I will always be accessible to you.”
Councilmember Traci Park shared a similar message, and encouraged attendees to be vigilant and aware of predatory practices.
“You may get calls or texts from businesses you’ve never heard of … take advice from people you know [and] you trust, if you need help,” Park said. “You need to know your rights and your benefits. Don’t make hasty decisions right now.”
Park explained that city offices will “eventually” be set up in the Palisades to get permits issued quickly. If individuals decide to build “like-for-like”—meaning rebuilding their house similar to the original footprint—they will be given a “rubber stamp” of approval for their plans.
Park also emphasized a focus on getting Palisades Branch Library, Palisades Recreation Center and parks rebuilt as soon as possible.
She also confirmed during the meeting that she has stepped away from her role of chair of the city’s Olympics committee, instead leading an ad hoc committee for LA Recovery: “That work, and the work ahead, is where my heart is now.”
Palisades Charter High Principal Dr. Pamela Magee provided updates about the school, which has temporarily shifted instruction online. She reported that the school hopes to have a satellite location secured in the “short-term future.”
“Students really do want to be together,” Magee said.
Additional speakers included Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member Nick Melvoin, Chief of Los Angeles Police Department Jim McDonnell, County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, District Attorney Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley, Congressmember Brad Sherman’s office, State Senator Ben Allen and CAL FIRE.
The speakers also responded to questions that were collected ahead of the meeting, delivered by Chris Spitz, PPCC at-large representative. Spitz said that 50 or so questions—14 pages worth—were forwarded to the speakers ahead of time so they could incorporate answers into what they reported.
Spitz read a text she received ahead of the meeting to begin the Q&A portion of the meeting.
“We need to hear, when can we go back?” Spitz started. “When will the utilities be fixed? When are the lots going to be cleared? What are we going to do to get the schools rebuilt? And when can the businesses start rebuilding? That is fundamentally what a lot of people want to know.”
Park first responded, saying that her office has received many of the same questions, but certainty was “difficult to come by,” saying that she shares the frustration, but that the city was “still really very much in emergency response mode at this time.”
Looking to the future, PPCC said it plans to hold a series of additional special meetings “very soon” with “more information from key agencies related to the fire and recovery.”
“These meetings are in the planning stage,” according to the organization. “Stay tuned for more information.”
For additional information, including links to future meetings, visit the PPCC website.
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