JOSE E. MARTINEZ, District Judge.
THIS CAUSE came before the Court upon Defendants, Department of Community Affairs and Department of Environmental Protection's Motion to Dismiss Amended Complaint
Plaintiff owns property in Key West, Florida consisting of "36,366 square feet of which 2,550 square feet is upland and the balance of which (33,816 square feet) is privately owned submerged land." (D.E. No. 15 at 3). On June 14, 2005, a fire destroyed Plaintiff's home on this property. Id.
After the fire, Plaintiff began attempting to obtain a permit to build a replacement home on his land. Id. at 4. In July or August of 2005, Plaintiff received a Letter of Permission from the DEP and a permit from the Corps allowing him to replace twenty-six of the wooden pilings, which supported his destroyed home, with concrete pilings. Id. The Corps and the DEP then required Plaintiff to modify his initial permit before he could begin construction on his new home. Id. On February 23,
On May 19, 2006, the DCA objected to the Plan A design. Id. Shortly thereafter, the Corps denied Plaintiff's Plan A permit application without prejudice based on the DCA's objections. Id. at 5. Plaintiff then filed a "Request for Relief" with the DCA pursuant to section 70.51 of the Florida Statutes, arguing that the DCA's objections were without merit. Id. On September 15, 2006, the DEP also denied Plaintiff's permit based on the DCA's objections and other issues relating to water quality. Id. On November 16, 2006, Plaintiff filed a "Request for Relief" with the DEP pursuant to section 70.51 of the Florida Statutes and a "180 Notice of Claim" with the DEP and the DCA pursuant to section 70.0001 of the Florida Statutes. Id. at 6. On May 17, 2007, Plaintiff filed a "Bert Harris lawsuit"
Pursuant to this agreement, Plaintiff redesigned his plan and prepared a new joint permit application. Id. at 6-7. On June 11, 2008, Plaintiff submitted this plan, known as Plan B,
Next, Plaintiff attempted to negotiate a developer agreement with the Interim City Planner for Key West, Amy Kimball-Murley. Id. at 7. Plaintiff alleges, however, that she refused to negotiate in good faith and instead required that he "among other things" obtain "a number of variances before he would be entitled to rebuild his home, some of which were unobtainable." Id. On June 6, 2008, Plaintiff appealed the City Planner's decision to the Board of Adjustment for Key West. Id. at 8.
The Key West City Attorney, however, instructed the City Clerk not to agenda Plaintiff's Notice of Appeal, and on October 24, 2008, Plaintiff served his section 70.001 "180 day Notice of Claim on Key West." Id. On November 3, 2008, Plaintiff filed a Verified Petition for Writ of Mandamus against Key West in the Monroe County Circuit Court seeking to compel the City Attorney and the City Clerk to place his appeal on the agenda of the Board of Adjustment. Id.
On January 5, 2009, the Corps sent Plaintiff a letter stating that his application based his Plan B was deemed withdrawn
Plaintiff states that on May 19, 2009 the City "issued its final ripeness decision" to Plaintiff "which informed him ... [that the City] was not willing to grant and/or waive the variances it believed were required for him to rebuild his home pursuant to the settlement offer that had been made by [the] DEP and [the] DCA." Id. Plaintiff does not attach this decision to his complaint nor does he further explain in his complaint why this was a "final ripeness decision."
On May 29, 2009, Plaintiff filed another "Bert Harris lawsuit" in the Monroe County Circuit Court. Id. In this lawsuit, Plaintiff named the City as a defendant, and this case was consolidated with the lawsuit filed against the DCA and the DEP. Id.
