West Hollywood requires grocery stores to have an attendant monitoring mask-wearing. (photo by Cameron Kiszla)

The West Hollywood City Council will require grocery stores in the city to have an employee dedicated to ensuring that pandemic-related health measures such as mask-wearing are followed. Grocery stores were previously allowed to have such an employee to monitor safety protocols, though it was not required. The requirement, which was unanimously approved on Dec. 21 as part of the consent calendar, took effect immediately.

Mayor Lindsey Horvath noted that “there have been reports of outbreaks at Pavilions, Gelson’s and the Ralphs on La Brea” in West Hollywood. Though the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health did not show records of cases at those locations, commercial businesses in West Hollywood that have seen cases include Best Buy, 1015 N. La Brea Ave.; McDonald’s, 1133 N. La Brea Ave.; Pankow Construction, 8899 Beverly Blvd.; and Target, 7100 Santa Monica Blvd.

“There’s been a lot of discussion around the hospitality industry and its impact on COVID numbers, but the grocery stores aren’t closing and we are seeing impacts there,” Horvath said.

In addition to state and county regulations, which already require that grocery stores limit capacity, monitor the number of people in the store and institute special hours for seniors and those with weakened immune systems, West Hollywood will require each grocery store to place an employee at the entrance to check for masks, ensure compliance with the occupancy limit and enforce social distancing.

“The proposed ordinance is necessary in order to assist in protecting essential workers and customers from the potential risk of exposure to COVID-19. Under the proposed ordinance, the designated person at the entrance could be an employee, security guard or other hired individual trained on the current public health orders,” the city staff report read.

Horvath also suggested that the grocery stores stock up on face coverings that could be given to customers who show up without them.

“It would be great to see those people who are designated at the doors to enforce the reduced capacity and the numbers in our grocery stores also distributing masks to people who show up without them. I know that we do that in the city at our parks and other places, and it would be great to see these places also accommodate it,” Horvath said.

The West Hollywood requirement exempts grocery stores “whose principal business is to provide delivery services or curbside pickup and whose ancillary use is in-person shopping” from the requirement to post an employee at the door, the staff report read.

“In addition, this ordinance excludes convenience stores (generally defined as retail stores of 3,500 square feet or less which primarily carry prepackaged food and beverage products) where a cashier or register is within close proximity to the front entrance allowing an employee the ability to control that entrance,” the staff report read.

Under county and state restrictions, grocery stores are limited to either 20% or 35% of their normal capacity. (photo by Cameron Kiszla)

The exempted businesses must still follow the county and state regulations.

Horvath added that she’d like to see grocery stores, which report their infection numbers to the county, report them to the city as well so West Hollywood could inform their residents as to where recent outbreaks of COVID-19 have been.

“Going to the grocery store, while it is an essential trip, it also is a calculated risk. Knowing safe places to go and how to keep yourself safe is very important,” Horvath said.