City of Austin v. Abbott

385 F. Supp. 3d 537
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Texas
DecidedMarch 25, 2019
Docket1:17-CV-806-RP
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 385 F. Supp. 3d 537 (City of Austin v. Abbott) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Austin v. Abbott, 385 F. Supp. 3d 537 (W.D. Tex. 2019).

Opinion

ROBERT PITMAN, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Before the Court are several motions to dismiss filed by Defendant New Cingular Wireless ("New Cingular"), (Dkt. 35), Defendant ExteNet Systems, Inc. ("ExteNet"), (Dkt. 36), Defendants Greg Abbott (the "Governor") and Ken Paxton (the "attorney general"),1 (Dkt. 37), Defendant Mobilitie LLC ("Mobilitie"), (Dkt. 38), Defendant T-Mobile West LLC ("T-Mobile"), (Dkt. 39), and Defendant Crown Castle NG Central LLC ("Crown Castle"), (Dkt. 42). Given the similarities between the motions and the arguments made by the Defendants, the Court will consider them and the arguments they raise collectively. Having considered the parties' briefs, the evidence, and the relevant law, the Court issues the following order.

I. BACKGROUND

In November 2017, the governor signed SB 1004.2 SB 1004 imposes certain standards on the process for permitting telecommunications companies to install "small cell nodes" on utility poles, traffic lights, or street signals in the public right of way ("ROW"). See *540Tex. Loc. Gov't Code § 284.001(a)(1), (5), (8)-(10). These small cell nodes provide the capacity to reliably serve large crowds, and they will eventually serve as a foundation for developing a 5G network. Before SB 1004, the State did not limit the fees municipalities could charge for issuing permits to install and use small cell nodes in their ROW or the time within which a city must process permit applications. SB 1004 places two temporal restrictions on the permit application process: a prohibition of "moratoria"-a period during which a municipality will not issue permits-and a "shot clock"-a specified time period within which an application must be reviewed.

Plaintiff the City of Austin (the "City") sued the State of Texas and the governor seeking an injunction that would prevent the implementation of SB 1004. (See Compl., Dkt. 1). The City argued that SB 1004 is pre-empted by Sections 253(c) and 332(c)(7) of the Federal Telecommunications Act ("FTA"). (Compl., Dkt. 1, ¶¶ 35-38). The City moved for a preliminary injunction, which the Court denied because it concluded that the City was unlikely to succeed on its pre-emption claims.3 (Order, Dkt. 12). The City then amended its complaint to add parties as defendants, including several telecommunications companies and the attorney general, and abandon one of its claims. (Am. Compl., Dkt. 22). Each Defendant has moved to dismiss the City's complaint. (Dkts. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 42).

II. LEGAL STANDARD

A. Rule 12(b)(1)

Under Rule 12(b)(1), a court may dismiss a complaint for "lack of subject-matter jurisdiction." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1). A case is properly dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction when the court lacks "the statutory or constitutional power to adjudicate the case." Home Builders Ass'n of Miss., Inc. v. City of Madison, Miss. , 143 F.3d 1006, 1010 (5th Cir. 1998). There are three avenues for a movant to demonstrate a lack of jurisdiction: (1) on the face of the complaint alone; (2) the complaint supplemented by undisputed facts in the record; and (3) the complaint supplemented by undisputed facts and the court's resolution of disputed facts. Montez v. Dep't of Navy , 392 F.3d 147, 149 (5th Cir. 2004). The party invoking the court's jurisdiction bears the burden of demonstrating that jurisdiction exists. Ramming v. United States , 281 F.3d 158, 161 (5th Cir. 2001).

Where a jurisdictional challenge is raised, the court is generally "free to weigh the evidence and resolve factual disputes in order to satisfy itself that it has the power to hear the case." Montez , 392 F.3d at 149. The court should grant a 12(b)(1) motion to dismiss only if it appears certain that the plaintiff cannot prove any set of facts that would entitle her to recovery. Morris v. Thompson , 852 F.3d 416, 419 (5th Cir. 2017). Where a state's sovereign immunity deprives the court of jurisdiction, the claims barred by sovereign immunity must be dismissed only under Rule 12(b)(1) and not with prejudice. Warnock v. Pecos County, Tex. , 88 F.3d 341, 343 (5th Cir. 1996). Dismissal under 12(b)(1) is not a determination on the merits and does not prevent a plaintiff from pursuing a claim in a court with proper jurisdiction. Ramming , 281 F.3d at 161.

*541B. Rule 12(b)(6)

Pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), a court may dismiss a complaint for "failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). In deciding a 12(b)(6) motion, a "court accepts 'all well-pleaded facts as true, viewing them in the light most favorable to the plaintiff.' " In re Katrina Canal Breaches Litig. , 495 F.3d 191, 205 (5th Cir. 2007) (quoting Martin K. Eby Constr. Co. v. Dall. Area Rapid Transit , 369 F.3d 464, 467 (5th Cir. 2004) ). "To survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, a complaint 'does not need detailed factual allegations,' but must provide the [plaintiffs'] grounds for entitlement to relief-including factual allegations that when assumed to be true 'raise a right to relief above the speculative level.' " Cuvillier v. Taylor , 503 F.3d 397, 401 (5th Cir. 2007) (citing Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly , 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Texas Democratic Party v. Greg Abbott, Gove
978 F.3d 168 (Fifth Circuit, 2020)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
385 F. Supp. 3d 537, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-austin-v-abbott-txwd-2019.