The owner of a Van Nuys adult cabaret sued the city of Los Angeles Monday, alleging early-morning traffic restrictions on the industrial street where the club is located are hampering his business.
Mike Mudaris, who operates the Red Tie Gentlemen's Club at 15832 Stagg St., alleges that he is the victim of "arbitrary governmental misconduct."
His company, Red Tie LLC, is also named as a plaintiff in the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that alleges civil rights violations.
The suit seeks unspecified damages and an injunction directing that the no-parking times on the 15800 block of Stagg Street changed from 2-6 a.m. to 4-6 a.m., or that the limits be eliminated entirely.
Also named as defendants in the complaint are Councilwoman Nury Martinez, who represents the district where the club is located, and Selata Reynolds, general manager of the city's Department of Transportation.
A representative for Martinez's office did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
The suit states that Mudaris opened the businessin 2015 and obtained all the necessary permits for operation. Although there is on-site parking, for the club to be successful there must be additional available places on Stagg Street, according to the plaintiff.
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He alleges that at "some unknown time in the past," signs were put up on Stagg Street banning parking from 2 to 6 a.m.
"There is no legitimate traffic reason for the restrictions with respect to parking," according to the lawsuit, which alleges Mudaris and his business are opposed by "political forces" in the city.
"Councilwoman Nury Martinez opposes the operation of the Red Tie adult cabaret,'' the suit says. "Martinez would prefer that the Red Tie shut down."
Mudaris says he has offered to pay the costs of redoing the parking signs, so the change would be of no cost to taxpayers.
Changing the parking restrictions to 4 to 6 a.m. would allow Red Tie patrons to park on the street until 4 a.m. and still allow the city to achieve its goal of preventing transients from parking on the street all night, according to his court papers.
Mudaris says neighbors in the area signed a petition in favor of modifying the parking restrictions. But the defendants' real reason for not wanting to do so is their opposition to adult entertainment, and saying so openly would subject them to allegations of constitutional violations, the suit alleges.
