Brief

Whole Foods Market, operating as Mrs Gooch Natural Food Market at 3443 South Sepulveda Boulevard, sought and obtained City Council approval for a conditional use permit to sell alcohol. The application was submitted April 10, 2026, and Council unanimously adopted the item on May 19, 2026, by a 15-0 vote. The permit remains subject to reconsideration under Council rules.

Full summary

Whole Foods Market, operating under the name Mrs Gooch Natural Food Market at 3443 South Sepulveda Boulevard, applied for a Public Convenience or Necessity determination to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages for off-site consumption at the location. This type of determination is required under California Business and Professions Code Section 23958.4 when a proposed alcohol license falls within an area the state considers to have an undue concentration of licenses — the City must affirmatively find that granting the license serves public convenience or necessity and will not create a law enforcement problem. The application, filed by Ryan Bissett on behalf of Whole Foods Market and tied to Planning Department case ZA-2024-5093-CUB-PR, was submitted to the City Clerk and referred to Council on April 10, 2026. The Council took up the item on May 19, 2026, acting on a motion presented by 5th District Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky and seconded by Councilmember Rodriguez. The motion directed the Council to make three specific findings: first, that granting the off-site alcohol sales permit serves public convenience or necessity and will not tend to create a law enforcement problem; second, that the application itself be formally granted; and third, that the City Clerk transmit the Council's determination to the State Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control as required by state law. The full Council voted 15-0 to adopt the motion. The approval is subject to reconsideration under Council Rule 51, a procedural mechanism that allows the Council to revisit a vote shortly after adoption. The file remains open with an expiration date of May 19, 2028.

Activity (4)

• 2026-05-19 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2026-05-15 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on May 19, 2026.
• 2026-04-10 Public Convenience or Necessity document(s) referred to Council.
• 2026-04-10 Document submitted by Mrs Gooch Natural Food Market dba Whole Foods Market c/o Ryan Bissett, dated April 10, 2026.

Documents (14)

• 2026-05-19 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-05-19 Motion (Yaroslavsky - Rodriguez) · motion
• 2026-05-17 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-05-13 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-05-13 Communication(s) from Public · communication
• 2026-05-12 Communication from the City of Los Angeles Police Department · other
• 2026-04-10 Public Convenience or Necessity Application · other
• 2026-04-10 Attachment to Application submitted 4-10-26 - Mailing List · attachment
• 2026-04-10 Attachment to Application submitted 4-10-26 - Supporting Letter - Part 1 · attachment
• 2026-04-10 Attachment to Application submitted 4-10-26 - Letter of Determination · attachment
• 2026-04-10 Attachment to Application submitted 4-10-26 - CUB Application Package · attachment
• 2026-04-10 Communication from Deputy City Clerk to Department of City Planning · other
• 2026-04-10 Communication from Deputy City Clerk to Los Angeles Police Department · other
• 2026-04-10 Attachment to Application submitted 4-10-26 - Supporting Letter - Part 2 · attachment