The Issue The issue is whether Petitioners are entitled to a motor vehicle dealership that is proposed to be located in Winter Park, Florida.
Findings Of Fact Respondent is an existing franchised dealer of motorcycles manufactured by Zongshen Industrial Group (ZONG). Petitioners have proposed the establishment of a new dealership to sell the same line and make of motorcycles as those sold by Respondent. Respondent's dealership is located at 306 West Main Street, Apopka, Florida 32712. Petitioners' proposed dealership would be located at 2650 West Fairbanks Avenue, Winter Park, Florida 32789. The proposed dealership is within a 12.5-mile radius of Respondent's dealership. Respondent has standing to protest the establishment of the proposed dealership.
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED: That the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles enter a final order denying the establishment of Petitioners' proposed franchise. DONE AND ENTERED this 29th day of May, 2009, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S LAWRENCE P. STEVENSON Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings 29th day of May, 2009. COPIES FURNISHED: Carl A. Ford, Director Division of Motor Vehicles Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkland Building, Room B-439 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0500 Robin Lotane, General Counsel Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkman Building 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0500 Michael James Alderman, Esquire Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkman Building, Room A-432 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32344 James Sursely Action Orlando Motorsports 306 West Main Street Apopka, Florida 32712 Patricia Fornes Zongshen, Inc. 3511 Northwest 113th Court Miami, Florida 33178 Randy Lozanas Scooter City USA, LLC 2650 West Fairbanks Avenue Winter Park, Florida 32789
The Issue The issues in this case are whether Petitioner has standing to protest the establishment of an additional autocycle dealership; and, if so, whether Petitioner is adequately representing this line of vehicles in the relevant territory or community pursuant to section 320.642, Florida Statutes (2019).1/
Findings Of Fact iMotorsports is located in Pinellas County. No evidence was provided regarding its address or location. The parties stipulated, however, that iMotorsports is located 45.9 miles from Gables Motorsports, and is outside of a 12.5 mile radius of the proposed dealership, Gables Motorsports. Gables Motorsports is located in Pasco County, Florida at 28009 Wesley Chapel Boulevard, Wesley Chapel, Florida 33543. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and University of Florida, Bureau of Economic Research, the population of Pasco County, Florida, was 464,697 as of April 1, 2010. The estimated population as of April 1, 2018, for this same area was 515,077. Vanderhall manufactures "autocycles" or two-passenger, three-wheeled motor vehicles and sells them nationally. At the time of the hearing there were eight to ten dealerships distributing the Vanderhall autocycles in Florida, and there were 55 Vanderhall dealerships or distributors nationwide. In these proceedings, Vanderhall seeks to allow Gables Motorsports to serve as a dealership to sell and service the Vanderhall autocycles. Although no franchise agreement was offered into evidence, based on Mr. Saba's testimony, the undersigned finds in June or July 2018, iMotorsports entered into an agreement with Vanderhall to sell its autocycles. According to the documentation offered by Vanderhall, iMotorsports has sold 15 Vanderhall autocycles since it became a Vanderhall dealership, approximately 14 months ago. None of those sales were to households within a 12.5 mile radius of the proposed dealership at Gables Motorsports. Mr. Saba agreed iMotorsports had not had any sales to households in the 12.5 mile radius around Gables Motorsports, but argued at the hearing that verbal promises were made by Vanderhall that it would not establish any other Vanderhall dealerships in Florida. Ultimate Findings Regarding Standing iMotorsports is an existing dealership that sells Vanderhall autocycles. iMotorsports is not within a 12.5 mile radius of the proposed dealership at Gables Motorsports. iMotorsports has failed to establish that during the 12-month period preceding the filing of the application for the proposed dealership by Gables Motorsports and Vanderhall, iMotorsports or its predecessor made 25 percent of its retail sales of the Vanderhall autocycles to registered household addresses within a 12.5 mile radius of Gables Motorsports. Therefore, iMotorsports does not have standing to bring this challenge pursuant to section 320.642(3).
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that a final order be entered by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles finding iMotorsports lacks standing, and dismissing iMotorsports' challenge of the Respondents' new dealership application for the sale of Vanderhall vehicles at Gables Motorsports. DONE AND ENTERED this 10th day of December, 2019, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S HETAL DESAI Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 10th day of December, 2019.
The Issue The issue is whether Petitioners are entitled to a motor vehicle dealership that is proposed to be located in Apopka, Florida.
Findings Of Fact Respondent is an existing franchised dealer of motorcycles manufactured by Chuanl Motorcycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (CHUA). Petitioners have proposed the establishment of a new dealership to sell the same line and make of motorcycles as those sold by Respondent. Respondent's dealership is located at 306 West Main Street, Apopka, Florida 32712. Petitioners' proposed dealership would be located at 1918 South Orange Blossom Trail, Apopka, Florida 32703. The proposed dealership is within a 12.5-mile radius of Respondent's dealership. Respondent has standing to protest the establishment of the proposed dealership.
