Township of Concord v. Concord Ranch, Inc.

664 A.2d 640
CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedAugust 17, 1995
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 664 A.2d 640 (Township of Concord v. Concord Ranch, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Township of Concord v. Concord Ranch, Inc., 664 A.2d 640 (Pa. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinion

COLINS, President Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Concord Ranch, Inc. (CRI) appeals from multiple orders of the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County (common pleas court). These cases were argued seriatim but not consolidated for purposes of oral argument. Nonetheless, CRI chose to address all appeals in a single brief. For purposes of judicial economy, we address all of the above-captioned appeals in this opinion, but issue separate orders.

[643]*643 The Orders Questioned on Appeal

The appeal docketed at No. 2761 C.D. 1994 is from two orders entered respectively October 5, 1994 and October 7, 1994.1 The October 5th order granted the Township of Concord’s (Township) petition for preliminary injunction and enjoined use of CRTs property located at 242 Baltimore Pike, Concord Township, Pennsylvania (property), as and for a “gentleman’s club” featuring male and female topless entertainment and/or “striptease” entertainment, which we shall hereinafter generally refer to as ecdysial entertainment.2 The October 7th order stated that the October 5, 1994 injunction did not involve freedom of expression and refused to dissolve the preliminary injunction.

The appeal docketed at No. 2804 C.D.1994 is from the order entered November 2, 1994, finding CRI in contempt for violation of the October 5, 1994 order.

The appeal docketed at No. 3217 C.D.1994 is from a deemed adverse order pursuant to Pa. RAP. 301(e) entered by the Delaware County Office of Judicial Support on December 22, 1994 that granted the Township’s preliminary objections and dismissed all affirmative defenses pled in CRI’s Answer with New Matter.

II. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

CRI operated a restaurant and entertainment facility, with incidental specialty shops, known as the Longhorn Ranch. Subsequent to CRI’s use of the property as the Longhorn Ranch, the Township enacted its zoning ordinance (ordinance) in conformity with the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC),3 which rendered CRI’s use of the property a nonconforming use. After passage of the zoning ordinance, the subject property was located in an area zoned C-l Local Commercial District.

On August 5, 1982, CRI and the Township entered into an agreement in settlement of a mandamus action instituted to compel the issuance of building permits. Paragraph 5 of the August 5, 1982 agreement (agreement) states as follows:

The Township agrees that the proposed use of the premises as and for a restaurant and/or entertainment facility, including dinner theatre, and amusement and dancing use, together with incidental specialty shops, as heretofore described to the Township, is not a change in the existing non-conforming use and accordingly, is to be permitted pursuant to the provisions of the township zoning practice.

As a result of this agreement, a new structure was erected on the property, housing a restaurant, cocktail lounges, and a dinner theatre. From 1982 through August of 1994, CRI operated a dinner theatre providing entertainment for customers that included Chippendale Male Dance Review, magic shows, and “Las Vegas style” revues featuring female dancers.

In August of 1994, a new management team took control of CRI and in addition to the traditional use, began using the subject property as a “gentleman’s club” featuring topless female dancing. On August 22,1994, the Township Zoning Officer issued a zoning enforcement notice to CRI advising that the [644]*644use of the premises as a place of male and female eedysial entertainment was in violation of Article 20 of the zoning ordinance, and that CRI must “cease the use of Premises as and for a go-go type bar, entertainment complex and an adult entertainment facility featuring topless female dancers and/or male striptease dancers.” This zoning enforcement notice informed CRI of its right to appeal the Zoning Officer’s decision to the Township Zoning Hearing Board within 30 days. CRI did not appeal the decision and continued to use the property in disregard of the enforcement notice. The Township then filed an action in equity in the common pleas court seeking to enjoin use of the subject property as an entertainment complex and adult business enterprise featuring topless female dancers and/or male striptease dancers.

A hearing was held, and on October 5, 1994, the common pleas court issued an order granting the Township’s request for preliminary injunction. In granting the preliminary injunction, the common pleas court concluded that paragraph 5 of the August 5, 1982 agreement was an ultra vires act, because the Board of Supervisors usurped the powers of the Township Zoning Officer under Section 614 of the MPC 4 and Article 62, Section 62-1 et seq. of the Township zoning ordinance.5 Additionally, the common pleas court found that CRI: (1) failed to abide by the zoning enforcement notice issued by the Township Zoning Officer; (2) faded to appeal this zoning enforcement notice; and (3) knowingly and intentionally violated Article 62 of the zoning ordinance since there has been an alteration and/or enlargement and/or extension of the non-conforming use status of the property since August 5,1982. The common pleas court order stated that CRI is:

enjoined from conducting any use on the subject property which has not heretofore been approved by either the Zoning Officer of Concord Township or the Concord Township Zoning Hearing Board; or, which is not permitted as a matter of right in a C-l Local Commercial District; or which has not been approved by either the Zoning Officer of Concord Township or the Concord Township Zoning Hearing Board as an extension, enlargement alteration and/or continuation of the non-conforming use status which may exist on the subject property.

On October 5, 1994, CRI filed a demand for final hearing pursuant to Pa. R.C.P. No. 1531(f)(1),6 on the basis that the preliminary injunction entered by the common pleas court restrained freedom of expression. A hearing was held on October 7, 1994, after which the common pleas court decided that the injunction merely sought enforcement of the Township’s zoning ordinance and did not involve freedom of expression. The common pleas court treated the Rule 1531(f)(1) demand for final hearing as a motion to dissolve the October 5, 1994 preliminary injunction, and denied the motion. CRI’s appeal to this Court is docketed at No. 2761 C.D.1994. A request for supersedeas filed with the common pleas court on October 26, 1994 was denied.

Subsequent to the above, the Township filed a petition for contempt and a petition for enforcement of court order in the common pleas court, alleging that CRI and its [645]*645sole shareholder, James Gorman (Gorman), were operating the property in violation of the October 5, 1994 order. On November 2, 1994, after hearing and oral argument, the Township’s petition for contempt was granted. CRI filed a supersedeas petition in the common pleas court and a motion to dissolve the preliminary injunction. Both requests were denied. CRI’s appeal to this Court is docketed at No. 2804 C.D.1994.

CRI petitioned this Court for a suspension of injunction pending appeal.

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Bluebook (online)
664 A.2d 640, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/township-of-concord-v-concord-ranch-inc-pacommwct-1995.