Adopted Positions

“The _____ NC/CC, a member of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC) opposes the two proposed Monorail Options (Alternative 1 and Alternative 3) due to their significantly lower ridership projections and lower capacities, and their significantly slower speeds and longer travel times, and supports the proposed underground Heavy Rail subway mode of transportation through the Sepulveda Pass because it will carry significantly more passengers than the proposed Monorail mode of transportation. The Heavy Rail mode of transportation is described in the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project, released by Metro on June 2, 2025, in the discussion of Alternatives 4, 5 and 6.”

“The State of California has enacted a series of housing-related bills aimed at increasing residential density in cities and municipalities statewide, including SB 9, SB 10, and others.  While the stated intent of these bills is to address the statewide housing crisis, implementation of these measures often places significant burdens on local government without providing the necessary infrastructure, services, or fiscal support.  These mandates frequently override local planning authority, diminish the ability of cities to tailor land use to their unique needs and capacities, and strain existing infrastructure and funding resources.

“_______ NC/CC, a member of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC), therefore:

“1) requests that our elected state officials take steps to initiate a pause on all enacted legislation that provides for statewide housing density and/or streamlining mandates, unless and until clear funding mechanisms are identified and enacted to accompany the legislation, in order to support the resulting impact on infrastructure, public safety, and municipal services; and

“2) opposes any pending and future legislation that proposes statewide housing density and/or streamlining mandates, unless clear funding mechanisms are identified to accompany any such bills, in order to support the resulting impact on infrastructure, public safety, and municipal services.

“The imposition of increased density — without accompanying state funding or resource allocation — exacerbates existing challenges, particularly in areas vulnerable to wildfire, evacuation constraints, and other environmental or geographic hazards, such as the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, Flood Zones or other environmentally sensitive locations as determined by local governments throughout the state.”

““The Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC), strongly supports CF 20-1376-S5 (Park), which calls for certain amendments of LAMC Sec. 41.18 and a report back by the City Attorney on the feasibility of amending 41.18 to prohibit encampments as per the Governor’s model ordinance.”

“_______NC/CC, a member of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC), urges Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and/or the City Administrative Officer Matthew Szabo to disclose the full extent of all sources of funding for the City’s Inside Safe program.”

“_______NC/CC, a member of the Westside Regional Alliance of  Councils (WRAC), urges Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to immediately consent to a full audit of the City’s Inside Safe program by Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia.”

  “_____ NC/CC, a member of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC), supports banning all classes of e-bicycles (e-bikes) from riding on a sidewalk or a boardwalk in the City  of Los Angeles, to address serious public safety concerns and reports of rising accidents, injuries and deaths from collisions between e-bikes and pedestrians.

“To accomplish this objective, _____ NC/CC supports the Los Angeles City Council passing, and the Mayor approving, an ordinance updating Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 56.15.  BICYCLE RIDING – SIDEWALKS to read (additions in italics/underlined):

“1.   No person shall ride, operate or use a bicycle, unicycle, skateboard, cart, wagon, wheelchair, roller skates, or any other device moved exclusively by human power, on a sidewalk, bikeway or boardwalk in a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.                  (Amended by Ord. No. 166,189, Eff. 10/7/90.) No person shall ride, operate or use any class of electric bicycle (e-bike) on a sidewalk or boardwalk in the City of Los Angeles. (Amended by a new Ordinance passed by the LA City Council.)

“2.   No person shall ride, operate or use a bicycle, electric bicycle (e-bike) or unicycle on Ocean  Front Walk between Marine Street and Via Marina within the City of Los Angeles, except that bicycle, electric bicycle (e-bike) or unicycle riding shall be permitted along the bicycle path adjacent to Ocean Front Walk between Marine Street and Washington Boulevard.(Amended by Ord. No. 153,474, Eff. 4/12/80.)  (Amended by a new Ordinance passed by the LA City Council.)

“3.   No person shall operate on a beach bicycle path, or on an area of a beach which is set aside for bicycle, electric bicycle (e-bike) or unicycle use, any bicycle, electric bicycle (e-bike) or tricycle which provides for side-by-side seating thereon or which has affixed thereto any              attachment or appendage which protrudes from the side of the bicycle, electric bicycle (e-bike) or tricycle and is used or designed to carry another person or persons thereon. (Amended by a new Ordinance passed by the LA City Council.)  

  “_____ NC/CC further requests that Councilmembers representing WRAC member councils (Park, Yaroslavsky, Hutt and/or Raman) bring a motion in Council requesting amendment of Municipal Code Sec. 56.15 as set forth above.”

The _____ NC/CC, a member of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC), opposes  the allocation of revenues from the Bus Lane Violation Enforcement Pilot Program to items that are not specifically related to public transit. We therefore oppose using these funds for  “Transportation improvements and temporary staffing related to the 2028 Olympic and  Paralympic games.” A $200 million federal grant is already in the works to help with the  proposed use of public buses at the 2028 Games. Council Files: 24-1151 and 21-1224

“The Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC), opposes   SB 79 (Wiener), which further erodes local control over land use and zoning decisions, requires  streamlined approval of very high multifamily buildings near certain bus stops and rail lines in single-family neighborhoods even when municipalities such as Los Angeles already have a state-approved and compliant Housing Element, and compromises public safety by failing to  include an unconditional exemption for the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.

“WRAC further supports the resolution in City Council by Councilmember John S. Lee, second by Councilwoman Traci Park (CF 25-0002-S19), for the City Council to add to its State Legislative Program for 2025-26 opposition to SB 79 unless amended to exempt municipalities with a state-approved and compliant Housing Element.”

Additional letter to Councilmembers

“ _____NC/CC, a member of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils (WRAC), opposes SB 677 (Wiener), which mandates further streamlining and automatic approval of certain permits for increased housing development throughout the state, and places all areas within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ), including all or parts of Pacific Palisades, Brentwood and Bel Air-Beverly Crest, at risk of public safety, by failing to provide for an unconditional exemption for areas within the VHFHSZ.

“We further request that our Councilmembers representing WRAC member councils (Hutt, Park, Raman and/or Yaroslavsky)  bring a resolution in City Council forthwith to add opposition to SB 677 to the Council’s state legislative priorities for 2025-26.”

“Whereas the recent devastating wildfires have left the LA streets and landscape covered with a multitude of toxic chemicals, heavy metals, hazardous materials, ash and fire debris;

“Whereas the recent heavy rainstorms have washed an enormous amount of this toxic material down to our coastline;

“Whereas the EPA and FEMA, against strong public opposition, have chosen to use the beach lots along our coast as sorting sites;

“Whereas our beaches are now covered with hazardous fire debris and black sludge;

“Whereas no significant water/beach testing information has been released to the public;

“____NC/CC, a member of the Westside Regional Alliance of Councils,  strongly urges that this environmental catastrophe be taken seriously, with an immediate plan to fund, test, share information, and protect our coastal environment and the millions of people who enjoy it, by City of Los Angeles, City of Santa Monica and Los Angeles County authorities with respective operational control of our beaches in the region, including Dockweiler State Beach, Venice Beach, Santa Monica Beach, Will Rogers State Beach and Topanga Beach.

“____ NC/CC further urges that one or more of our Councilmembers who represent WRAC member councils (Hutt, Park, Raman and/or Yaroslavsky) bring a resolution in Council immediately 1) to address this catastrophe on all beaches over which the City has operational control, and 2) to request that the City of Santa Monica and Los Angeles County, respectively, take further, immediate action to address the catastrophe on all beaches over which they have operational control in the region.”