The DEP has not raised any objection to Plaintiff's Plan B or Plan C joint permit application and has also never issued a permit to Plaintiff. Id. at 15. The City has objected to Plaintiff's Plan B joint permit application and required a number of variances. Id. Plaintiff states that some of these variances are "not obtainable." Id. The Corps has never approved or denied Plaintiff's permit application based on Plan B
On February 22, 2010, Plaintiff instituted this action by filing a Verified Petition for Writ of Mandamus and Complaint. See (D.E. No. 1). He has since filed an Amended Verified Petition for Writ of Mandamus and Complaint for Declaratory Judgment and Regulatory Taking (D.E. No. 15), which is the operative pleading. In his amended petition/complaint, Plaintiff first seeks a Writ of Mandamus to require Respondent Pantano, the district commander of the Corps, to either approve
Plaintiff also filed a two-count Complaint against the Corps, the DEP, the DCA, the City, and the United States. Plaintiff has titled Count Two
(D.E. No. 15 at 22).
In Count Three, Plaintiff alleges that "[a]s a proximate result of the regulatory actions and/or omissions of Defendants, Plaintiff has been denied "all economically beneficial or productive use of his property and the resultant loss in property value" without "just compensation." Id. at 25. Plaintiff seeks a judgment for damages for the alleged regulatory taking. Id. Respondent and the Defendants move to dismiss these claims.
Respondent and Defendants have moved to dismiss all Plaintiff's claims asserted against them. Respondent moves to dismiss Plaintiff's Petition for Writ of Mandamus, arguing that this Court lacks jurisdiction over Plaintiff's claim for mandamus relief. Defendants also move to dismiss the claims asserted against them.
First, Respondent argues that this Court does not have jurisdiction over Plaintiff's claim for mandamus relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1361 provides that "[t]he district courts shall have original jurisdiction of any action in the nature of mandamus to compel an officer or employee of the United States or any agency thereof to perform a duty owed to the plaintiff." "In resolving whether ... jurisdiction is present [over a claim brought pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1361], allegations of the complaint, unless patently frivolous, are taken as true to avoid tackling the merits under the ruse of assessing jurisdiction." Jones v. Alexander, 609 F.2d 778, 781 (5th Cir. 1980).
First, Respondent argues that Plaintiff does not have a clear right to the relief requested. Plaintiff asks the Court to require Respondent to approve or deny his permit applications. Respondent argues that the Corps has the discretion as to when and if it will take final action on a permit application, and thus, Plaintiff does not have a clear right to an Order directing the Corps to make a decision as to his permit application.
Second, Respondent argues that there is no clear duty to act because Plaintiff has withdrawn his 2008 application and his 2009 application is incomplete. The Court agrees that based on the complaint and its attachments, Plaintiff's 2008 application or his application based on Plan B is no longer pending before the Corps. Id. at 8; Id., Exh. 9 at 1-2. Whether or not the Corps
Respondent specifically argues that Plaintiff's application is incomplete because he has not provided the Corps with a State of Florida water quality certification, a Coastal Zone Management Certification, and other "additional information and clarification regarding a seawall noted in the plans."
All Defendants have also moved to dismiss Plaintiffs claims in his complaint. Specifically, all Defendants have moved to dismiss Plaintiff's claims for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and the Federal Defendants have moved to dismiss Plaintiff's claims for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. The Court grants the motions to dismiss filed by Defendants the DEP, the DCA, and the City and denies the Federal Defendants' motion to dismiss.
All Defendants have also moved to dismiss Plaintiff's Amended Complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1). A litigant may challenge a court's subject matter jurisdiction facially or factually. In considering a facial attack, a court looks at the face of the complaint, taking the allegations in the complaint as true, and simply determines whether a plaintiff has sufficiently alleged a basis for the court's jurisdiction. Lawrence v. Dunbar, 919 F.2d 1525, 1529 (11th Cir.1990). "`Factual attacks,' on the other hand, challenge `the existence of subject matter jurisdiction in fact, irrespective of the pleadings, and matters outside the pleadings, such as testimony and affidavits are considered.'" Id. (quoting Menchaca v. Chrysler Credit Corp., 613 F.2d 507, 511 (5th Cir.1980)).