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED: That the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles enter a final order denying the establishment of Petitioners' proposed franchise. DONE AND ENTERED this 29th day of May, 2009, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S LAWRENCE P. STEVENSON Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 29th day of May, 2009. COPIES FURNISHED: Carl A. Ford, Director Division of Motor Vehicles Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkland Building, Room B-439 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0500 Robin Lotane, General Counsel Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkman Building 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0500 Jennifer Clark Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkman Building, Room A-432 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32344 James Sursely Action Orlando Motorsports 306 West Main Street Apopka, Florida 32712 Gloria Ma El Sol Trading, Inc., d/b/a Motobravo, Inc. 19877 Quiroz Court City of Industry, California 91789 Tina Wilson TGT Companies, Inc., d/b/a Extreme Motor Sales 1918 South Orange Blossom Trail Apopka, Florida 32703
The Issue The issue is whether Petitioners should be permitted to establish an additional dealership for the sale of motorcycles manufactured by Astronautical Bashan Motorcycle Manufacturer Company, Ltd., at 5720 North Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida.
Findings Of Fact Based on the evidence adduced at hearing and the record as a whole, the following Findings of Fact are made: On March 7, 2008, the Florida Administrative Weekly published a notice that Peace Industry Group intended to allow the establishment of Mobility Tech as a dealership for the sale of motorcycles manufactured by BASH at 5720 North Florida Avenue in Tampa (Hillsborough County), Florida. The notice also stated that the "new point" location for the proposed dealership is in a "county of more than 300,000 population, according to the latest population estimates of the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research." Respondent is an existing franchised dealer of motorcycles manufactured by BASH. Respondent's dealership is located at 5908 North Armenia Avenue in Tampa, Florida. The driving distance between Respondent's dealership and the location of the new dealership that Peace Industry proposes to establish is 2.05 miles.
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles issue a final order denying Petitioners, Peace Industry Group, Inc., and Mobility Tech, Inc.'s, approval to establish a new BASH motorcycle dealership at 5720 North Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida. DONE AND ENTERED this 19th day of November, 2008, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S CAROLYN S. HOLIFIELD Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 19th day of November, 2008.
The Issue The issue is whether Petitioners are entitled to motor vehicle dealerships that are proposed to be located in Orange County, Florida.
Findings Of Fact Based on the Notices of Publication, Respondent's protest letters which were forwarded to DOAH, and the testimony presented at the final hearing, the following Findings of Fact are made: Respondent is an existing franchised dealer for motorcycles manufactured by Benzhou Vehicle Industry Group Company, Ltd. Petitioners have proposed the establishment of new dealerships to sell the same line-make of motorcycles as those sold by Respondent. Respondent's dealership is located at 3838 John Young Parkway, Orlando, Orange County, Florida. Petitioners' dealerships are proposed to be located in Orange County, Florida, at: 4535 34th Street, Orlando, Florida (Case No. 09-3489); and 2650 West Fairbanks Avenue, Winter Park, Florida (Case Nos. 09-3499 and 09-4750). The proposed dealerships are within a 12.5-mile radius of Respondent's dealership. Respondent has standing to protest the establishment of the proposed dealerships. No evidence was presented showing that Respondent was "not providing adequate representation" of the same line-make vehicles in the community or territory.
Recommendation Based upon the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles enter a final order denying the establishment of Petitioners' proposed franchise dealerships for Case Nos. 09-3489, 09-3499, and 09-4750. DONE AND ENTERED this 12th day of November, 2009, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S JEFF B. CLARK Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 12th day of November, 2009. COPIES FURNISHED: Electra Theodorides-Bustle, Executive Director Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkman Building 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0500 Robin Lotane, General Counsel Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkman Building 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0500 Jennifer Clark Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkman Building, Room A-308 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0635 Jude A. Mitchell Jude's Cycle Service Post Office Box 585574 Orlando, Florida 32858 Beverly Fox Red Streak Scooters, LLC 427 Doughty Boulevard Inwood, New York 11096 Randy Lazarus Scooter City USA, LLC 4535 34th Street Orlando, Florida 32811 Bobbette Lynott Classic Motorcycles and Sidecars, Inc. Post Office Box 969 Preston, Washington 98050 Lou Ronka Scooter City USA, LLC 2650 West Fairbanks Avenue Winter Park, Florida 32789
The Issue Whether Respondent, Maserati North America, Inc.’s ("MNA"), proposed 2017 Commercial Policy Program ("2017 Program") is a modification of the franchise agreement between MNA and Petitioner, New Country Motor Cars of Palm Beach, LLC, d/b/a Maserati of Palm Beach ("Palm Beach"), or Petitioner Recovery Racing, LLC, d/b/a Maserati of Ft. Lauderdale ("Fort Lauderdale"); and, if so, whether it is fair and not prohibited by section 320.641(3), Florida Statutes (2016). Whether MNA’s proposed modifications to the Existing Franchise Agreements with Petitioners are fair and not prohibited under section 320.641(3).
