San Diego Superior Court Judge Richard E.L. Strauss heard opening statements Monday morning in the civil trial between the city of Chula Vista and Eyecandy Showgirls.
The city sued Eyecandy in June 2013 for what they say are zoning violations.
Attorneys for the city said at the conclusion of the trial they will ask the judge to close down the adult-oriented business because it is in direct violation of the city’s zoning code, as well as to ask the court to issue an order that
Eyecandy must immediately follow operational standards.
Attorney Deborah Fox, who represents the city, contends that Eyecandy is open past its hours of operation on the weekends, offers totally nude lap dances and ignores the no-touching rule, which she said all violate operating procedures.
“This is a public nuisance that should be abated both because it violates the buffer zone and because it violates the operating standards,” she said.
Eyecandy’s attorney Roger Diamond said the operational requirements of the strip club shouldn’t be an issue for the court to take up.
“We think what is in the complaint is the zoning issue,” Diamond told the judge. “There is no specific statement in the pleading that references operation problems.”
Diamond added that the operational provisions were not in existence when the club opened, but were added afterwards.
Eyecandy had dropped its cross-complaint in the case.
Fox also argued that Eyecandy, located at 215 Bay Blvd., is within the 500-foot buffer requirement from residentially zoned property. She said the city’s zoning law had been in place since 1979.
The trial is expected to wrap up next week.
