City Council Meeting

What Happened

This "Special City Council Meeting #2" was a brief special session convened in the middle of the council's regular June 30, 2026 meeting, addressing a single item: Item 1 (CF 26-0958), a request from the City Attorney to approve a legal services agreement with Hogan Lovells US, LLP, for an initial amount up to $250,000 over a two-year term, related to litigation involving the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association — a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case (U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District, Case No. 2:26-bk-16410-DS) and a related Los Angeles Superior Court case (No. 24STCV33753). The item also authorized the council to recess to closed session under Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1) to confer with legal counsel on the litigation. No official CVVS vote record exists for this closed-session authorization, so the tally below is as read by the clerk on the transcript, not an official record.

The council convened the special meeting by roll call, took brief public comment limited to this single item, and voted 13-0 to approve the contract before recessing to closed session and then reconvening the regular meeting. Council Member Nazarian later attempted to change his vote from aye to no, saying he had "accidentally missed the vote," but the City Clerk advised that the special meeting had already been adjourned and the vote could not be changed at that point.

Public Comment

The one minute of public comment permitted on this item came from speakers concerned about the LA Zoo's finances generally, including a call to ensure fundraised money intended for the zoo is protected, rather than substantive comment on the legal services contract itself.

Note

This special meeting was convened partway through the council's regular June 30, 2026 meeting, and its recording is the same broadcast as that regular meeting (Meeting ID 17801). The substantive business conducted during the rest of that recording — including parks funding, charter reform items, business improvement districts, and tenant/lien disputes — is covered in the separate summary for the regular meeting.