City of Erie sues Reflections after zoning board rules against State Street nightspot

The city of Erie is moving quickly to enforce zoning rules against a troubled State Street nightspot.

A day after the Erie Zoning Hearing Board affirmed zoning violations against Reflections , the city sued the business for a total of $24,000 in two enforcement actions.

One civil complaint claims Reflections, 1015 State St., operated as a dance club in violation of city zoning rules.

The other claims it operated as an illegal bottle club.

Each complaint seeks a judgment of $12,000.

The city's zoning office filed the complaints before Erie 2nd Ward District Judge Ed Wilson on Wednesday. The Zoning Hearing Board rejected Reflections' appeal of the zoning violations on Tuesday.

Wilson scheduled a hearing for Sept. 16, according to court records.

Requests for damages are capped at $12,000 in civil cases filed before district magistrates. Lawsuits that request higher damages go to Erie County Common Pleas Court.

The city sued the owner of Reflections, Crow LLC, based in Las Vegas.

City ordered Reflections closed in June

The city notified Reflections of the zoning violations on June 5 and ordered the business closed until it complies with zoning rules and fixes code issues. Since then, according the civil complaints, Reflections has continued to operate as a bottle club and a dance club.

Reflections opened in July 2023 in an area zoned as a C-3 Central Commercial District , which allows for eating and drinking establishments. But zoning rules for a C-3 district require the Zoning Hearing Board to grant special exceptions for dance clubs and bottle clubs, in which liquor is served for free without a liquor license. Reflections did not get special exceptions and does not have a liquor license.

The operators of Reflections have objected to the zoning violations and can fight the enforcement actions or appeal the violations to Common Pleas Court. The city decided not to wait for the 30-day appeal period to close before suing over the zoning violations.

Site has been source of many police calls

Nightspots known as the Super Chicken Lounge and Rockstarz operated at 1015 State St. before Reflections opened there.

Erie police have responded to repeated calls at or near Reflections, including for sexual assaults and gun offenses, according to testimony at Tuesday's Zoning Hearing Board session. The police also responded to numerous calls at the Super Chicken and Rockstarz.

Contact epalattella@timesnews.com or 814-870-1813. Follow him on X @ETNpalattella .

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: City of Erie sues Reflections after zoning board rules against State Street nightspot