Park Restoration, LLC v. Trs. of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc. (In re Trs. of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc.)

592 B.R. 64
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedSeptember 28, 2018
DocketBankruptcy No. 14-11277-JAD; Adversary No. 18-1024-JAD
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 592 B.R. 64 (Park Restoration, LLC v. Trs. of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc. (In re Trs. of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Park Restoration, LLC v. Trs. of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc. (In re Trs. of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc.), 592 B.R. 64 (Pa. 2018).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION 1

The Honorable Jeffery A. Deller, United States Bankruptcy Judge *67This adversary proceeding is the latest installment of an ongoing feud between Park Restoration, LLC ("Park Restoration") and the Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc. ("TCLP").

Because the claims or causes of action asserted by Park Restoration herein fail as a matter of law, an order shall be entered that dismisses Park Restoration's Second Amended Complaint , ECF No. 5 (the "Amended Complaint"), with prejudice.

I.

In this adversary proceeding Park Restoration is seeking to assert (by way of subrogation) a $478,260.75 secured tax claim (the "Secured Tax Claims") against TCLP. Park Restoration is asserting its claim pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 509 because such claims of the taxing authorities (the "Taxing Authorities")2 were previously paid during the pendency of this case from proceeds of a fire insurance policy obtained by Park Restoration.

The undisputed facts are that the Secured Tax Claims date back to 1996, which is well before Park Restoration's relationship with TCLP.

In 2008, Park Restoration and TCLP entered into a management agreement. Pursuant to this management agreement, TCLP turned over to Park Restoration a certain building and real estate located at or near the shore of Conneaut Lake, which was known as the "Beach Club."

In connection with its control and use of the Beach Club, Park Restoration obtained a policy of insurance from Erie Insurance Exchange ("Erie Insurance"), which included "Property Protection" covering "Buildings" in case of fire damage in the amount of $611,000.

On August 1, 2013, the Beach Club was destroyed by fire, the cause of which is undetermined.

As a result of the fire, Park Restoration, TCLP, and the Taxing Authorities asserted competing claims to payment from the insurance proceeds.

As it relates to the Secured Tax Claims, the Taxing Authorities sought payment from Erie Insurance pursuant to 40 P.S. § 638 (the "State Statute").

The State Statute provides that an insurance company presented with "a claim of a named insured for fire damage to a structure located within a municipality" may not pay such a claim in excess of $7,500 without first receiving a "certificate" explaining whether "delinquent taxes, assessments, penalties, or user charges against the [insured] property" are owed to the municipality. See 40 § 638(a), (b)(1)(i)-(ii).

The State Statute further provides that after receiving a "certificate and bill" indicating that the covered property remains subject to a municipal tax liability, the insurance company must "return the bill to the [municipal] treasurer and transfer to the treasurer an amount from the insurance proceeds necessary to pay the taxes, *68assessments, penalties, charges and costs shown on the bill." Id. at § 638(b)(2)(ii).

In September of 2013, and not wanting any of the insurance proceeds to be paid to anyone but itself, Park Restoration commenced a declaratory judgment action (the Declaratory Judgment Action") in state court asserting a claim to all of the insurance proceeds. In connection with the Declaratory Judgment Action, Erie Insurance interpleaded the $611,000 of insurance proceeds with the state court.

Shortly after TCLP filed its bankruptcy case with this Court, the Declaratory Judgment Action was removed to this Court on February 3, 2015. Thereafter, the funds subject to the interpleader were also removed to the registry maintained by the Clerk of the United States Bankruptcy Court.

On December 22, 2015, this Court rendered its decision in the Declaratory Judgment Action thereby awarding the Taxing Authorities $478,260.75 of the insurance proceeds, and awarding the remaining sums above and beyond this amount to Park Restoration. Park Restoration, LLC v. Summit Twp. (In re Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc.), 543 B.R. 193, 202-03 (Bankr. W.D.Pa. 2015) (the " Declaratory Judgment Opinion").

In connection with rendering this decision, the Court overruled the various claims of Park Restoration, including Park Restoration's contention that the application of the State Statute to the insurance proceeds at issue constituted an unlawful taking under both the Pennsylvania Constitution and the United States Constitution. In re Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc., 543 B.R. at 203-07. This Court's decision and order was ultimately affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. See Park Restoration, LLC v. Erie Ins. Exch. (In re Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc.), 855 F.3d 519 (3d Cir. 2017).

Thereafter, the Secured Tax Claims were paid from the insurance proceeds.3 Also, within the underlying bankruptcy case, TCLP had its plan of reorganization confirmed by order of this Court.

While TCLP was confirming its plan of reorganization, Park Restoration chose to not participate in the underlying bankruptcy case, and it chose to not file a proof of claim against TCLP on account of any claims it may have against the debtor. Instead, well after plan confirmation and well after the bar date for filing claims, Park Restoration filed a lawsuit against TCLP sounding in unjust enrichment (for, after all, Park Restoration paid the insurance premiums giving rise to the insurance proceeds paid to the Taxing Authorities). The unjust enrichment action, however, violated the discharge injunction contained within TCLP's confirmed plan and confirmation order. As a result, Park Restoration was enjoined from further prosecution of the unjust enrichment action. See Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc. v. Park Restoration, LLC (In re Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park, Inc.), No. 14-11277-JAD, 2018 WL 2246582 (Bankr. W.D.Pa. May 15, 2018).

Undaunted, Park Restoration commenced the instant adversary proceeding contending that because $478,260.75 of the insurance proceeds was paid to the Taxing *69Authorities on account of the Secured Tax Claims, Park Restoration may now step in the proverbial shoes of the Taxing Authorities and seek payment from TCLP by operation of 11 U.S.C.

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

Related

Compton v. Moschell
W.D. Pennsylvania, 2019

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
592 B.R. 64, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/park-restoration-llc-v-trs-of-conneaut-lake-park-inc-in-re-trs-of-pawb-2018.