At its October 1 meeting, the Neighborhood Council of Westchester Playa unanimously approved a letter to the City of Los Angeles, supporting the continued beautification efforts of Sepulveda Boulevard by the Westchester Streetscape Improvement Association.

The letter read, in part, “For many years, the Neighborhood Council has supported the WSIA’s efforts to develop a beautification plan for Sepulveda Boulevard, secure funds to make that plan a reality, and implement its vision. Today, WSIA’s efforts have resulted in a gorgeous streetscape, including new meandering sidewalks and spectacular landscaping on both the sidewalks and medians along Sepulveda Boulevard. The final, important step in this process is to assure that the remaining portions of this area fit seamlessly into the improvements that have already been made.

“The existing ficus and bottle brush trees have caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, buckling sidewalks, infiltrating water pipes, and creating a safety hazard for both pedestrians and drivers. According to certified arborist Greg Monfette, who has examined the trees, these trees cannot be ‘root pruned and preserved because the root severance will destabilize the trees leading to their failure.’ Furthermore, if these trees are allowed to remain, sidewalk buckling will only increase, forcing more pedestrians to walk in the street, creating a dangerous situation for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. In short, this area is simply not safe unless the trees are removed.”

The Neighborhood Council added that by allowing WSIA to complete its beautification efforts along Sepulveda Boulevard, including the removal of the damaging trees, our community will “benefit from a more beautiful streetscape, and those who walk and/or drive along Sepulveda Boulevard will be able to do so more safely.”

The city’s Board of Public Works is expected to vote on the issue in the coming weeks.

SIDEWALK POWER WASHING

The NCWP board also supported the Budget and Finance Committee’s recommendation to approve $1,080 for power washing of area sidewalks. For the past two years, the NCWP approved a similar expenditure and hired Clean Street to perform monthly cleaning. This has made a vast improvement in the cleanliness of the area surrounding the Westchester Library and the Municipal Building at the corner of Lincoln Boulevard and Manchester Avenue. The cleaning will typically occur the first week of each month.

BUDDY BENCHES

The board also voted unanimously to support the Campus Buddy Bench program for local elementary schools.The buddy bench is a simple idea to eliminate loneliness and foster friendship on the playground spreading the message of inclusion and kindness. The NCWP Education Committee will help facilitate ordering, install, and development of a curriculum for Buddy Benches at all elementary schools in Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista.

This item also ran in the Hometown News: NCWP in October 2019 Home Town News