Court rules that Serena Inn can only operate under sweeping restrictions, police monitoring
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on September 29, 2017 1:41 PM
Full SizeThe Serena Inn will be allowed to continue operating after a lawsuit filed against the motel by the city was settled in Wayne County Superior Court Friday -- but not without sweeping new restrictions.
This court order lasts for the next 15 years.
Among the restrictions is a provision that allows Goldsboro Police Chief Mike West sole discretion over whether or not a long-term tenant's occupancy at the hotel should be terminated.
"I think there's a couple families that live there, and they've got kids that are in school -- buses are picking up kids there -- and I don't have any intentions of going in there and saying, 'Hey, look, I've got this authority, y'all have got to get out,'" West said. "We will talk with the family, see what their situation is. If they're not engaged in any kind of illegal activity or contributing to the illegal activities that are going on there, then at this point I think we would be able to come to some sort of end where they could stay there longer."
This restriction applies to people staying seven consecutive days or longer, per the court order.
Should West decide any long-term tenant should not be staying at the motel, he will notify the management and that person will be forced to leave by checkout time on the next business day.
Also in the court order is a provision allowing law enforcement 24/7 remote access to all of the hotel's security cameras. This order requires the motel to install a minimum of 32 security cameras, all of which police will be able to access.
West said this remote feed will likely be monitored by the department's supervisor on duty.
Anyone checking in to the motel will also be required, per the court order, to present a valid, government-issued photo identification, and must stay in the room they are renting.
People checking into the hotel will also be required to fill out a registration card with their full name, their home address, vehicle license plate information, vehicle description, time of arrival and their assigned room number.
A registry of people staying at the motel will be kept on hand for review by law enforcement at any time.
Also in the court order are provisions requiring certain lighting be installed on the property, restricting alcohol sales and also barring the operation of any sort of private club on the property, including a topless bar, night club, dance or disco club.
The motel will not be allowed to sell liquor on the premises, and will only be able to sell beer or wine after going 30 consecutive months without violating the court order.
The court order also requires the defendants pay $8,000 to the Wayne County Clerk of Superior Court within 30 days to reimburse the city's attorney fees. That amount will be credited toward the total abatement cost of $12,500 the defendants are ordered to pay.
If any part of the court order is violated, the people operating the motel could face fines and even prison time.
Attorney Ron Lawrence II represented the city in the civil suit, while attorney Gordon Woodruff represented the company that leases the hotel, Kachella Investment, LLC.
Superior Court Judge Will Bland presided over the case.
Today's court session settles the civil action against the motel after it was hit with a temporary restraining order on Sept. 15, barring new rooms from being rented out until the matter was resolved.
The temporary restraining order against the establishment was caused by continuous calls to the police and the quality of life at the motel showing no improvement after the business was forced to temporarily close in 2016 to bring the property up to code.