The new wave of coronavirus cases has once again put to the test the patience of small businesses trying to stay profitable amid the ever-shifting landscape of COVID-19 restrictions.
One local restaurant is still dealing with the fallout for its opposition to the health mandate imposed in 2021, prior to Omicron. The Westlake Village eatery is being sued by Los Angeles County over alleged violations of the emergency COVID-19 health orders.
In a 24-page complaint filed Jan. 5 in L.A. County Superior Court, owner Massimo Forti is accused of engaging in unfair business practices at his Italian restaurant and bakery Novo Café on Russell Ranch Road, “by ignoring and violating” public health orders and restrictions.
The lawsuit obtained by The Acorn seeks to have the restaurant declared “an ongoing public nuisance” and fined $2,500 per day of violation.
The county first cited the restaurant in December 2020. Then throughout two weeks of January 2021, repeat inspections turned up additional alleged violations. The county revoked the public health permit for the restaurant at the Shoppes of Westlake Village shopping center, but it remained open.
That same month, the City of Westlake Village revoked Novo Café’s conditional use permit for the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-site and off-site consumption.
The county says despite the health orders, multiple warnings, written directives, citations, suspension and revocation of their public health permit, and health officer closure orders, Novo’s owners “continued and continue to operate . . . in violation of those orders and the law.”
In November 2021, as the county entered a winter lockdown due to the pandemic, a public health inspector re-inspected the premises and reported observing that Novo Café was still operating on a revoked permit, and violating health orders.
“The public health inspector observed 20 customers eating and drinking in the indoor dining area, five customers eating and drinking at the outdoor dining area, one employee at the front counter, two employees serving food and drinks, and six employees preparing food in the kitchen,” according to the lawsuit.
The filing further states “Novo Café failed to maintain a Notice of Closure posted and clearly visible to the general public and patrons; Novo Café employees were not wearing required face covers; and Novo Café failed to post signs informing customers to wear a face covering.”
The inspector issued a citation and written directive to Novo’s parent company, Lucanna, LLC demanding corrective action.
“The city continues to support and encourage our entire community to observe the health officer orders to help keep ourselves, families and the community safe,” Westlake Village city manager Rob de Geus said.
Forti, who is suing the city over the permit issue, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Acorn.
A recalcitrant Agoura Hills restaurant ran into trouble with L.A. County in 2021.
Both the county and the city sued Cronies Sports Grill last year for alleged violation of public health orders after the restaurant on Kanan Road continued to stay open during the dark hours of the 2020 pandemic. Cronies’ insistence on flouting the public health mandate became a political flashpoint leading up to fall election after a rally was held at the premises and scuffles broke out.
Litigation involving the city and county has been settled, and it appears the restaurant is back in good graces.
“Cronies has since applied for and received a new health permit from Los Angeles County and come into compliance with the issues pertaining to the city, including obtaining a new business license,” Agoura Hills City Manager Nathan Hamburger told The Acorn.
This story has been updated.