St. Augusta Sues Local Business Over Zoning Violation

ST. AUGUSTA -- The city of St. Augusta has filed a lawsuit against an upholstery shop for violating its zoning ordinance.

The city is suing Sis Auto & Furniture Upholstery to remove large storage containers on their property because the ordinance does not allow outdoor portable storage units without a conditional use permit.

Court records show the business applied for the permit in 2016 but was denied and the city ordered the containers removed within 120 days.

The city's filing is asking the court to issue an injunction to prohibit Sis Upholstery from placing or using any of the storage units on the property and to remove the existing ones in order to comply with the city's zoning ordinance.

The business has filed a response denying the city's allegations saying other businesses in the same zoning district are allowed outdoor storage without the permit, that the city denied the CUP on unlawful grounds and that the denial was arbitrary and capricious.

Sis Upholstery has filed a counterclaim asking the court to approve an injunction forcing the city to approve the CUP and pay costs and attorneys fees.

No new court dates are currently listed.