The North Westwood Neighborhood Council is the official neighborhood council representing UCLA and Westwood Village to the Los Angeles City Council. Council meetings are held each month and open to the public via Zoom. The next meeting will be held in person on April 5 at UCLA’s Weyburn Terrace.

Comments by public officials:

• Janet Turner, a representative for Congressman Ted Lieu, informed the council on H.R. 302, the Energy Cybersecurity University Leadership Act of 2023, which provides financial assistance to post-graduate students studying cybersecurity infrastructure. She also provided information to the council on the US Department of Housing and Urban Development allocation of 107.7 million for housing projects in Los Angeles.
• Michael Russell, executive director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association, reminded the council about Thursday’s First Thursdays event on Broxton Avenue in cooperation with UCLA. The theme for the event was “Game-On,” and celebrated UCLA student-athletes. He also informed the council about Coffee with a Cop, an event where community members can meet officers that serve West LA; this function will be held on March 9 at the Starbucks on Weyburn Avenue.
• Carmen Zambrano, UCLA’s assistant director of community and local government relations, said UCLA will be participating in first-aid training and CPR certification services for people in attendance during the morning and afternoon portion of the First Thursdays event. She noted to the council that UCLA students are planning on participating in the quarterly “Undie Run” as the quarter ends, but that UCLA does not condone the behavior. However, she said the university will be providing staffing and UCPD will have officers on site to ensure the safety of students. Lastly, she informed the council that UCLA students are expected to behave in an orderly manner during expected celebrations for the men’s basketball team during March and that the LA Sanitation & Environment Department will be attending to the situation if anything arises.

Public comment:

• Steven Sann discussed the Westwood Public Library’s Second Saturday’s event on March 11. He added the planned performance will be a piano duo from Poland and that future performances in upcoming months will include David Yang, a student pianist from USC’s graduate performance program. He added he hopes the council will participate in the upcoming Westside Regional Alliance of Councils roundtables with elected officials.
• Jacob Wasserman, a member of the council’s transportation committee, informed the council of his candidacy for the workers’ seat on the council. He said he is fit to serve in the position due to his work as an urban planner and experience with city jobs. Wasserman added that he has submitted 12 resolutions to the council that have passed. He said his focus if elected would be to reform Westwood’s zoning laws and ensure a stop on UCLA’s campus for the proposed Sepulveda Transit Corridor.

Agenda:

• The council approved the meeting minutes from last month’s board meeting with two members voting to abstain.
• The council invited Sonja Cayetano, a fourth-year world arts and cultures student, to present to the council about her efforts with Diverse Arts LA to bring clean water access to Skid Row. She said she recently participated in the LA Art Show to bring awareness to the subject. The council referred her to the other council committees to arrange new projects she is working on.
• The council voted 10-0, with three council members recusing themselves due to conflict of interests, to provide the WVIA with five thousand dollars in the form of a Neighborhood Purpose Grant to purchase 12 blue umbrella sets for Broxton Plaza. The plaza plans to turn the one-way portion of Broxton Avenue into a car-free space for community members to congregate. Thomas said he plans to open the space in the spring, but is awaiting further government approval which could delay the project until summer.
• The council voted 12-1 to approve a motion to endorse Senate Bill 411, a bill in the California State Senate which would grant neighborhood councils the ability to hold meetings online or in a hybrid format without an emergency declaration.
• The council unanimously approved a motion from the West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce to rename the city square at the intersection of Westwood Boulevard and Avenue to “Woman. Life. Freedom. Square,” in honor of women participating in the revolution in Iran and Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman whose arrest and death by Iranian police sparked mass protests in Iran and in the United States, amongst other countries.
• The council unanimously approved a motion from Transportation Committee co-chairs Evan Curran and Wasserman to send a letter to UCLA on behalf of the council in favor of a heavy rail station on UCLA’s campus as part of the Sepulveda Transit Corridor. The duo cited a Daily Bruin op-ed as reasoning of why the council should take action in urging the university to endorse the project. As part of the motion, the council also unanimously approved participation in Westwood Connected, a plan to create pedestrian improvements, protect bike lanes and develop contiguous bus lanes in Westwood.
• The council invited Erica Gatica, Empower LA project coordinator, to present to the council a mandate for a 30-day period in which the council can decide to meet in-person or virtually, including committees. She said the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment will allow for teleconferencing at in-person meetings, but that members of neighborhood councils will be capped at only three meetings a year in which they can appear via teleconferencing.
• The council unanimously approved a motion to agree to the contract UCLA offered the council to return to the Weyburn Terrace Skyview Room for meetings starting April 5. The council will pay UCLA $500, plus taxes in fees, per month to use the facility.