planning

Consolidate boards

Arguably the biggest change is to Area Planning Commissions, a group of seven volunteer-led boards that hear cases from homeowners, developers and businesses and make rulings on liquor licenses, hillside developments and more.

The amendment would consolidate those seven commissions into a single unified Neighborhood Appeals Commission.

The goal is efficiency. State laws passed in recent years have changed the appeals process, leading to lower caseloads for the seven boards. It’s also a financial drain on the city to train and take on so many volunteer commissioners while also paying overtime for staffers to host evening meetings for seven bodies — think audio-visual specialists, tech support, etc.

Under the amendment, the total number of commissioners would shrink from 35 to as few as seven, and the staff required to host meetings also would shrink significantly.

A unified board would eliminate the risk of commissions issuing different rulings. Picture a developer trying to build a hillside home; a commission that’s wary of such projects could reject it, while another commission that leans more pro-housing could approve it. Having a single board means that all appeals and applications would be governed by the same logic.

Pave the way for super-skyscrapers

Could an L.A. skyscraper rise higher than those in New York City or Chicago? Could downtown L.A. claim not just the tallest building west of the Mississippi River but also in the entire country?

If so, it would start here.

This amendment allows the City Council to change the existing floor area ratio (FAR) restrictions, which cap the height of certain buildings. FAR ratios vary by neighborhood and height districts, but the highest ratio is currently 13x, meaning a building’s total square footage never can be more than 13 times the size of the parcel of land that it sits on. For reference, L.A.’s tallest building, the Wilshire Grand Center, has a ratio of roughly 10.5, depending on how you calculate the square footage and acreage.

These limits were set in the 1950s, when L.A.’s population was roughly half of what it is now. This amendment would give City Council the flexibility to set higher limits to add density in order to adapt to a growing population.

Individual projects still would require zoning reviews, so no need to worry about skyscrapers coming to Silver Lake.

Set deadlines

You just opened a taco shop and you want to serve margaritas. The City Council said it’s fine, but you’re waiting to hear back from the City Planning Commission. They’re taking too long, and your patrons are drinking water while you wait for a liquor license.

Under current rules, decisions from either the City Council or Planning Department can get kicked back and forth indefinitely. This amendment sets deadlines for both sides to speed up rulings: Planning boards have 30 days to concur or dissent with City Council decisions, and City Council gets 21 days to hold a final vote on Planning decisions — or else the Planning decision becomes final.

Ensure passed amendments actually pass

Here’s how it would work. Say there’s an amendment to the city’s General Plan, which guides land use decisions, or a tweak to one of the neighborhood community plans that oversee development in areas like Hollywood or Boyle Heights. The mayor has signed off on it. The City Planning Commission approves too. But the City Council just hasn’t quite gotten to it yet.

Under current rules, if the City Council doesn’t vote on an amendment within 75 days of the mayor and Planning Commission approvals, it’s automatically denied. This amendment reverses that; if the City Council doesn’t get to an amendment within 75 days, it’s automatically approved.

BACKSTREET BOYS are ­returning to the UK next year for a string of huge shows, including a concert at London’s O2 Arena.

Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson had been locked in rehearsals at a facility in Bedfordshire for the launch of their concert residency in Dusseldorf, which kicked off on Friday.

But I can reveal the band are in advanced talks to perform their first shows in Blighty since the 2022 DNA World Tour.

A source said: “Backstreet’s back — and they’re coming to London.

“All the details are under lock and key but the residency means the guys are on top form and are ready to head out on tour.

“The concerts will take place next year, with one at London’s O2 Arena which will make up part of the venue’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

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“The lads are beyond excited about this and have been working so hard.”

Earlier this year, Backstreet Boys kicked off their Into The Millennium residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

The show is now in ­Germany before more dates in Sin City in December and ­January.

The lads have sold more than 450,000 tickets for the ­residency in Dusseldorf, with fans being treated to a 26-song set list.

As a group, Backstreet Boys dominated Germany in the early days of the band, with fans there catching on early as to what huge stars they would become.

After the residency began, Brian said: “When we talk about this being a homecoming, it’s because Germany is where everything clicked for us.

