Adopted Positions

The following are adopted positions of WRAC (based on motions passed by the requisite majority of Member councils).

For additional WRAC communications with officials/agencies (not included below), see Other Communications.  

Opposition to lifting the beach curfew

Formally adopted by WRAC in July 2018 | Download the WRAC position letter

Passed by

  • Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council
  • Brentwood Community Council
  • Del Rey Neighborhood Council
  • Mar Vista Community Council
  • Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa
  • Pacific Palisades Community Council
  • South Robertson Neighborhoods Council
  • West LA-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council
  • Westside Neighborhood Council
  • Westwood Community Council
  • Westwood Neighborhood Council

Motion

The ______________ Council opposes the lifting of the beach curfew currently in place, restricting beach access from midnight to 5am, daily. This is in consideration of public health and safety concerns and in keeping with long standing practice, supported by LAPD and LA County Beaches and Harbors, who are tasked with maintaining the safety and integrity of the beach and the shoreline, respectively.

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Reserved seating for Board Representatives with a CIS or Board Resolution

Formally adopted by WRAC in July 2018

Passed by

  • Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council
  • Brentwood Community Council
  • Pacific Palisades Community Council
  • Palms Neighborhood Council (modified version)
  • South Robertson Neighborhoods Council
  • Venice Neighborhood Council
  • Westside Neighborhood Council
  • Westwood Community Council
  • Westwood Neighborhood Council

Motion

Refers to City Council file 15-0524

In the interest of ensuring that local constituencies represented by Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils are heard, the ____________NC/CC requests that seating be reserved at City departmental hearings, commission meetings, and Council meetings for members of Neighborhood and Community Councils [who have submitted Community Impact Statements on item(s) before the body.*]

The _____________NC/CC further requests that the City Council introduces a motion to amend the Administrative Code (Section 22.819) to reflect this policy.

*  Some Councils may choose to omit this qualifying statement, to be in line with a similar LANCC motion.

 

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Westwood NC Subdivision

Formally adopted by WRAC in March 2018 | Download the WRAC position letter

Motion

Immediately stay any subdivision process for NCs, including the one currently underway for Westwood NC, until BONC has had an opportunity to complete the review process, that is duly unfolding, for the subdivision ordinance (including City Council hearings that take into account community input). We further ask that BONC put in place a mechanism for professional mediation before any subdivision election is considered.

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Opposition to Transit-rich Housing Bonus Bill [Wiener, SB 827]

Formally adopted by WRAC in February 2018 | Download the WRAC position letter

Passed by

  • Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council
  • Brentwood Community Council
  • Del Rey Neighborhood Council
  • Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa
  • Pacific Palisades Community Council (modified version)
  • South Robertson Neighborhoods Council (modified version)
  • Venice Neighborhood Council
  • West LA-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council
  • Westside Neighborhood Council (modified version)
  • Westwood Community Council
  • Westwood Neighborhood Council

Motion

Whereas the City Charter-mandated Neighborhood Council system of Los Angeles, and the Community Councils of the City of Los Angeles, represent grass roots democracy,

  1. Whereas the newly introduced California State Senate Bill 827 [Scott Weiner] as written constitutes a top down pen stroke planning measure which completely removes land use and planning authority within one half mile of high quality transit from jurisdictions and charter cities,
  2. Whereas removal of said authority clearly abolishes local input into land use planning and therefore constitutes an attack upon local democracy, upon neighborhoods, and upon the Neighborhood Councils and Community Councils in the City of Los Angeles,
  3. Whereas SB 827 as written trashes the density bonus and wage provisions of the JJJ TOC ordinance which were recently enacted by the people of Los Angeles—in good faith—in order to guarantee transit close housing opportunities would actually be available to working and low- income persons and families in the City of Los Angeles,
  4. Whereas the lack of analysis of infrastructure and other costs associated with this pen stroke planning creates grave uncertainty that a local agency would be able to “levy enough service charges, fees or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or level of service mandated by this act within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code”,
  5. Whereas, given the aforementioned lack of fiscal analysis, Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution “No reimbursement” clause is cited inappropriately in this legislation,
  6. Therefore, the _____________ Council opposes SB 827 in its present form.

