LOS ANGELES CITY HALL JOURNAL

A summary of significant Los Angeles City Hall decisions affecting the Westside in the last week.

CITY COUNCIL

CITY AIRPORTS: Councilman John Ferraro on Wednesday introduced a proposal to investigate the feasibility of selling or leasing the city airports, which include Los Angeles International Airport and the Ontario, Van Nuys and Palmdale airports. Ferraro said the city receives very little revenue from the airports. However, he said, it has been estimated that the city could receive as much as $2 billion by selling LAX. The proposal was sent to the council’s Commerce, Energy and Natural Resources Committee for review.

SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER: Approved a motion to name the southeast corner of Pico Boulevard and Roxbury Drive as Simon Wiesenthal Plaza in honor of the Los Angeles-based Holocaust research center. The Department of Transportation was instructed to post identification signs at the location.

HOW THEY VOTED

How Westside representatives voted on selected issues.

NEW PLANNING DIRECTOR: Approved the hiring of Con Howe as Planning Department director. Howe formerly held the No. 2 position in the New York Planning Department. Passed: 14-0. Voting yes: Marvin Braude, John Ferraro, Ruth Galanter, Nate Holden, Michael Woo and Zev Yaroslavsky.

The council also voted to hire Howe at a yearly salary of $145,000. Passed: 11-3. Voting yes: Braude, Ferraro, Galanter and Woo. Holden and Yaroslavsky voted no.

PARKING RESTRICTIONS: Approved two-hour parking restrictions from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday on Wellworth Avenue between Manning and Selby avenues in Westwood on vehicles owned by non-residents. Non-residents may not park on the street at other times. Passed: 14-0. Voting yes: Braude, Ferraro, Galanter, Holden, Wachs, Woo and Yaroslavsky.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Approved a proposal urging Gov. Pete Wilson to increase funding and support for the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing in its efforts to fight sexual harassment in the workplace. Passed: 14-0. Voting yes: Braude, Ferraro, Galanter, Holden, Woo and Yaroslavsky. Wachs was absent.

HOMELESS CARE: Approved a request to the federal government for a $9-million grant to develop a program to provide housing and supportive services for homeless people who have AIDS, a mental illness or are substance abusers. Passed: 12-0. Voting yes: Braude, Ferraro, Galanter, Wachs and Yaroslavsky. Holden was absent.

RIVER RESCUES: In the wake of a teen-age boy’s drowning, approved the formation of a task force to develop a system to rescue people who fall into the Los Angeles River. The task force, which will include fire, police and county flood control officials, is to report its findings to the council in 90 days. Passed: 13-0. Voting yes: Braude, Ferraro, Galanter, Holden, Wachs, Woo and Yaroslavsky.

SEPULVEDA BASIN: Approved a task force to develop a system to quickly warn motorists or restrict access to the Sepulveda Basin during an emergency such as the flash flood that occurred during the recent storms. Passed: 13-0. Voting yes: Braude, Ferraro, Galanter, Holden, Wachs, Woo and Yaroslavsky.

ON THE AGENDA

FRIDAY SESSION: A proposal for a joint seismic study involving the city, the county, the state and the Southern California Earthquake Center to develop a plan to be used in designing structures to withstand earthquakes.