Westwood Community Council recap – Nov. 15

The Westwood Community Council meets several times a year to discuss issues relevant to the Westwood Village business and residential community.

• Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz proposed a 60-mile aboveground transportation system for automated cars that could bypass traffic stops. The system would cost $20 million per mile, compared to a subway system which would cost $1 billion per mile. He said the LA 2024 Olympics committee has expressed interest.

• Construction on Wilshire Boulevard and parts of Sunset Boulevard has been completed, and 20 to 30 trees from the 405 Freeway tree allotment fund will be planted along Westwood Boulevard, Koretz said.

• Most of the members who have overstayed their term on the Westwood Community Design Review Board have been replaced, Koretz said. The review board advises the director of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission and consults on the exterior aesthetics of Westwood buildings.

• Koretz said the city proposed allowing Airbnb property owners to rent out their units for 180 days per year.

• Business owner Nathan Khakshouri asked Koretz to replace the 405 Freeway sign that says Persian Square exit with one that says Westwood instead.

• Clinton Schudy, manager of Oakley’s Barber Shop, asked UCLA for more transit services to the Village from campus, including one that can use Lot 32 Flyaway Zone as a drop off area. He said many student customers did not know there were shuttles from the Hill to Westwood.

• Chair Steve Sann said the Westwood Community Council will co-sponsor the 2017 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count in Westwood, which will take place on Jan. 25, 2017.

• Sann said the “ONE Village, ONE Voice, ONE Hope, ONE Nation, ONE World” Westwood and UCLA community arts event will take place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day or the day after.