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Cell towers aka wireless facilities in public right-of-way and on city property

Formally adopted by WRAC in August 2017 | Download the WRAC position letter

Passed by

  • Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council
  • Brentwood Community Council
  • Del Rey Neighborhood Council
  • Mar Vista Community Council
  • Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa
  • Pacific Palisades Community Council
  • Palms Neighborhood Council
  • South Robertson Neighborhoods Council
  • Venice Neighborhood Council
  • West LA-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council
  • Westside Neighborhood Council
  • Westwood Community Council
  • Westwood Neighborhood Council

Motion

WRAC recommends opposing SB 649, which removes from cities the discretionary regulation of “small cell” cell phone towers in the public right-of-way and on city property. Exceptions for historic zones and Coastal Zone are included, but scenic highways and R zones are not included. Local control should be maintained. Cities have capability to properly analyze applications within existing laws and balance protection of neighborhoods with the need for increased wireless capacity.

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Support for the Los Angeles Homeless Veterans Leasing Act of 2015

Formally adopted by WRAC in April 2016

Passed by

  • Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council (modified version)
  • Brentwood Community Council (modified version)
  • Mar Vista Community Council
  • Pacific Palisades Community Council (modified version)
  • Palms Neighborhood Council
  • South Robertson Neighborhoods Council
  • Venice Neighborhood Council
  • West LA-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council
  • Westside Neighborhood Council
  • Westwood Community Council
  • Westwood Neighborhood Council

Motion

The ________ Neighborhood/Community Council supports the Los Angeles Homeless Veterans Leasing Act of 2015 (Feinstein / S. 2013 and Lieu / H.R. 3484), to place permanent supportive housing on the Department of Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Campus in West LA.

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Short Term Rentals

Formally adopted by WRAC in March 2016

Passed by

  • Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council (modified version)
  • Brentwood Community Council (modified version)
  • Mar Vista Community Council (modified version)
  • Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa (modified version)
  • Pacific Palisades Community Council (modified version)
  • South Robertson Neighborhoods Council (modified version)
  • Venice Neighborhood Council (modified version)
  • West LA-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council
  • Westwood Community Council
  • Westwood Neighborhood Council (modified version)

Motion

Refers to City Council file 14-1635-S2

Any proposed City ordinance allowing short term rentals in presently prohibited zones must include the following essential provisions:

  • No rent stabilized units “RSO” shall be allowed to rent short term
  • Only owner occupied primary residences shall be permitted to host for short term rentals, and only one unit shall be permitted per host.
  • There shall be a cap of 60 nights per calendar year per host for short term rentals
  • Prior to listing, hosts shall be responsible for verifying their properties comply with the Los Angeles Building and Safety code at their own expense and shall make all necessary repairs
  • All hosts shall obtain a City permit and a permanent registration number. The condition of receiving a City permit and permanent registration number shall be the following: proof of primary residence plus liability insurance for this specific use including any rider that may be necessary for a non-conforming use on the property. Examples of proof of primary residence shall include utility bill, drivers’ license and the like
  • Upon filing for a short term rentals permit, hosts shall notify property owners within 500 ft.
  • All hosts shall include their permanent City registration number on all advertised listings in all media
  • All hosts shall register with the City Department of Finance and remit transient occupancy taxes “TOT” including any and all back taxes owed. Short term rental TOT receipts shall not go into general fund but shall be used to create a special enforcement/compliance unit specific to enforcing regulation of short term rentals. An example of this compliance unit is the LAHD inspection program for multifamily units
  • Hosts shall be required to pay the City’s legal minimum wage, abide by hotel employee protections and register with the State Employment Development Department
  • Hosts shall disclose such information as the City deems required for enforcement. Examples of this information shall include the type of rental whether one room or whole house, how many nights per year, how many guests and the like
  • Hosts which refuse to register or disclose information necessary for enforcement shall be prohibited from operating in the City and face such penalties and fines as may be deemed appropriate by the City under the new ordinance
  • Platforms shall only list City registered units and display registration number in each listing
  • Platforms shall disclose information deemed necessary by the City for enforcement and for collection of back taxes and shall be held accountable, including fines and other penalties as may be deemed appropriate by the City, for any unregistered online listings appearing upon the platforms’ website
  • The ordinance shall establish a right of appeal of the issuance of a short term rental permit
  • The ordinance shall establish a private right of action by individuals in the community

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Enforcement of all zoning and building codes

Formally adopted by WRAC in May 2016

Passed by

  • Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council
  • Brentwood Community Council
  • Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa
  • Pacific Palisades Community Council (modified version)
  • Palms Neighborhood Council
  • Venice Neighborhood Council
  • West LA-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council
  • Westwood Community Council
  • Westwood Neighborhood Council

Motion

Whereas the Los Angeles City Attorney; the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety; and the Los Angeles City Council continue to selectively enforce existing zoning ordinances to the detriment of our stakeholders quality of life including, but not limited to, short term rentals, illegal signs, illegal boarding houses and the like.

