BANKSHOT BILLARDS, INC. v. City of Ocala

692 F. Supp. 2d 1343, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12559, 2010 WL 557714
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedFebruary 12, 2010
Docket6:07-cv-00455
StatusPublished

This text of 692 F. Supp. 2d 1343 (BANKSHOT BILLARDS, INC. v. City of Ocala) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
BANKSHOT BILLARDS, INC. v. City of Ocala, 692 F. Supp. 2d 1343, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12559, 2010 WL 557714 (M.D. Fla. 2010).

Opinion

ORDER

WM. TERRELL HODGES, District Judge.

This case involves a challenge to the constitutionality of an ordinance of the *1345 City of Ocala (“City”). The ordinance regulates the presence of persons under the age of 21 in establishments where alcoholic beverages are consumed. The suit was brought by the Plaintiff, Bankshot Billiards, Inc. (“Bankshot”), in the state circuit court seeking a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief (Doc. 1). When a supplemental complaint added a federal claim for damages under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Doc. 2), the City timely removed the case to this Court. There is no dispute that this Court has both subject matter and in personam jurisdiction.

The City has moved for summary judgment on all claims (Doc. 22). The motion has been fully briefed and oral argument was heard on October 16, 2009 (Docs. 33, 52). There is no genuine issue concerning any material fact. Disposition by summary judgment is appropriate. Upon due consideration, the Court has determined that the ordinance under attack is unconstitutionally vague on its face in violation of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. Declaratory and injunctive relief in Bank-shot’s favor shall be granted.

Summary Judgment Standard

Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(c)(2), the entry of summary judgment is appropriate only when the Court is satisfied that “the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” In applying this standard, the Court must examine the materials on file and record evidence “in the. light most favorable to the nonmoving party.” Samples on Behalf of Samples v. Atlanta, 846 F.2d 1328, 1330 (11th Cir.1988). As the Supreme Court held in Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986), the moving party bears the initial burden of establishing the nonexistence of a triable issue of fact. If the movant is successful on this score, the burden of production shifts to the non-moving party who must then come forward with “sufficient evidence of every element that he or she must prove.” Rollins v. TechSouth, 833 F.2d 1525, 1528 (11th Cir.1987). The non-moving party may not simply rest on the pleadings, but must use affidavits, depositions, answers to interrogatories, or other admissible evidence to demonstrate that a material fact issue remains to be tried. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 324, 106 S.Ct. 2548. See also Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(e)(2). The party opposing a motion for summary judgment must rely on more than conclusory statements or allegations unsupported by facts. Evers v. Gen. Motors Corp., 770 F.2d 984, 986 (11th Cir.1985) (“conclusory allegations without specific supporting facts have no probative value”).

Undisputed Material Facts

I. Bankshot Billiards’ Operations

Opening business at its present location in Ocala, Florida in 1995, Bankshot has operated as a typical pool hall consisting of 16 regulation pool tables. It holds a general liquor license , from the State authorizing the sale of alcohol on the premises, and it offers limited food items to its patrons together with both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. It also sells billiard supplies and conducts pool tournaments; and, until this dispute arose, it catered to both adults and younger persons under the age of 21. 1

In 2004, Bankshot expanded its pool hall facility and opened an upstairs area of the *1346 establishment as a night club offering a dance floor with music and associated entertainment. In 2006, Bankshot further expanded its night club operations into ground floor space adjoining the pool hall. The night club aspect of the business, however, is conducted only during certain days and hours; it is not operated on a daily basis like the pool hall. The record reflects that the pool hall business is open for 77 hours per week and, during 10 of those hours, it advertises itself as a pool hall and as a place for dancing.

II. The Ordinance

At about the same time that Bankshot began its nightclub endeavor, the City of Ocala decided to commence regulating the presence of minors (those under 21) in some establishments — but not all — where alcohol is served. This proved to be a difficult and complicated task. Ordinance 5346 enacted in 2005 was the first of several attempts to create distinctions between adult night clubs and other types of alcoholic beverage establishments that the City wished to leave alone such as restaurants, hotels, bowling alleys and pool halls routinely patronized by families with minors. After half a dozen revisions, repeals and re-enactments, the City adopted Ordinance 5650 in April 2007 — the ordinance presently under assault in this case.

The core provision of Section 6-9 of Ordinance 5650, entitled “Patron Age Restrictions,” is Subsection (b):

(b) Prohibition. It shall be unlawful for persons under the age of 21 years to enter or remain in any alcoholic beverage establishment, or to be permitted to remain in any alcoholic beverage establishment by owner, managers, employees or independent contractors of such alcoholic beverage establishments, except as hereinafter provided.

“Alcoholic beverage establishment” is defined in Subsection (a)(1) as “a business establishment that is either a bottle club, cocktail bar, or nightclub as defined in this section.” A “nightclub”

means a business establishment that: is open after 11:00 p.m., has floor space available and used for dancing; and has a band, orchestra or other form of music or musical or other entertainment. If the establishment meets the foregoing requirements during any business day, it is a “nightclub” for purposes of this section on all business days.

Subsection (a)(10). 2

Subsection (c) provides for certain “exemptions” from the prohibition, including the exemption of a “billiard hall.” See Subsection (c)(7). Subsection (a)(2) supplies a detailed definition of what is meant by the term “billiard hall:”

(2) “Billiard hall” means a business establishment:
a. Having the greater of:
(i) 12 pool or billiard tables, or
(ii) one full-size pool or billiard table per 625 square feet of gross

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Bluebook (online)
692 F. Supp. 2d 1343, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12559, 2010 WL 557714, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bankshot-billards-inc-v-city-of-ocala-flmd-2010.