City staff: Palisades one‑stop center easing rebuilds but in‑person demand is low

City staff told the ad hoc committee for LA recovery that the Palisades LA One‑Stop Building Center has been helpful in coordinating permitting and problem‑solving for residents rebuilding after the January 2025 wildfires, but that in‑person demand at the site is lower than anticipated.

"We have provided service to roughly 2,044 parties in a rebuild effort ... and at the Pepsi, we have served 53 people," said Craig Weber, deputy director of the Development Services Bureau, describing a mix of in‑person and virtual services across development services centers. Weber characterized in‑person traffic at the Palisades site as modest relative to virtual contacts and other centers.

Blake Lamb, who oversees the bureau's development services centers, said his team largely provides early, prepermit consultations and that applicants frequently prefer virtual consultations, appointments and email responses. "We have virtual consultations, appointments. We have an email that we respond to within one day," he said.

Dan Mitchell, assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, said LADOT has staffed the one‑stop center since being asked to return on Nov. 3, but has handled only three Palisades customers for LADOT services because LADOT's permitting role in typical rebuilds is limited to driveway relocations and major commercial changes.

Staff from DBS reported higher in‑person volumes: "We have slightly over 600 people that we've served directly at the Pepsi in person, in addition to hundreds of emails as well," a DBS representative said, describing the DBS presence at the site as "very worthwhile." Committee members and staff noted that the record alternates between the spelled‑out Development Services Bureau and the acronym DBS; quotes above use the wording the speakers used in the record.

Given the low in‑person counts for several departments, staff recommended operational adjustments: shortening posted hours at the site and allowing some departments with limited in‑person demand (for example, LADOT and some planning functions) to reduce on‑site staffing so they can serve the broader Western area more efficiently. Councilmember McCosker supported the practical approach, noting that many of the visits are ministerial and that a streamlined, concierge‑style process can speed approvals.

Chair Park thanked staff for their work and said the one‑stop model is producing "incredible amount of progress on the ground"; she asked departments to revisit hours and coordination and to provide an update for the community council and task forces.

No formal committee action was taken; the item was a verbal update and staff will return with operational adjustments if needed.