“It’s where our dream stopped being hypothetical and became something real.

“Coming back for these shows feels full circle.”

After they struck gold, the band went on to become one of the biggest groups in the world, ­selling more than 150million records worldwide and achieving 16 UK Top Ten singles, including No1 hit I Want It That Way in 1999.

As a huge fan, I shall be jumping in the queue for tickets once the show is announced.

Rita can go Anywhere

LIKE me, Rita Ora was a late starter when it came to passing her driving test.

But, aged 35, she’s now finally got her licence and posed proudly with her certificate in front of her Dollar Driving School car in Los Angeles.

The company previously taught stars including model Winnie Harlow how to drive.

See you on the M1, Rita – and feel free to bring your cute four-legged friend along too.

MARIAH HERE TO BRING MORE FESTIVE CHEER

IF you missed out on tickets for Mariah Carey’s upcoming UK Christmas tour dates, I have good news.

I’m told the star is in advanced talks to perform at this year’s Capital Jingle Bell Ball.

My moles tell me the annual event will take place on December 5 and 6 at London’s O2 Arena, with bosses ­working around the clock to secure the US chart queen as a performer.

A source said: “Bosses are still locking in the exact line-up but it’s looking likely Mariah will be a special guest at one of the dates.

“They think she would be an amazing ­addition to the line-up.”

We revealed in July how Mariah was set to return to our shores to play her first run of winter shows here in eight years.

She will begin the gigs on November 27 in Birmingham before concerts in London and Manchester.

Welcome back, Mimi.

We’ve missed you.

It’s heavy petal for Olivia

OLIVIA RODRIGO could be lining up a partnership with Interflora, if the opening night of her Unraveled Tour was anything to go by.

The Drop Dead singer performed in a sea of giant flowers – with 16 gardeners on hand to rearrange the blooms as her US show in Connecticut went on.

As well as singing tracks from her previous two records, Olivia performed nearly every song from No1 album You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love.

She repeatedly changed dresses during the 23-song set – and wowed fans when a white frock she was wearing dissolved as “rain” fell on stage, to reveal a bright-red corseted number underneath.

She will bring the show to the UK for a nine-night run at London’s O2 Arena next April.

CELINE’S DOLLED UP FOR XMAS

CELINE DION is being immortalised as a Barbie doll to celebrate her incredible live music comeback.

I can reveal the My Heart Will Go On singer, who is playing a residency in Paris, will have her own limited edition doll released just in time for Christmas.

A source said: “Celine was contacted by Mattel last year and was told bosses were keen to turn her into a collectable Barbie.

“Naturally, she was honoured, and agreed to the partnership straight away.

“The doll will be based on one of her most iconic looks.”

Celine is not the first star to be turned into the famous toy.

In February, Kylie Minogue had a plastic-fantastic makeover, while Marilyn Monroe got her own doll to celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday in August.

POP star Mabel has given birth to her first child, a year on from her wedding to record label executive Preye Crooks.

The singer, who hadn’t revealed she was pregnant, shared a home video on Instagram yesterday of their newborn and was congratulated by fellow artists including Craig David, Fleur East, Tinie Tempah and Ella Eyre.

POP IDOL WILL GOES LIVE AT 25

WILL YOUNG is heading out on tour next year to mark 25 years since he won Pop Idol.

The Evergreen 25th ­Anniversary gigs will see Will, inset, perform with his band.

The shows kick off at ­Manchester’s O2 Apollo on February 20 before other stop-offs include Glasgow, Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham, Southend, London and Cardiff.

Will said: “I can’t wait to celebrate with the full band and play Evergreen, as well as all the songs that have come since, from Light My Fire to Leave Right Now.”

X Factor star Olly Murs has also confirmed a string of summer shows for 2027.

His eight-date run will start at Bristol’s Good Times Festival on May 30.

Tickets for Will’s and Olly’s shows go on sale at 10am this Friday.

HEATHROW Airport bosses have warned plans for a third runway could be delayed by four years due to major planning rows.

The Government’s ambition had been to see flights take off from a new runway in London by 2035.