All Defendants move to dismiss this action, arguing that Plaintiff's claims are not ripe, and the Federal Defendants argue that Plaintiff's claims are moot. Defendants the DCA and the DEP have also moved to dismiss this action for lack of subject matter based on Eleventh Amendment Immunity. The Court grants the DCA, the DEP, and the City's motions to dismiss, finding the claims asserted against them are not ripe. Alternatively, the Court also finds that the claims asserted against the DCA and the DEP are barred by the Eleventh Amendment. The Court denies the Federal Defendants' motion to dismiss.
All Defendants have moved to dismiss Plaintiff's claims against them, arguing that Plaintiff's claims are not ripe. "The question of ripeness `goes to whether... [this Court has] subject matter jurisdiction.'" Reahard v. Lee County, 30 F.3d 1412, 1415 (11th Cir.1994) (quoting Greenbriar Ltd. v. City of Alabaster, 881 F.2d 1570, 1573 (11th Cir.1989)). Article III of the United States Constitution limits the power of this Court to hear "cases and controversies." U.S. Const. Art. III, § 2. In considering whether there is a "case and controversy," this Court considers whether a claim is ripe for adjudication. The purpose of determining whether a claim is ripe for adjudication "is to prevent the courts, through avoidance of premature adjudication, from entangling themselves in abstract disagreements over administrative policies, and also to protect... agencies from judicial interference until an administrative decision has been formalized...." Abbott Labs. v. Gardner, 387 U.S. 136, 148, 87 S.Ct. 1507, 18 L.Ed.2d 681 (1967), abrogated on other grounds, Califano v. Sanders, 430 U.S. 99, 97 S.Ct. 980, 51 L.Ed.2d 192 (1977).
In order to demonstrate that a regulatory takings claim is ripe for adjudication the property owner "must overcome two hurdles: the final decision hurdle and the just compensation hurdle." Eide v. Sarasota County, 908 F.2d 716, 720 (11th Cir.1990). First, the property owner must demonstrate that "the government entity charged with implementing the the regulations has reached a final decision regarding the application of the regulations to the property at issue." Williamson County Reg'l Planning Comm'n v. Hamilton Bank, 473 U.S. 172, 186, 105 S.Ct. 3108, 87 L.Ed.2d 126 (1985). In addition, when proceeding against a state or state agency the property owner must demonstrate that he or she has sought "compensation through the procedures the State has provided for doing so." Id. at 194, 105 S.Ct. 3108. The DCA, the DEP, and the City argue that Plaintiff cannot meet both requirements, whereas, the Federal Defendants argue that Plaintiff cannot demonstrate that there has been a final decision. The Court agrees that the claims against the DCA, the DEP, and the City are not ripe, but denies the Federal Defendants' motion to dismiss for ripeness.
First, Defendants argue that the requisite final decision has not yet occurred. In response Plaintiff argues that it has sufficiently alleged that a final decision has occurred and that even if no final decision has been issued, he has sufficiently alleged "extraordinary delay," which is an exception to the general ripeness rule.
The Court agrees that Plaintiff has not alleged and that a final decision has been issued in this case. Plaintiff specifically alleges that the DCA, the DEP, and the City have failed to issue him a permit, see (D.E. No. 15 at 15), and there is no allegation that any final decision has been made on the issuance of a permit to Plaintiff. The Court finds Plaintiff's conclusory allegations that the City issued a "final ripeness" decision stating "it was. not willing to grant and/or waive the variances" and the City's Board of Adjustment's action was "final" in denying his administrative appeal of this decision are not sufficient
Plaintiff, however, has also argued that he has sufficiently alleged "extraordinary delay," which obviates the need for a final decision. Here, the Court finds Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged extraordinary delay. "The precept of `extraordinary delay' is ... an exception to the general ripeness rule." Resource Invest., Inc. v. United States, 85 Fed.Cl. 447, 493 (2009). An extraordinary delay in the processing of a permit application can result in a temporary regulatory taking. Aloisi v. United States, 85 Fed.Cl. 84, 93 (2008).
