The Westwood Neighborhood Council meets monthly to discuss issues pertaining to Westwood Village and the surrounding areas.
Comments by public officials
- Jasmine Shamolian, a field representative for Councilmember Paul Koretz, said the Los Angeles Planning and Land Use Management Committee will soon vote to cap short-term rentals in Los Angeles at 180 days. She added the owner of the Playboy Mansion has signed a covenant with the city in perpetuity to not demolish the estate and to take care of the property. Although the covenant allows the property to be sold, it also applies to all future owners.
- Marco Perez, a representative from UCLA Government and Community Relations, said UCLA is holding its annual Bruin Day for accepted UCLA freshman applicants April 14.
- Gibson Nyambura, a neighborhood council advocate from the Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, apologized for communication issues regarding Tuesday’s Board of Neighborhood Commissioners meeting. The communication issues affected how explanatory fliers were distributed during the meeting.
- During the Tuesday meeting, BONC said it would make a decision regarding the proposed election to subdivide the WWNC within five days of the meeting.
Discussion
- Lisa Chapman, council president, said she was concerned over the date and time of the proposed vote to subdivide WWNC, saying that if the vote occurred on a workday, voting hours would have to go beyond 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in order not to exclude voters who are employed.
- Council member Scott Whittle said he thought it was insulting that only two BONC commissioners showed up to the Wednesday meeting. The comment came after the council failed to meet quorum by their designated start time of 7 p.m.
Motions
- The council voted to use $5,000 that were previously earmarked for community-improvement projects to fund Neighborhood Purposes Grants instead. This added up to $33,866 the council could use to give out for Neighborhood Purposes Grants, which are grants given by the council to support programs designed for the public’s benefit.
- The council voted to give $4,410 to the Westwood Library, the LA Conservancy, Emerson Community Charter School, Fairburn Avenue Elementary School, Warner Elementary School, the UCLA Community Programs Office Food Closet and the West LA Little League. The council also granted $2,995 to the Westwood Village Improvement Association for homeless outreach.
- The council voted to approve sending a letter to LA City Council board members, requesting they help alleviate homelessness in Westwood by opening an access center within WWNC boundaries that offers mailing services, laundry services, case services and a nurse practitioner.
- The council voted to approve recommendations to the Design Review Board for two apartment-complex construction projects. It recommended that both apartment complexes have affordable housing.
- The council voted to approve renewing the liquor license for Barney’s Beanery. It approved removing conditions on liquor licenses in order to allow Barney’s to have a maximum of three coin-operated game machines and to have a happy hour.