North Westwood Neighborhood Council recap – Oct. 8

The North Westwood Neighborhood Council approved a Community Impact Statement supporting parking rate and permit fee increases at its October meeting.

The council, which represents UCLA and the Westwood Village, meets on the first Wednesday of every month at UCLA’s Weyburn Terrace. Meetings can be attended in person or virtually by the public using the link posted on the corresponding month’s agenda. The next meeting is set to be held Nov. 5.

Comments by public officials:

• Carmen Zambrano, an assistant director at UCLA Government and Community Relations, said the “Made in L.A. 2025” exhibit at the Hammer Museum began showing Oct. 5 and will stay at the gallery until March 2026. She added that the Mathias Botanical Garden Fall Fest will take place on Oct. 18, and the annual “Exploring Your Universe” science fair will be held Nov. 2. Zambrano also announced that UCLA alumnus Fred Ramsdell won the 2025 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine, adding that most of UCLA’s frozen federal funding has temporarily been restored by a federal judge while the case plays out in court. She added that, while UCLA still plans to host the LA28 Olympic Village, the contract has not yet been finalized, and the university intends to involve local councils in future planning.

• Council President Josh Trifunovic read updates from Los Angeles City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky’s office on behalf of field deputy Patricia Macias. The announcements included details about the upcoming Great Pumpkin Bash composting event Nov. 1, internship opportunities for college students in Council District 5 and a new capital planning reform motion aimed at improving the city’s infrastructure planning process. The updates also announced relaxed parking enforcement during October’s Jewish holidays, recognized Domestic Violence Awareness Month and said residents have the opportunity to help name the new D Line Metro station on Wilshire Boulevard between Veteran Avenue and Westwood Boulevard.

Comments made by the public:

• Andrew Hoyer, the president of the Santa Monica Mid City Neighbors, said he attended the NWWNC meeting to observe how other councils operate. Hoyer added that recent funding reductions by the Santa Monica City Council have limited community organizations’ outreach abilities and said he was interested in comparing neighborhood engagement between the two cities.

• A representative from UCLA’s Undergraduate Students Association Office of the External Vice President spoke about the Sepulveda Transit Corridor for All Ambassador Program, which encourages students and community members to advocate for expanding Metro connections between the Westside and the San Fernando Valley. The representative said the coalition is at a “critical point” in improving Los Angeles’ transportation system and urged residents to join the initiative.

Announcements:

• Connor Webb, an at-large board member and transportation, environment, and public space committee chair, said the committee discussed preferential parking meter rate increases. He added that he asked the city to prioritize repaving Tiverton Avenue, one of the bicycle routes in the area. The committee also supported designing bike lanes wide enough for emergency vehicle access and requiring event organizers seeking special permits to include public transit options in their advertisements to reduce traffic congestion.

• Webb, who spoke on behalf of Vice President Andrew Lewis, said the Sepulveda Transit Corridor for All coalition met to discuss USAC’s letter to LA Metro asking for the agency to approve a station at UCLA.

• Trifunovic announced that the NWWNC received an Empower LA Award, recognizing it as one of the city’s top-performing neighborhood councils. Trifunovic said the recognition marked a major turnaround for the council, which had once been on the brink of disbandment during the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that he was thankful for the board members’ work in rebuilding the council’s reputation and praised the Westwood community’s collaboration.

• Jacob Lawson, an undergraduate student board member, said the council members spoke with hundreds of students and community members at outreach tables at the UCLA Westwood Block Party and UCLA’s Enormous Activities Fair. Lawson, chair of the planning, housing and business committee, said participants were invited to pin their favorite Westwood locations on a district map and follow the council on social media. He added that the committee plans to continue tabling at local events, such as Westwood’s farmers markets and the Oct. 18 Oktoberfest event, to boost civic engagement.

• Resident board member Patrick Babajanian said he attended the Congress of Neighborhoods event Sept. 27, where the NWWNC received its Empower LA Award. He added that the event was an opportunity to network with community leaders – including representatives from the official organizing committee for the 2028 LA Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. He added that the plaque presented to the council commended its “outstanding service and commitment to empowering the community.”

• Webb said neighborhood council budget advocates have begun meeting with various LA departments to review their funding requests for the upcoming fiscal year. Board members should share any department-related questions or concerns they would like addressed in those meetings, he said. Webb added that he plans to discuss upgrades to city parking garage equipment and electric vehicle charging stations with the LA Department of Transportation, adding that State Senator Ben Allen is expected to attend an upcoming NWWNC meeting in December.

• Babajanian said the Olympic committee held its first regular meeting in September to review city council files related to the 2028 LA Olympics. He added that the committee plans to work with the LA28 organizing committee to represent Westwood’s interests as plans for the UCLA Olympic Village progress. Faculty representative Elsa Duval added that delegates from Saint Denis, France – the site of the Paris 2024 Olympic Village – will visit UCLA from Oct. 29-30 to host discussions on community building, arts and culture surrounding the games.

Agenda:

• The council voted to approve a Community Impact Statement supporting parking rate and permit fee increases that reflect inflation and promote sustainable parking. The measure raises meter rates from $1 to $1.50 per hour and adds higher fees for multiple or oversized vehicles. The motion, amended to clarify “personal property” as personal vehicles, was passed by the majority, with one abstention from Kevin Crummy, who said he would not vote for it but also would not vote against the council.

• The council unanimously voted to approve a letter of support for Westwood’s 1% for Public Art fund, which allocates private development money toward murals and sculptures. The amendment adds a planned sculpture project to the proposal, and funding will come from the existing CD 5 Public Art Fund. The motion passed.

• The council voted to approve a Community Impact Statement supporting LA City Charter reforms to give neighborhood councils greater visibility and input. The proposal seeks to make Community Impact Statements more transparent, protect remote public comment access and allow neighborhood councils to submit Community Impact Statements to additional city departments and state and federal agencies. The motion passed unanimously.

• The council appointed Sailasya Munamarty to the budget and finance committee, and the council said it will limit future agendas to priority items to keep meetings concise. Trifunovic then adjourned the meeting, reminding attendees about Oktoberfest and its headline act, Ladyhosen, a band that will be performing in Broxton Plaza at the event Oct. 18.

• The council approved its October consent calendar.