But airport bosses are believed to have told ministers that the deadline is not possible and won’t be ready until 2039, reports The Times.

The initial target had been set by then-Chancellor Rachel Reeves in January 2025 – but it was considered an ambitious goal at the time.

Ms Reeves used a major speech on infrastructure to announce the Government would be supporting the third runway project as a means of growing the economy, and also said it would create 100,000 jobs.

But London Heathrow has said they aim to “secure planning permission” by 2029 and “once achieved, the runway will be open within a decade”.

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Its bosses believe it could be delivered more quickly, but that this may require further regulatory red tape to be removed beyond reforms that the Government has already made to planning law.

A spokesperson said: “It’s right that ambitious targets were set; the sooner expansion begins, the sooner the whole UK will benefit. Our focus has always been to secure planning permission by 2029.

“Once achieved, the runway will be open within a decade – and the benefits of expansion can be felt from today. At least 108,000 new jobs and billions invested in supply chains in every part of the country.

“This is a national project, 100% privately financed, which will support growth today and secure the UK’s position in the global economy once the runway opens.”

Meanwhile, the Department for Transport said the timeline for the plans “has always been ambitious”.

Gary Smith, General Secretary of GMB, said: “This is a deliverable, workable and practical timeline for Heathrow expansion that unlocks over 100,000 jobs.

“We need to put an end to decades of talk and lost benefits for working people across the country and get cracking.”

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander insisted the project could go ahead in a way that would not fall foul of climate change commitments.

The Climate Change Committee, the expert panel that advises the Government, said earlier this month the expansion of Heathrow airport cannot go ahead unless the aviation industry is forced to clean up its emissions.

The cost of international flights might have to increase by hundreds of pounds by 2050 to pay for measures that will help the airline sector cut its carbon pollution to zero overall, known as net zero, the committee said.

Ms Alexander told the Daily Telegraph the committee had set out “one view” but there was “more than one pathway to meeting our climate mate change obligations”.

“We do remain committed to net zero, and we’re updating some of our wider decarbonisation plans in transport as well,” she said.

“But the UK’s climate change targets are ultimately economy-wide targets, and we really need to look holistically at how emissions are reduced across the economy as a whole.”

She said an expanded Heathrow could be “the country’s front door” to tourists from China and India.

The Heathrow proposals involve building a 3,500-metre runway and requires a new M25 tunnel and bridges to be built 130 metres west of the existing motorway.

It is estimated to cost £33 billion, including £1.5 billion on re-routing the motorway which would also see nearby villages demolished.

The government had previously rejected a proposal from Arora Group, led by hotel tycoon Surinder Arora, to build the third runway.

The Arora plan had proposed a shorter, 2,800-metre runway that would not require diverting the M25.

The new 3,500 metre runway will be in the northwest of the airport, and will eventually welcome up to 276,000 new flights a year.

This takes the annual flights from 480,000 to 756,000, with as many as 30 new flight routes a day.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “There is currently no live planning application for a third runway, and we cannot comment on ongoing consultation processes or prejudice them in a way that will only delay progress.

“The timeline has always been ambitious.

The countdown to Christmas is on with millions of Brits planning to make a festive escape. But if you’re heading overseas time is running out to sort out any issues with your passport

Whether it’s a Christmas market, Lapland trip, or just seeing family, millions of Brits will head overseas during the festive season. And with only 99 days to go until the big day, one thing that Brits need to be checking right now is their passport.

Passport renewals usually take about three weeks to process after being received by the passport office, so family travel experts advise checking your document now to ensure you have plenty of time to put in an application if needed.

It’s also worth remembering that while three weeks is the general time the HM Passport Office advises for a passport renewal, at busy times of year such as the run up to Christmas this timeframe can be longer.

The advice comes from family holiday firm Lapland Famille who say that the cut off for a pre-Christmas passport application should be October 16, as this gives about a month for the passport to be issued, with around 10 weeks to spare should there be any issues or delays.

As we’re now inside the 100-day countdown to Christmas, this is the best time to check your passport and ensure it meets the requirements for your trip. It also warned that travellers should follow the official GOV.UK advise and not book a trip until they have a valid passport. It’s especially important to check child passports, as these last five years rather than ten, so make sure you check each family member’s document separately.