Therefore the member councils of WRAC demand the city comply with its own ordinances and laws and immediately enforce all applicable zoning and building codes unless duly amended.

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City Authority Over Conditional Use Beverage (CUB) Permits for Alcohol

Formally adopted by WRAC in April 2016

Passed by

  • Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council
  • Brentwood Community Council
  • Mar Vista Community Council
  • Pacific Palisades Community Council (modified version)
  • Palms Neighborhood Council
  • South Robertson Neighborhoods Council
  • Venice Neighborhood Council
  • West LA-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council
  • Westside Neighborhood Council
  • Westwood Community Council
  • Westwood Neighborhood Council

Motion

Whereas, the City of Los Angeles has imposed land use conditions in Conditional Use Beverage (CUB) permits for decades to protect public health, safety and welfare by mitigating potential impacts due to the sale or service of alcohol, as recommended by the LAPD, Council Offices, neighborhood councils, community councils, and local residents; and

Whereas, the Department of City Planning suddenly reversed this decades-long practice in 2012, on the advice of the City Attorney’s Office, with no public notice, no public process, no public hearings, and no direction from the City Council, which is charged with policy-making authority; and

Whereas, Zoning Administrators now unilaterally and without notice use the Plan Approval Process to remove previously-imposed conditions designed to avoid or mitigate actual or potential land use impacts adverse to public health, safety and welfare; and

Whereas, municipalities throughout the State of California have and continue to impose land use conditions to mitigate adverse impacts that may otherwise arise from the sale or service of alcohol, including the Cities of Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Palmdale, Lancaster, Huntington Park, Montebello, Orange, San Bernardino, Pinole, Ventura, San Buenaventura, Santa Cruz, Hayward, Walnut Creek, Watsonville, and the County of Los Angeles, among others; and

Whereas, the City’s current practice undermines the ability of the City and local communities to protect against potential land use impacts that are adverse to public health, safety and welfare, including but not limited to potential nuisances, by restricting the imposition of conditions on, among other things, hours of sale of alcohol, happy hours, container sizes, types of alcohol sold, and other similar rules and regulations, despite the efficacy of such conditions in avoiding or mitigating potential adverse impacts arising from the sale or service of alcohol; and

Whereas, California courts have repeatedly affirmed that municipalities have broad police powers to impose land use conditions that protect against potentially adverse impacts on public health, safety and welfare arising from the sale or service of alcohol; and

Whereas, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) has not advised the City that the imposition of such land use conditions interferes with ABC’s enforcement of State law; and

Whereas, implementation of this new policy not only impairs the ability of the LAPD, Council Offices, and communities to protect public health, safety and welfare, but also interferes with the ability of CUB applicants to garner support for their projects by negotiating for the imposition of mutually agreed-upon conditions, as had been done for decades before the current practice was imposed, which forces communities to oppose projects they could otherwise support with proper conditions:

Now, therefore, be it Resolved that the [Insert Neighborhood or Community Council Name Here] calls upon the City Council to adopt a policy to:

(1.) Authorize the imposition of land use conditions that protect public health, safety and welfare by mitigating potential adverse impacts from the sale or service of alcohol, consistent with the practice of other jurisdictions statewide as well as the City’s decades-long practice prior to 2012;

(2.) Maintain and enforce previously-imposed CUB conditions on the sale or service of alcohol; and

(3.) Prohibit the removal of previously-imposed conditions outside the public processes mandated under the City Charter and Zoning Code.

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Housing Unit Audits Motion

Formally adopted by WRAC in October 2014

Passed by

  • Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council
  • Brentwood Community Council
  • Mar Vista Community Council
  • Pacific Palisades Community Council
  • Venice Neighborhood Council
  • West LA-Sawtelle Neighborhood Council
  • Westside Neighborhood Council
  • Westwood Community Council
  • Westwood Neighborhood Council

Motion

WRAC requests the City Controller, The Housing Department and the City Council to audit all income restricted units built under SB 1818 and all RSO units and buildings that replace pre 1978 buildings.

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