Former LA City Councilman Bill Rosendahl dies at 70

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Former Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl has died after a four-year battle with cancer, city officials said. He was 70 years old.

His death was confirmed on Wednesday in a statement from the office of Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents the 11th District.

Rosendahl was the first openly gay man elected to the L.A. City Council and served from 2005 to 2013, representing the Westside. He focused heavily on the homeless, medical marijuana, mass transit, curbing over-development and giving neighborhoods a greater voice in decision-making.

He was diagnosed with stage-four cancer in 2012 and retired in 2013.

Rosendahl was known for his beaming smile and a booming voice and was often called the "conscience of the City Council."

Prior to being elected, Rosendahl produced and hosted several public affairs television shows, including Local Talk, Week in Review and Beyond the Beltway.

He also worked for the presidential campaigns of Eugene McCarthy and Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, and he served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971.

Following his retirement from the Council in 2013, he served as president of the City of Los Angeles Health Commission.

Rosendahl is survived by his longtime partner, Hedi El-Kholti. Plans for his funeral and memorial are pending.

PHOTOS: Celebrities and notable figures who have recently passed away