Findings Of Fact Based on the evidence presented, the Pre-hearing Stipulation of the parties and the record as a whole, the following relevant and material Findings of Fact are made2/:
Recommendation Based upon the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that: A final order be entered by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles: (1) DISMISSING Petitioners’ claims regarding MNA’s 2017 Commercial Policy Bonus Program; and (2) GRANTING, IN PART, AND DENYING, IN PART, Petitioners’ claims regarding modifications in the Proposed New Agreement, as set forth above. DONE AND ENTERED this 23rd day of January, 2018, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S ROBERT L. KILBRIDE Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 23rd day of January, 2018.
The Issue The issue in this case is the “propriety of the protest regarding issues specifically within the purview of sections 320.642 and 320.699, Florida Statutes.”
Findings Of Fact On July 29, 2015, DOAH mailed a Notice of Hearing to each of the parties, scheduling the final hearing for January 13, 2016. No party objected to a final hearing on January 13, 2016. The dealership agreement between Wheelsport and Genuine is not in evidence; however, the weight of the evidence established that Wheelsport is an existing franchised dealer for Genuine, and has been since Genuine’s incorporation in 2003. Standing to protest the establishment of an additional new motor vehicle dealer depends on the population of the county in which the proposed location sits. If the population is greater than 300,000 persons, then a dealer of the same line- make must either: i) be located within a radius of 12.5 miles from the proposed location; or ii) "establish that during any 12-month period of the 36-month period preceding the filing of the [manufacturer's] application for the proposed dealership, the dealer or its predecessor made 25 percent of its retail sales of new motor vehicles to persons whose registered household addresses were located within a radius of 12.5 miles of the location of the proposed additional or relocated motor vehicle dealer." § 320.642(3)(b), Fla. Stat. The Department published the Notice, which indicated Genuine’s intent “to establish the new point location in a county of more than 300,000 population, according to the latest population estimates of the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research." There was no testimony of the census, an actual count of the population, or any population estimates in Pinellas County in 2015. No evidence was presented showing that Pinellas County, the county in which this dealership was proposed, had a population of greater (or less) than 300,000.2/
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that a final order be entered by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles dismissing Action Mopeds Inc., d/b/a Action Wheelsport’s, protest of the proposed establishment of an additional dealership for failure to establish standing pursuant to section 320.642(3). DONE AND ENTERED this 1st day of March, 2016, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S LYNNE A. QUIMBY-PENNOCK Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 1st day of March, 2016.
The Issue Whether Gorilla Motor Works, LLC (Gorilla) should be permitted over Petitioner's protest to establish an additional dealership for the sale of motorcycles manufactured by Taizhou Zhongneng Motorcycle Co. Ltd. (ZHNG) at 188 North Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441 (the proposed location).
Findings Of Fact Petitioner is an existing franchised dealer of ZHNG Motorcycles. Petitioner's dealership is located at 550 North Flagler Avenue, Pompano Beach, Florida. Petitioner's dealership is approximately 7.2 miles from the proposed location. Respondents offered no evidence that Petitioner has failed to adequately represent ZHNG.
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles enter a Final Order denying the request to establish a new ZHNG dealership at the proposed location. DONE AND ENTERED this 7th day of December, 2011, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. CLAUDE B. ARRINGTON Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 7th day of December, 2011.
The Issue The issue in the case is whether an application for a new point franchise motor vehicle dealership filed by Zongshen, Inc., and Biker-Barn Source Sales, Inc., should be approved.
Findings Of Fact Biker-Barn is seeking to establish a new point franchise motor vehicle dealership at 924 Del Prado Boulevard South, Cape Coral, in Lee County, Florida, for line-make ZONG. The Respondent is an existing franchise dealer for ZONG-manufactured vehicles and is located within 12.5 miles of the proposed new point motor vehicle dealership location. The majority of the Respondent's vehicle sales come from within a 12.5-mile radius of the proposed dealership. The Respondent timely filed a protest of the proposed Biker-Barn dealership. There is no evidence that the Respondent is not providing adequate representation within the territory of the motor vehicles at issue in this proceeding.
Recommendation Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is RECOMMENDED that the Department enter a final order denying the Petitioners' application for establishment of the new point franchise motor vehicle dealer franchise. DONE AND ENTERED this 2nd day of October, 2009, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida. S WILLIAM F. QUATTLEBAUM Administrative Law Judge Division of Administrative Hearings The DeSoto Building 1230 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060 (850) 488-9675 Fax Filing (850) 921-6847 www.doah.state.fl.us Filed with the Clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings this 2nd day of October, 2009. COPIES FURNISHED: Jennifer Clark Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkman Building, Room A-308 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0635 Howard Chappell, Esquire Law Offices of Howard Chappell 1514 Cumberland Court Fort Myers, Florida 33919 Joe Arguinzoni Biker-Barn Source Sales, Inc. 924 Del Prado Boulevard South, Unit B Cape Coral, Florida 33990 Patricia Fornes Zongshen, Inc. 3511 Northwest 113th Court Miami, Florida 33178 Carl A. Ford, Director Division of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkman Building, Room B-439 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0500 Robin Lotane, General Counsel Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Neil Kirkman Building 2900 Apalachee Parkway Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0500
