- An Apopka restaurant and its owner have filed a lawsuit against the city and one of its code enforcement officers.
- The lawsuit alleges that the officer acted beyond his legal authority and caused delays and financial losses during the restaurant’s renovation.
- The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages, costs and other relief including a jury trial; court records show that the suit seeks damages exceeding $50,000.
An Apopka restaurant and its owner have filed suit against the city and one of its code enforcement officers, alleging that the officer acted beyond his legal authority and caused delays and financial losses during the restaurant’s renovation.
The complaint, filed Jan. 6 in Orange County Circuit Court, was brought by Valerie Sparkman individually and on behalf of Just Like Momma’s Soul Food and Wings LLC. The lawsuit names the city of Apopka and code enforcement officer David Whitty as defendants and seeks damages exceeding $50,000, court records show.
According to the filing, Sparkman signed a commercial lease with the city in March 2024 to open the restaurant, which is now located at 44 E. Fifth St. at the Fifth Street Plaza. The complaint alleges that Whitty entered the premises on March 19, 2024, and about one week later, returned citing a noise complaint…