Pancakes, Biscuits & More, LLC v. Pendleton County Commission

996 F. Supp. 2d 438, 2014 WL 284463, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9029
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. West Virginia
DecidedJanuary 24, 2014
DocketCivil Action No. 2:13-CV-57
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 996 F. Supp. 2d 438 (Pancakes, Biscuits & More, LLC v. Pendleton County Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pancakes, Biscuits & More, LLC v. Pendleton County Commission, 996 F. Supp. 2d 438, 2014 WL 284463, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9029 (N.D.W. Va. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

JOHN PRESTON BAILEY, Chief Judge.

Presently pending before this Court is Plaintiff Pancakes, Biscuits and More, LLC, d/b/a Golden Angels Cabaret’s Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 16], filed on December 13, 2013. Defendant, the Pendleton County Commission, filed its Response in Opposition [Doc. 18] on January 3, 2014; Plaintiff filed its Reply [Doc. 21] on January 13, 2014. This matter is now ripe for decision. For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment [Doc. 16] will be DENIED, and this Court will GRANT summary judgment in favor of defendant.

I. Facts

Golden Angels Cabaret is a strip club, operated by plaintiff Pancakes, Biscuits and More, located in Pendleton County, West Virginia. The West Virginia Code grants county commissions the authority to regulate strip clubs and other businesses offering “exotic entertainment,” defined as any “live entertainment, dancing, or other services conducted by persons while nude or seminude in a commercial setting for profit.” W. Va.Code § 7-1-3jj(a)(l).

Pursuant to the authority granted it under § 7-1-3-jj, on April 19, 2005, defendant adopted an Ordinance Regulating the Location of Businesses Offering Exotic Entertainment [Doc. 16-1] during a public hearing. The minutes of the public hearing regarding the Ordinance state in full:

An Ordinance regulating the location of a business offering exotic entertainment and related activities to promote the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the citizens of Pendleton County was brought up for second reading this day, and adopted by unanimous vote of the Commission.

[Doc. 18-3 at 2], Defendant contends that “comments expressing concern about the secondary effects of exotic entertainment establishments in the county” were made at the meeting, although there is no record of same in the meeting minutes. [Doc. 18-4 at 2], Defendant neither conducted nor reviewed any studies regarding the secondary effects of exotic entertainment businesses before adopting the Ordinance. Id. However, defendant submits that its members had personal knowledge of such secondary effects, as in November 1999, Pendleton County’s then-lone strip club, the Cadillac Ranch, closed following its owner’s indictment on multiple criminal charges.1 Id.; [Doc. 18-5].

Under the Ordinance, an exotic entertainment business may not be located within 2,500 feet of a church, school, park, daycare center, or residence, and may not be located within 2,000 feet of either a private club or bar serving alcohol or another sexually oriented business. [Doc. 16-1 at 8]. In addition to restricting the location of exotic entertainment businesses, the Ordinance also requires such businesses to obtain location permits; pay certain permit application and permit renewal fees; refrain from selling alcohol or permitting alcohol to be consumed on the premises; design their exteriors in accord with certain restrictions; maintain parking facilities according to certain specifica[443]*443tions; and hire attendants to ensure no persons under the age of eighteen (18) gain entry. See generally [Doc. 16-1].

According to plaintiff, Golden Angels Cabaret opened for a short time in late June but subsequently closed once again for renovations. [Doc. 17 at 4], At some point during July 2013, defendant became aware that the club was preparing to reopen for business. Concerned that the club was not compliant with the Ordinance, defendant hand-delivered a copy of same to plaintiff on July 25, 2013. [Doc. 18 at 3-4]. Defendant alleges, and plaintiff does not deny, that Golden Angels Cabaret is in violation of several provisions of the Ordinance, to wit: plaintiff failed to obtain a location permit and to pay required permitting fees; the club is located within 2,500 feet of a residence; the club purports to allow consumption of alcohol on the premises; and the club’s large exterior signage violates the Ordinance’s signage restrictions. [Doc. 18-7 at 2]. Nevertheless, plaintiff proceeded with plans to open Golden Angels Cabaret for business on August 1, 2013. Id.

II. Procedural History

Consequently, on August 1, 2013, defendant filed a Verified Motion and Complaint for a Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction, and Permanent Injunction [Doc. 5-2] against plaintiff in the Circuit Court of Pendleton County, West Virginia, alleging violations of the Ordinance and requesting injunctive relief. The Circuit Court issued a temporary restraining order against plaintiff that same day. [Doc. 18 at 4]. On August 5, 2013, the Circuit Court held a hearing on the matter, during which plaintiff informed the court that it intended to challenge the validity of the Ordinance. [Doc. 18-7 at 1], Following the hearing, the Circuit Court entered its August 6, 20132 Order [Doc. 18-7] preliminarily enjoining plaintiff “from conducting nude dancing; seminude dancing; bikini clad dancing or similar activities ... until the matter is fully adjudicated during the permanent injunction hearing.” [Doc. 18-7 at 2], The Circuit Court continued the matter pending scheduling of a permanent injunction hearing. Id.

Rather than scheduling a permanent injunction hearing in the pending state proceeding, on August 13, 2013, plaintiff initiated the instant lawsuit by filing its Complaint [Doc. 1] in this Court,3 contending that the Ordinance is an unconstitutional restriction on plaintiffs freedom of speech. Count I of plaintiffs Complaint seeks a declaratory judgment that the Ordinance is invalid under both the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and Article III, Section Seven of the West Virginia Constitution. Count II seeks a permanent injunction preventing defendant from enforcing the Ordinance.

III. Legal Standard

A. Summary Judgment

Summary judgment is appropriate when there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judg[444]*444ment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). Thus, a summary judgment motion should be granted if the nonmovant fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an essential element of his claim or defense upon which he bears the burden of proof. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548. That is, once the movant shows an absence of evidence on one such element, the nonmovant must then come forward with evidence demonstrating there is indeed a genuine issue for trial. Id. at 323-24, 106 S.Ct. 2548. The existence of a mere scintilla of evidence supporting the nonmovant’s position is insufficient to create a genuine issue; rather, there must be evidence on which a jury could reasonably find for the nonmovant. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. 242, 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

A court hearing a summary judgment motion has the power to grant summary judgment sua sponte

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
996 F. Supp. 2d 438, 2014 WL 284463, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9029, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pancakes-biscuits-more-llc-v-pendleton-county-commission-wvnd-2014.