For those visiting the Schengen area, which includes all 29 European Union member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, a minimum of three months validity needs to be left on your passport from the day you plan to depart the zone. This means if you were planning to leave the Schengen area on December 28 of this year, your passport will need to be valid up until March 28, 2027.

Issue dates continue to catch Brits out due to post-Brexit rules. Check your issue date is within the past 10 years if you plan to visit the EU. You should also make sure you check the FCDO advice for your destination country as well airline document requirements in plenty of time before you fly.

Alex Dyer, managing director at Lapland Famille, said: “Four passports can look in date at a glance, and it’s easy to assume the whole family is ready to go. I’d rather parents find a problem while they’re still choosing a trip, because once you’ve booked activities and arranged time off work, one unusable passport can affect everyone’s holiday.”

Pre-Christmas passport check list

• Validity – should have at least three months remaining from your departure date if visiting the Schengen area
• Issue date – passports issued more than 10 years ago are no longer accepted in the EU
• Damage – rips, water damage, and marks can all see a passport rejected
• Blank pages – most countries require at least two blank pages for stamps

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

BRITISH families could be charged up to an extra £100 to holiday in England, as Andy Burnham has announced plans to let England’s 14 regional mayors impose an uncapped levy on overnight stays.

But while it will be unwelcome news among cash-strapped Brits, there could be ways to avoid it depending on where you choose to staycation.

Yesterday, the PM announced revealed the tourist tax could be charged on overnight stays across the UK at hotels, B&Bs and holiday lets.

Labour’s regional mayors in England have pledged to cap a new fee on visitors’ overnight stays at 5 per cent.

But it could still hike the cost of a family holiday by as much as £100.

However, there are ways to get round it – the tax isn’t set to be introduced for another two years, and there are some places that might not implement it at all.

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England is split into 14 regions with different mayors looking after each – and the tourist tax will be added at their discretion.

It’s likely that all Labour mayors will add the tax, and some of the places where there is support are Greater London, the West Midlands, Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, York and North Yorkshire and the North East.

Therefore cities within those regions like Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle will all introduce the extra charge – including surrounding towns.

Where there are Reform UK and Conservative mayors ,the levy may not be introduced at all, as both parties have criticised plans for the optional levy.

For example, the mayor of Greater Lincolnshire has said that she won’t be introducing a tourism tax – where many of The Sun’s £9.50 Holiday parks are based.

She went on to warn that it could “drive out” people from visiting the region.

Dame Andrea Jenkyns (Reform UK) has reiterated that she won’t be introducing the levy as she fears it could discourage visitors.

Dame Andrea Jenkyns said: “The Government’s made more announcements about devolution powers that I completely welcome – having more powers and ensuring that your voice is heard here in our region.

“But one thing I won’t be implementing is the visitor levy. I can see how our hospitality industry has been quite frankly hammered over the years – the B&Bs, the hotels, the pubs and restaurants.

“I do not want to drive out people from visiting our region, so I will not be implementing it.

“People are struggling anyway, so don’t worry, your seaside holidays, the local businesses, I’ve got your back.”

Conservative Mayor of Tees Valley Ben Houchen also ruled out introducing any tourist tax last year.

Paul Bristow, the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, wrote on X that “this is not the time to put extra costs on staying overnight in #Cambridgeshire and #Peterborough“.

While at the moment these regions have either said or implied that they won’t be introducing tourist tax, it could change if there are local elections and the ruling party switches.

Another question mark is on the places that do not have an elected regional mayor – for example Cornwall.

Cornwall does not have a mayor for the whole county, but is looking for a way to set up a foundation strategic authority (FSA) so it could be set up by 2028.

During a visit this summer, Burnham said an overnight levy could be a “major game changer” for Cornwall and wanted to start discussions about it “sooner rather than later”.

Other places like Cheshire and Warrington are setting up mayoral authority and will hold elections next year.

Parts of Scotland have a tourist tax – it first started in Edinburgh in July 2026.

Aberdeen is also planning adding a new levy in 2027 with a stay the city potentially costing an extra £4.90 per night.