With Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass delaying the city’s plans to remove all checkpoints for access to Pacific Palisades along Pacific Coast Highway until today, visitors were still stopped at several sites heading into the fire-ravaged community on Sunday. A Los Angeles County supervisor expressed frustration, declaring the move a last-minute surprise.

Amid a disagreement between city and county officials, plans to shut down all checkpoints for access to the area along Pacific Coast Highway were pushed back until today, when L.A. police are scheduled to transfer responsibility for patrolling the area to the California Highway Patrol and the National Guard, Bass announced late Saturday.

The change will allow the LAPD to increase its service citywide while also keeping the Pacific Palisades area secure, Bass said, citing an agreement with Gov. Gavin Newsom to relieve the city’s police force, which has been on Tactical Alert since the deadly fires swept through L.A. County on Jan. 7.

“I am grateful to Gov. Newsom for his continued partnership as we respond to this unprecedented disaster,” Bass said. “We continue to adapt in real time to this dynamic situation. This plan secures the Palisades and eases the strain on LAPD, whose ability to respond across L.A. has been impacted for nearly one month. My priority continues to be rebuilding Pacific Palisades as rapidly and safely as possible.”

Dozens of workers in reflective vests and protective gear, both Los Angeles city personnel and private contractors, worked throughout the downtown area on Sunday, many of them focused on utility repairs.

Some crew members marked water connections on the pavement in order to prevent damage while gas lines are being repaired or checked. Some L.A. Department of Water and Power personnel, meanwhile, appeared to be focused on power lines.

While the cars of visiting residents rolled in and out of town, police cars encircled the area, which was dotted by many private security guards keeping watch on structures.

Some fire-damaged businesses were being guarded to keep potential looters at bay, including one structure where a vault stood amid the rubble, having survived the flames.

One resident who lives close to downtown L.A. expressed fear about looters, urging that police stay present to dissuade theft. Fearing that his unoccupied house might be a target, he asked that neither his name nor address be used.

“I think they should concentrate on getting power to the people who still live here so that we can somehow avoid the looters,” he said. “If they could just focus more on the people that need power.”

Having lived in Pacific Palisades for 20 years, he said that he and his wife were lucky to own a second home, though it’s currently under repair and they’re staying at a hotel.

He said they had tried to wait out the fire, but on the evening of the wind-propelled firestorm their neighborhood was ultimately overwhelmed with flames, so they fled.

“It’s OK,” he said of his house. “There was some damage … and the guest house was maybe a total loss.”

Though the city’s portion of Pacific Coast Highway would remain restricted for another day, L.A. County proceeded with reopening access to Malibu and unincorporated portions of the highway at 8 a.m. Sunday.

PCH was reopened from the Ventura County line to Coastline Drive, but remained closed from Coastline Drive to Entrada Drive, a segment that was scheduled to reopen for one lane in each direction at 8 a.m. today.

L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath expressed frustration with the delay on the part of Los Angeles city officials.

“Tonight’s announcement from the city of Los Angeles comes as a surprise,” Horvath said in a statement Saturday. “Los Angeles County will continue with the plan agreed upon by LASD, LAPD, CHP and Caltrans, and will reopen Malibu and unincorporated portions of PCH … at 8 a.m. (Sunday).

“The Carbon Beach checkpoint will no longer be active, and PCH will be open one lane in each direction from the Ventura County line through the checkpoint to be determined in and by the city of Los Angeles.

“Los Angeles County was ready to reopen today but delayed to Sunday to align with the City of Los Angeles to limit public confusion. Our communities deserve consistency and coordination in this painful time,” Horvath said.

“I want to reiterate that this opening is for residents and their families to resume their lives, and local only traffic is highly encouraged. With reduced lanes and speeds, it will be slow,” she added. “The Sheriff’s Department will be at elevated staffing with highly visible patrols along PCH and into neighborhoods.

“We will protect our communities from anyone seeking to prey on them with every resource at our disposal.”

“Like Supervisor Horvath, we were surprised by last night’s announcement from the city of Los Angeles delaying the reopening — only to now learn that while neighborhood turn-offs have checkpoints, PCH itself remains fully open,” Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart said.

“What was the purpose of this late-night decision if it was not going to be enforced? Our residents are trying to reclaim some sense of normalcy, and our businesses are trying to bring back employees who need to get to work,” Stewart said. “These last-minute, uncoordinated decisions create unnecessary confusion and disruption. We urge the City of Los Angeles to work collaboratively with all affected jurisdictions in the future to ensure clarity, consistency, and thoughtful communication.”

Stewart added: “We ask everyone traveling through the area to be mindful and respectful. We’ve been made aware that some individuals are pulling over to look at the devastation. Please remember that what you are seeing is not just burned structures — it is someone’s home, their memories, and their loss. This is not a spectacle or a novelty; it is a tragedy that our neighbors are living through.”

Under the revised plan announced by Bass:

Checkpoints and proof-of-residence or entry passes will still be required to enter Pacific Palisades.

Residents and contractors needed to obtain access passes Sunday at Lot 3, 1150 Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica before 5 p.m. New locations where residents and contractors could obtain access passes were announced Sunday, officials said.

Contractors are allowed in the fire area, but will be required to provide identification and proof that they have been hired by specific residents within the impacted areas.

Contractors will also be required to check-in at Lot 3 each day to be granted access and will be provided with another pass to enter.

When Pacific Coast Highway fully reopens today, travel would be reduced to one lane in each direction between the McClure Tunnel and Carbon Beach Terrace at reduced speeds with local-only traffic encouraged.

There will be a 25 mph speed limit and all signals will be flashing red, Bass said.

City News Service contributed to this report.