The Beverly Hills City Council and Parking Authority met on Jan. 9 to address several key issues, including updates from the police department and public works department, as well as plans concerning One Beverly Hills and the potential impact of the 2026 World Cup.
Although the emergent weather conditions were a key topic of discussion, the council approved the adoption of an encroachment permit and covenant with BH Luxury Residences LLC, owner of the property located at 9900 Wilshire Boulevard. This allows a temporary pedestrian bridge to encroach over North Santa Monica Boulevard to facilitate construction of the $2 billion One Beverly Hills project. Construction professionals currently use the crosswalk at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard to reach the One Beverly Hills construction site from the temporary construction office location. The installation of the proposed pedestrian bridge will facilitate faster, safer and more efficient access to the construction site for these professionals.
As the One Beverly Hills development has progressed, various additional traffic-related reviews and consulting services have been required that extend beyond those initially agreed upon by the city of Beverly Hills and Fehr & Peers, who are assisting the city in reviewing transportation reports and traffic engineering design plans. As a result, the authorized budget of $50,000 has been depleted more quickly than originally anticipated and so the council approved an extension to $100,000. This extra amount will be used to maintain traffic consulting services throughout the multiyear construction period of One Beverly Hills.
Fire Chief Gregory Barton discussed the issue of incorrect evacuation notifications from other agencies after a false evacuation alert was mistakenly sent to millions of Los Angeles County residents on Jan. 9. Barton assured residents that Beverly Hills will issue any evacuation orders directly, if needed. He emphasized the fire department’s efforts to continue monitoring the situation closely and their preparedness to respond quickly to any incidents should they arise.
Chief of Police Mark Stainbrook told the council that the Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) is fully staffed and ready to assist the fire department with any of their needs. “Please, if you see any suspicious activity or incidents of smoke or fire, call 911. Our Real Time Watch Center is also monitoring our cameras and reporting any incidents of smoke or fire in the city,” he said.
Stainbrook also shared details on the new technology, including automated license plate readers and aerial coverage drones, that the BHPD is using to enhance law enforcement and intercept criminals before they commit crimes. According to Stainbrook, the department is facing challenges in recruiting new officers due to the current job market but is working to attract qualified applicants. The city has also raised officer pay to be the highest in Southern California, with Stainbrook encouraging community members to refer potential candidates.
Director of Public Works Shana Epstein provided an update on the department’s efforts in the wake of the heavy winds and fires, with the aim of ensuring that if the city loses power, water can still be moved. “We start Public Works’ operational period the minute we get the signs that we’re going to have a windstorm,” she said. “We’ve had staff here for mitigation of preemptive debris removal, topping off fuel for vehicles and generators, and filling the reservoirs like we do for when there’s any red flag incident.” The most useful thing concerned residents can do, Epstein said, is turn off sprinklers to help conserve water for firefighting efforts.
Barton was asked about the fire department’s plans to keep up with increased demand from the upcoming completion of Metro, One Beverly Hills and more housing units, while maintaining current response times. He said that a full-time rescue unit was created ahead of the construction of One Beverly Hills, as they anticipated an increase in call volume from the new development. Consequently, the fire department is monitoring the call load data from other Metro stations to understand the potential impact on their resources and is prepared to request additional support from the City Council if needed to maintain their response times.
Mayor Lester Friedman and Stainbrook also confirmed that preliminary meetings regarding the World Cup in 2026 are now underway. Stainbrook informed the council of three main areas of focus—namely, management of additional tourists, security concerns and potential economic implications. The mayor acknowledged that the World Cup could provide an economic boost for the city through increased tourism and spending. However, with an increased number of visitors likely to come to Beverly Hills over the World Cup period, the city wants to reassure the local community that they will take a proactive approach to maximize safety and limit crowds ahead of the games.
