City of Orlando v. Udowychenko

98 So. 3d 589, 2012 WL 2600293, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 10875
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedJuly 6, 2012
DocketNo. 5D11-720
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 98 So. 3d 589 (City of Orlando v. Udowychenko) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Orlando v. Udowychenko, 98 So. 3d 589, 2012 WL 2600293, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 10875 (Fla. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

RECKSIEDLER, J.J., Associate Judge.

The City of Orlando and Lasercraft, Inc., appeal a final judgment in favor of Michael Udowyehenko that invalidated the City’s red light camera ordinance as preempted by state law. This court affirms the lower court’s decision and certifies conflict with the decision made by the Third District Court of Appeal in City of Aventura v. Masone, 89 So.3d 233 (Fla. 3d DCA 2011) (motion for rehearing, motion for rehearing en banc, and request for certified question denied March 6, 2012).

On December 17, 2007, the City enacted its “Red Light Infractions” ordinance adopting Section 1, Article III of its city code and installed automatic cameras at specific intersections within city limits to photograph vehicles running red lights. According to the ordinance, if a vehicle is videotaped running a red light, an infraction is issued to the owner, wherein the owner is required to pay the fine for the infraction or file an appeal. If timely appealed, a hearing is set.

On May 23, 2009, Udowychenko’s vehicle was recorded running a red light at the intersection of Conroy and Vineland Roads in Orlando.1 Upon a code enforcement officer viewing the video and confirming ownership of the vehicle, Udowyehenko was issued a notice of infraction pursuant to the ordinance. Udowyehenko appealed and attended a hearing before a hearing officer on August 20, 2009. Udowyehenko declined to offer any testimony at the hearing; a compliance officer testified to the violation. Udowyehenko moved to dismiss because the City failed to establish that the vehicle in the video was owned by him or under his care, custody, or control at the time of the infraction. The hearing officer denied Udowychenko’s motion, found Udowyehenko guilty of the offense, and ordered him to pay $155 ($125 fine and $30 administrative fee).

On August 31, 2009, Udowyehenko filed suit against the City and Lasercraft, the Georgia corporation that installed the red light system.2 Udowychenko’s third amended complaint pursued claims for unjust enrichment, conversion, malicious prosecution/abuse of process, and injunc-tive and declaratory relief. Udowyehenko asserted that the City’s red light infraction program was an invalid exercise of municipal power because it purports to legislate in an area that has been preempted by chapter 316 of the Florida Uniform Traffic Control Law and chapter 318 of the Florida Uniform Disposition of Traffic Infractions Act.

The defendants filed an answer and alleged several affirmative defenses. Udow-ychenko and the defendants filed competing motions for summary judgment. A hearing on these motions was held on July 23, 2010. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Udowyehenko. The defendants appealed.

The City argued that the ordinance did not conflict with state law, but was a supplement to chapter 316, and expressly authorized by statute. Lasercraft argued the ordinance was not preempted by statute since there was no exclusive reservation of authority to the state and the Legislature had only recently enacted a statute (section 316.0076 as part of the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act) in or[592]*592der to expressly preempt the use of red light cameras to the state. Udowychenko argued that uniform traffic control has been preempted to the state and that the City’s ordinance conflicts with chapter 816 on several grounds. He further argued that the recent express preemption statute was a clarification in response to at least twenty-six municipalities with similar red light programs and the lawsuits challenging those programs.

The trial court concluded that while the goal of reducing red light running was laudable, the ordinance intrudes into an area preempted to the state and therefore is invalid. The trial court reasoned, “the Legislature has not authorized municipalities to enforce and adjudicate traffic law violations in a manner different from that provided in Florida Statutes, chapter 816. The ordinance does just that, and is therefore invalid.” The trial court also concluded that recent legislation expressly preempting the use of red light cameras to the state merely clarified what had always been the law. The trial court entered final judgment in Udowychenko’s favor for $131.00 plus interest.3 This appeal by the City and Lasercraft follows.

The issue on appeal is whether the lower tribunal erred in finding the City’s red light ordinance invalid by declaring that it was preempted by state law and otherwise conflicted with state statutes. An order granting summary judgment is reviewed de novo. Volusia Cnty. v. Aberdeen at Ormond Beach, L.P., 760 So.2d 126, 130 (Fla.2000). Summary judgment is proper if there is no genuine issue of material fact and if the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. Id. Questions of statutory application and preemption are also reviewed de novo. Marcy v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., 921 So.2d 781, 783 (Fla. 5th DCA 2006). We find the trial court did not err.

The City’s ordinance provides that a failure to stop at a red light is a civil, noncriminal infraction and authorizes the use of cameras to record images of motor vehicles running red lights as a means of enforcement. A code enforcement officer from the City reviews the recorded images from the cameras to determine the identification of the vehicle and the infraction, wherein a notice of infraction is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle. The notice includes the recorded images, the civil fine with the date by which it must be paid, and a warning that failure to pay the fine or to contest liability within thirty days will constitute a waiver and be considered an admission of liability.

An owner who files a notice of appeal must include a notarized statement explaining the grounds for appeal. If the infraction is not dismissed based upon the owner’s statement, the City schedules a hearing before a hearing officer, where the code enforcement officer who reviewed the recorded images must testify and the owner may testify. The recorded images are admissible and constitute prima facie evidence of the violation. Unless a police report has been filed, the registered owner is presumed to be responsible for the operation of the vehicle at the time of the red light infraction.

If the appeal is denied, the owner must pay the fine and costs, which is $125.00 for the first two violations and $250.00 for the third and any subsequent violation. Any owner who fails to appeal or is unsuccess[593]*593ful on appeal and then fails to pay the fine will be denied the right to obtain and maintain any city permits or licenses, including building permits and occupational licenses.

The City contends on appeal that according to section 816.008(l)(w), Florida Statutes, municipalities have been expressly granted the authority to regulate traffic on their roads so long as the regulation is not inconsistent with state law.4 The City argues that its ordinance does not conflict with state law, specifically section 316.007; it simply “added an additional” .means of enforcing the requirement that drivers stop at red lights.

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State Ex Rel. City of Aventura v. Jimenez
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Richard Masone v. City of Aventura
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Damon v. City of Kansas City
419 S.W.3d 162 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 2013)

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Bluebook (online)
98 So. 3d 589, 2012 WL 2600293, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 10875, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-orlando-v-udowychenko-fladistctapp-2012.