West Hollywood : Planning Board to Expand

The City Council has voted to amend the city code to allow the city Planning Commission to consist of seven members.

Some community activists, including incorporation leader Ron Stone, had argued that the commission should be limited to five members, so that council members could only promote one candidate each.

But the council voted unanimously last week to allow its members to nominate one candidate each in addition to two who will be nominated by the council as a whole. All must be ratified by the full council.

The City Council has also authorized the establishment of a full-time position to develop an affordable housing program for the city. The staff has been directed to search out candidates for the job.

The council also decided last Thursday to place the affordable-housing program under the control of the city’s Community Development Department, instead of the city’s new Rent Control Administration as suggested by some.

The city will sponsor a workshop on affordable housing at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6 in the Plummer Park Multipurpose Room, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd.

Allan Heskin of the UCLA School of Architecture and Urban Planning and Anita Landecker of the L.A. Community Design Center will speak.

More information is available from Barbara Grover at (213) 854-7400.