The Garden Grove City Council is slated to discuss two significant proposed ordinances at its upcoming meeting on Tuesday. Both items carry the potential for controversy and will be reviewed during the 6:30 p.m. session at the Community Meeting Center, located at 11300 Stanford Ave. One proposal is a first reading of an ordinance designed to “establish safety and security requirements for hotel workers,” while the other is a revived discussion regarding a potential ban on smoking in city parks.
The ordinance concerning hotel worker safety outlines several specific requirements for hotels operating in Garden Grove. Among these provisions, hotels would be mandated to equip certain employees with a “personal security device” that allows them to summon help immediately if they feel threatened. Additionally, the proposal calls for hotels to provide “designated and trained responders,” such as security staff or an on-duty manager, who would be available to respond promptly to any calls for assistance. The measure also includes provisions allowing employees to request reassignment away from an offending guest and ensures they receive paid time to contact and cooperate with any subsequent police investigation. A staff report indicates these protections are primarily for employees who work alone in guest rooms and other isolated areas within a hotel, where they “may be exposed to threatening or other violent conduct.” It is noted that these specific requirements do not appear to be established for other categories of workers in Garden Grove, though similar regulations have reportedly been adopted for hotel workers in the cities of Anaheim and Ontario.
The second significant item on the council's agenda is the reintroduction of a proposal to ban smoking in city parks. This measure was previously put on hold after Councilmember Joe DoVinh expressed a “vigorous objection,” raising concerns that such a ban could potentially infringe upon civil rights. The topic has been brought back for consideration at the explicit request of Councilmember Walter Muneton. A staff report supporting the ban highlights the health risks associated with second-hand smoke for park visitors. It also states that second-hand smoke is responsible for approximately 41,000 deaths among non-smokers each year. State law currently mandates that smoking is prohibited within 25 feet of playground areas and “tot lot” zones. Furthermore, several neighboring cities within Orange County, including Dana Point, Buena Park, Laguna Beach, and Cypress, have already implemented prohibitions on smoking in their public parks.