In Aloisi, the Court stated that
Id. In reviewing the Complaint, the Court finds Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged extraordinary delay.
Plaintiff alleges that Defendants acted intentionally in creating "extraordinary delays in processing his applications." (D.E. No. 15 at 24-25). He states that Defendants "have jointly and collectively, through their wrongful actions, including, but not limited to their objections, denials, deactivations, extraordinary delays, stonewalling and perpetual requests for information, intentionally frustrated ... [Plaintiff's] administrative and legal remedies, prevented him from rebuilding his fire destroyed home and otherwise deprived him of all economically beneficial or productive use of his property." Id. at 16. He also states in more detail the specific actions he alleges Defendants have taken in attempting to "stonewall" his applications. See id. at 5-15. Thus, the Court finds Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged that an extraordinary delay has occurred.
The Federal Defendants also argue that Plaintiff's claims should be dismissed as moot. Mootness is another part of the "case and controversy" requirement found in Article III. "Plainly, if a suit is moot, it cannot present an Article III case or controversy and the federal courts lack subject matter jurisdiction to entertain it." Coral Springs Street Systems, Inc. v. City of Sunrise, 371 F.3d 1320, 1328 (11th Cir. 2004). Specifically, Defendants argue that Plaintiff's declaratory judgment and takings claims are moot because Plaintiff has modified and therefore withdrawn his Plan B and Plan C permit applications. Defendants, however, provide no evidence of the alleged modifications to the Plan C permit application. In addition, it is unclear what type of modifications Plaintiff has allegedly made. The Federal Defendants also concede that "Plaintiff has not yet formally amended his 2009 [or Plan C] Application." (D.E. No. 41 at 2). The Federal Defendants further state in their Reply brief that Plaintiff is preparing revised plans and "[i]f the revised plans are approved by the Florida Defendants and [the] City and then formally submitted to the Corps, they necessarily amend the pending 2009 Application." (D.E. No. 48 at 3) (emphasis added).
Defendants the DCA and the DEP have also moved to dismiss this action arguing that this Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction because Defendants are entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity. Plaintiff responds, arguing that Defendants have waived their Eleventh Amendment immunity and that his claim for declaratory judgment is not barred by the Eleventh Amendment. This Court finds these arguments are without merit and that Plaintiff's claims against the DCA and the DEP are barred by the Eleventh Amendment.
"[I]n the absence of consent[,] a suit in which the State or one of its agencies or departments is named as the defendant is proscribed by the Eleventh Amendment." Pennhurst State School & Hosp. v. Halderman, 465 U.S. 89, 100, 104 S.Ct. 900, 79 L.Ed.2d 67 (1984). The Eleventh Circuit has stated:
Seminole Tribe of Fla. v. State of Fla., 11 F.3d 1016, 1021-22 (11th Cir.1994). Florida has not consented to being sued for claims such as those at issue in this case.
