Tour buses, such as this one that does sightseeing in Los Angeles and Hollywood, maybe prohibited in Pacific Palisades.
Paige Sterling, Mayor Karen Bass’ Deputy Director for Recovery Communications alerted CTN that on June 25, Councilwoman Park introduced a motion that Mayor Bass strongly supports that would restrict tour bus operations in the area impacted by the Palisades Fire under Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 80.36.11.
The motion reads:
The Palisades Fire displaced tens of thousands of people, destroyed 6,837 structures, and claimed the lives of 12 people.
Most Palisades residents lost everything and all have been traumatized by the fire and its aftermath. Given the sensitivity of the area and the hazards posed by fire debris, unstable hillsides, and extensively damaged roads and infrastructure, the Pacific Palisades was under evacuation orders and closed to the general public from January 7, 2025 through June 14, 2025.
Since reopening, unscrupulous tour bus operators have been observed giving tours in the Palisades, turning a site of devastating tragedy and loss into a spectacle exploited for profit.
This so-called disaster tourism is despicable and should not be tolerated in the City of Los Angeles. Under Los Angeles Municipal Code 80.36.11, the City of Los Angeles currently restricts tour bus operations where they pose safety concerns, as defined by the Department of Transportation (LA DOT) in Council File 17-115.
Given the ongoing emergency declaration and the extensive work to remove fire debris and rebuild the Palisades, the City should prohibit tour bus operations within the area devastated by the Palisades Fire and within future disaster areas for the duration of associated emergency declarations.
The Pacific Palisades, like many older hillside communities, is full of narrow, winding, sub-standard streets and steep hills that make many streets, even before the fire, not suitable or safe for large vehicles like tour buses.
The Department of Transportation should conduct a survey to determine which streets within the Pacific Palisades meet the City’s criteria for permanent tour bus restrictions to prohibit tour bus operations even after the emergency declaration has been lifted.
I THEREFORE MOVE that Council instruct the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) to add areas impacted by natural disaster for the duration of the associated emergency declaration to their rules, policies, and procedures for restricting tour bus operations on streets within the City of Los Angeles under Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 80.36.11 and report within seven calendar days with a map of the area impacted by the January 7, 2025 Palisades Fire where tour bus operations will be restricted for the duration of the associated emergency declaration.
I FURTHER MOVE that Council instruct the Los Angeles Police Department {LAPD) and LADOT, and request the City Attorney’s office, to report within 30 calendar days on a coordinated strategy to enforce LAMC 80.36.11 within the boundaries determined by LADOT in the above mentioned report, and any resources needed.
I FURTHER MOVE that Council instruct LADOT to report back within 120 days on streets where tour bus operations should potentially be permanently prohibited in the area bounded by the Pacific Coast Highway, Surfview Drive, Amalfi Drive, and the ridgeline of the Santa Monica Mountains.
I’m all for giving tours of the Palisades, and I’ve been doing it myself to guests coming through town as it’s imperative that people see this disaster first-hand and understand the enormity of the catastrophe and how easily avoidable it was. The juxtaposition of Caruso’s intact village with the gleaming, undented fire trucks still parked in Station 69 with our “firefighters” sunning themselves against the ashfield one of the most important civic lessons we can impart to the world.
Why not turn our burned lots into unconventional art installations? I propose a community initiative: ‘Signs of Change!’ Let’s encourage everyone to plant their own ‘Resign Karen Bass’ signs in the charred remnants of our urban landscape. After all, what better way to attract disaster tourists than with a thought-provoking exhibit of failed leadership? Each sign could serve as a witty commentary on our collective plight, inviting onlookers to ponder the intersection of failed governance and urban decay. Let’s transform our misfortunes into a dialogue that’s not just seen, but savored!
I think it’s a terrible idea! There’s enough going on up there without tour busses pushing through our streets when all the construction is going on. It’s difficult enough for residents to get to their homes or land
It’s an insult to our tragedy.