CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) – The owner of a Clearwater nightclub is defending his lounge after city officials called it a nuisance.
Chris Legagneur has filed a lawsuit against the city of Clearwater, a Clearwater police officer and resident David Hawkins, who lives behind the club.
The residents said they want to see the business shut down and Legagneur gone.
He’s been cited for noise violations and accused of running a business where drugs are used. Residents say the club is a nightmare.
“You’ll hear them coming into the parking lot, tires screeching, yelling,” said Vicki Said.
Legagneur was arrested last November for selling alcohol without the proper license.
Clearwater police responded to 42 incidents in 2017 including 16 arrests, 15 drug-related calls and a shooting.
Legagneur is claiming harrassment and racial discrimination.
“Apparently there are some residents in the area that don’t like the fact that this is an urban club and, in their opinion, attracts the wrong racial mixture so to speak,” said Legagneur’s attorney Luke Lirot. “They’ve attributed every problem within the area to this one location. It’s really not responsible for any problems and there seems to be a really unfair focus on this business.”
The lounge is in a commercial zone, which sits in the backyard of neighbor homes.
“He’s validly in a zoning district that allows for a place of public assembly and the only problem is that it’s right on the border of a residential area,” said Lirot.
Lirot said he doesn’t see the club closing down anytime soon, unless there’s a court order. He hopes to come to a resolution with the residents and the city.
“Well, we’re trying to make peace. Trying to figure out why are they being targeted. Why are they being treated more harshly than any other place of public assembly in the entire City of Clearwater.”
