Westwood Neighborhood Council recap – Jan. 11

Comments by public officials

• Janet Turner, from Rep. Ted Lieu’s office, said he had been appointed as assistant whip and to the House Judiciary Committee. She added that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs plans to open a legal clinic for veterans in association with UCLA by the end of summer.

• Chris Ragsdale, Los Angeles Police Department officer for Westwood, said crime in all categories except theft increased by 3 percent, with significant increases in robbery and automobile theft. He said LAPD will increase nighttime surveillance in Westwood and lower Bel Air.

• Steven Sann, chairman of the Westwood Community Council, said the Crest Theater, a historical landmark of the City of Los Angeles, would close because its landlord raised rent. He also said the restaurant Sweetfin Poke would be open on Westwood Boulevard by the end of the month.

Election

• The council elected Westwood residents Cyrus Baraghoush and Shelby Kretz to fill its vacant renter’s seats.

Discussion

• Andrew Thomas, executive director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association, said a new gridlock crosswalk would be installed on Westwood Boulevard between Kinross and Weyburn avenues by late February. He also said the organization would continue with its Great Streets Initiative, which includes reconstructing sidewalks between Weyburn Place and Leconte Avenue and fixing curbs along Westwood Boulevard.

• Community outreach officer David Lorango said that he would post more regular updates about the council on its Facebook page.

• President Lisa Chapman said a homeless count will take place at 11 p.m. on Jan. 25 and volunteers can participate.

Motions

• The board approved demolition of a private home on Ohio Avenue, which will be rebuilt into a three-condo unit with subterranean parking.

• The board approved a motion to oppose the installation of five Verizon cellphone poles around Westwood and to urge the Los Angeles Planning Committee to solve bureaucratic issues preventing the integration of cellphone service boxes into existing infrastructure. The poles would look like local lightposts, said a Verizon representative, but certain posts would have to be taller than other lightposts to provide coverage.

• The board approved a motion to insist that Wescom Credit Union provide customer parking before opening a location on Weyburn Avenue.

• The board voted unanimously to adopt the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s customer bill of rights.