Plaintiff argues that in this case the state has waived its immunity. This Court disagrees. A waiver of Eleventh Amendment immunity must be unequivocal. Port Auth. Trans-Hudson Corp. v. Feeney, 495 U.S. 299, 305-06, 110 S.Ct. 1868, 109 L.Ed.2d 264 (1990) ("Eleventh Amendment immunity [occurs] only where stated by the most express language or by such overwhelming implication from the text as [will] leave no room for any other reasonable construction.") (internal quotations omitted); Doe v. Moore, 410 F.3d 1337, 1349 (11th Cir.2005) (stating that "[a] state's waiver of its sovereign immunity, however, must be `unequivocally expressed' "). Plaintiff argues that the DEP and the DCA waived their Eleventh Amendment immunity because the DEP entered into an Operation Agreement with the Corps, because the DEP accepted joint applications from Plaintiff to the DEP and the Corps, because the DEP has "participated in, administered and overseen the joint state/federal permitting process concerning all environmental resource permit applications made in Florida for at least the last ten years," because the DCA "intentionally and actively participated in the joint state and federal permitting process as a commenting agency," and because the
The Court also finds Plaintiff's argument that the Eleventh Amendment does not bar his request for declaratory judgment against Defendants the DEP and the DCA is without merit. "Under the doctrine of Ex parte Young, 209 U.S. 123, 28 S.Ct. 441, 52 L.Ed. 714 (1908), there is a long and well-recognized exception to ... [Eleventh Amendment immunity] for suits against state officers seeking prospective equitable relief to end continuing violations of federal law." Florida Ass'n of Rehabilitation Facilities, Inc. v. State of Fla. Dep't of Health and Rehabilitative Servs., 225 F.3d 1208 (11th Cir. 2000). Here, however, Plaintiff has sued two state agencies not state officials. "State agencies ... are never subject to unconsented suit, even under the doctrine of Ex parte Young. Ex parte Young applies only when state officials are sued for prospective relief in their official capacity. It does not permit suit against state agencies or the state itself, even when the relief is prospective." Eubank v. Leslie, 210 Fed.Appx. 837, 844 (11th Cir.2006). Thus, the Court grants Defendants' motion to dismiss and finds that the claims against the DEP and the DCA are barred by the Eleventh Amendment.
Finally, the Federal Defendants also move to dismiss Plaintiff's claims in Counts Two and Three for failure to state a claim pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). When reviewing a complaint under Rule 12(b)(6), the court accepts all well-pleaded allegations as true and views the motion in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Hishon v. King & Spalding, 467 U.S. 69, 73, 104 S.Ct. 2229, 81 L.Ed.2d 59 (1984). "Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a)(2) requires only `a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief,' in order to `give the defendant fair notice of what the ... claim is and the grounds upon which it rests.'" Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 1964, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 8; Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 47, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957)). The Court finds Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged his claims.
The Federal Defendants argue that Counts Two and Three should be dismissed to the extent that they argue that "the actions of the United States during the permitting process giving rise to the claim were unlawful." (D.E. No. 41 at 25). The Federal Circuit has stated that "a claim premised on a regulatory [or statutory] violation does not state a claim for a taking." Lion Raisins, Inc. v. U.S., 416 F.3d 1356, 1369 (Fed.Cir.2005). There is a distinction between proper takings claims where a plaintiff alleges "that `property was taken regardless of whether the agency acted consistently with its statutory and regulatory mandate' and the bar to such jurisdiction where `the plaintiff claims it is entitled to prevail because the agency acted in violation of statute or regulation.'" Id. (quoting Rith Energy, Inc. v. United States, 247 F.3d 1355, 1366 (Fed.Cir.2001) (emphasis in original)). In his Amended Complaint Plaintiff has generally alleged that the actions taken by the Corps and the United States were "wrongful," see
The Federal Defendants also argue that Plaintiff has failed to state a claim for declaratory judgment because Plaintiff's claim "is nothing but an effort to obtain a finding of liability on his `regulatory takings' claim'" and "Plaintiff has not articulated a rationale for the Court to `declare' a finding of liability on his `regulatory taking' claims." (D.E. No. 41 at 26). The Court, however, finds Plaintiff has stated a claim. Moreover, the Court finds that Plaintiff has stated a rationale for the Court to enter a declaratory judgment. See (D.E. No. 15 at ¶¶ 79, 80, 81, 83, 84, 85). Thus, the Court denies the Federal Defendants' motion to dismiss based on Defendants' arguments that Plaintiff has failed to state a claim. Accordingly, it is hereby:
1. Defendants, Department of Community Affairs and Department of Environmental Protection's Motion to Dismiss Amended Complaint
2. Defendant City of Key West's Motion to Dismiss First Amended Complaint
3. Federal Respondent/Defendants' Motion to Dismiss First Amended Verified Petition for Writ of Mandamus and Complaint for Declaratory Judgment and Regulatory Taking