NEW ORLEANS – A French Quarter bar is suing the City of New Orleans and the Vieux Carre commission for what it claims are false and erroneous allegations and fines stemming from what the commission claims are code violations.
Nawlins Entertainment Group filed suit against the City of New Orleans Vieux Carre Commission in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on May 14.
On Jan. 5, 2015, the City of New Orleans (through the Vieux Carre Commission) sent a notice to the plaintiff notifying it that aspects of its bar violated various sections of the code of the City of New Orleans.
These allegations included several new signs being installed without approval of the committee, damaged awnings, unshielded lights, a gallery missing a board and an alleyway door badly deteriorated and in need of replacement. For these alleged violations of the code, the plaintiff was assessed a total of $3,575 in fines – $500 per violation and $75 in hearing costs.
In response to the accusations, the plaintiff says that regarding one of the signs alleged to be in violation of the code there is another sign with the same exact design that had been previously approved so it should not have to be submitted again. For another sign saying “fishbowls sold here” the plaintiff claims it to be only an advertisement of establishment wares which should not require review.
Furthermore, the plaintiff claims that an awning in need of repair and unshielded lights are not violations since broken fixtures not in danger of falling are not violations.
The plaintiff is seeking a court order voiding the assessed fine of $3,575.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney Stavros Panagoulopoulos of New Orleans-based Pelican Law Group.
This case has been assigned to Division A Judge Tiffany G. Chase.
Case no. 2015-04439.