Archives: Substantial Burden

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Fair Housing Act Meets RLUIPA in Georgia

By Evan Seeman on August 20, 2019 Posted in Substantial Burden

Late last month, an addiction ministry known as Vision Warriors Church, Inc. sued the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners under the Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, RLUIPA, and the U.S. Constitution. According to the complaint, the Church provides “a faith-based community for men recovering from addiction that focuses on accountability and transparency in … Continue Reading

Church Ministering to Homeless/Needy Can Proceed with Most of its Religious Discrimination Claims

By Evan Seeman on April 29, 2019 Posted in Equal Terms, First Amendment, Land Use Regulation, Nondiscrimination, Substantial Burden, Total Exclusion

A United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee recently ruled that Layman Lessons Church and Welcome Baptist Church, Inc. (“Layman Lessons”) can move forward with most, but not all, of its religious discrimination claims against Metropolitan Government of Nashville/Davidson County (“Nashville”). The dispute arose in 2018, when Layman Lessons claims that Nashville … Continue Reading

Chabad House for Towson University and Goucher College Files Lawsuit Alleging RLUIPA Violations Following State Court Order to Demolish Newly-Constructed Addition

By Diana Neeves on February 13, 2019 Posted in Equal Terms, Nondiscrimination, Substantial Burden, Total Exclusion, Unreasonable Limitation

The Chabad House for Towson University and Goucher College, pictured above, has filed a lawsuit against Baltimore County, Maryland (the “County”), following a state court order requiring demolition of a newly-constructed addition to the Chabad House. The Complaint alleges, among other things, violations of RLUIPA’s substantial burden, equal terms, nondiscrimination, and exclusions and limitations provisions.… Continue Reading

4th Circuit Rules Ethnic Bias Gives Rise to RLUIPA Claim

By Evan Seeman on February 12, 2019 Posted in First Amendment, Nondiscrimination, Substantial Burden

Last week, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed a lower court’s decision dismissing a church’s religious discrimination claims. In doing so, the Fourth Circuit found that the church had properly alleged claims under RLUIPA based in part on the community’s ethnic bias against the church’s connection to associated church’s in … Continue Reading

7th Circuit Rules Church’s RLUIPA Claims Against Markham, Illinois Ripe for Review

By Evan Seeman on February 1, 2019 Posted in Equal Terms, Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Substantial Burden, Unreasonable Limitation

The Seventh Circuit recently reversed a district court’s decision finding a church’s RLUIPA claims were unripe and moot because it was granted parking variances and a conditional use permit after the church brought suit. The case involves the Church of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (“Church”). For the past 15 years, the Church has … Continue Reading

Recap of the Top Read Blog Posts in 2018

By Evan Seeman on December 30, 2018 Posted in Compelling Interest, Equal Terms, First Amendment, Nondiscrimination, Religious Exercise, Ripeness, Settlement, Substantial Burden

As New Year’s approaches, let’s look back at last year’s happenings and how they have shaped religious land use issues across the nation. Here are our top 10 most read blog posts of 2018: County of Ventura, California’s Permitting Scheme Stricken as Prior Restraint on Free Speech Rabbi Lacks Standing for some RLUIPA Claims, Says … Continue Reading

Islamic Community Center Denied Variance Needed to Operate Mosque; Files Lawsuit Against Michigan City

By Diana Neeves on November 20, 2018 Posted in Equal Terms, Substantial Burden

Earlier this month, an Islamic community center filed suit against the City of Troy, Michigan (“City”) after the City denied the group’s application for a variance needed to operate a mosque at the property it owns in the City, allegedly in violation of RLUIPA. The community center, known as Adam Community Center (“ACC”), is a … Continue Reading

Coffee Shop Church’s Claims Survive Motion to Dismiss, City Amends Code to Permit Use

By Diana Neeves on October 18, 2018 Posted in Equal Terms, Nondiscrimination, Ripeness, Safe Harbor Provision, Substantial Burden

A federal court in Maryland has denied the City of Laurel, Maryland’s (“City”) motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Redemption Community Church (“Church”). The Church filed suit last February, after the City issued a cease and desist order prohibiting the Church from offering religious services at the coffee shop it owns in the City’s … Continue Reading

Hand of Hope RLUIPA Claims Survive Summary Judgment

By Karla Chaffee on October 1, 2018 Posted in Comparator, Equal Terms, Substantial Burden

Hand of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center (“Hand of Hope”) is a non-profit in Raleigh, North Carolina with the mission to “affirm the value of life from conception by compassionately sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ[.]” It offers clients prayer, Bible study, and spiritual counseling, as well as free reproductive healthcare information, physician-quality pregnancy testing, limited … Continue Reading

Court Denies Summary Judgment in “Integral Yoga” RLUIPA Dispute in Hawaii

By Evan Seeman on September 11, 2018 Posted in Equal Terms, First Amendment, Least Restrictive Means, Nondiscrimination, Religious Exercise, Substantial Burden

Back in 2015, we first reported about a RLUIPA case pitting the County of Maui, Hawaii against practitioners of “Integral Yoga” (prior post available here). Integral Yoga is a worldwide religious organization established in the U.S. in 1966 that believes “the goal and the birthright of all individuals is to realize the spiritual unity behind … Continue Reading

Rabbi Prohibited from Using Property as Short-Term Vacation Rental Under Savannah Ordinance

By Diana Neeves on August 23, 2018 Posted in Substantial Burden

A court in Chatham County, Georgia has granted the City of Savannah’s (“City”) request for a preliminary injunction temporarily prohibiting Rabbi Arnold Belzer and his wife from operating a “short-term vacation rental” and/or a “bed and breakfast homestay” at their home on Washington Avenue in Savannah (the “Property”). In doing so, the court rejected Rabbi … Continue Reading

Church Ministering To Homeless Secures Preliminary Injunction Against St. Paul, Minn. For Likely RLUIPA And Free Speech Violations

By Evan Seeman on August 14, 2018 Posted in First Amendment, Substantial Burden

A federal court in Minnesota has issued a preliminary injunction in favor of a local church ministering to the homeless, ruling that the church was likely to prevail on its RLUIPA substantial burden and First Amendment free speech claims. The injunction will prevent St. Paul, Minnesota from enforcing 2 of the 14 conditions it imposed … Continue Reading

Church Sues Virginia County Over Religious Discrimination Claims

By Evan Seeman on June 13, 2018 Posted in Nondiscrimination, Substantial Burden

Last month, a church known as Love of Life Fellowship, Inc. (the “Church”) sued the County of Chesterfield, Virginia, alleging religious discrimination resulting from its desired acquisition and use of 38 acres at 500 Baptist Drive in Chester, Virginia (the “Property”). The Church has used the Property for two years for religious worship and other … Continue Reading

Yee Haw! Cowboy Church’s Religious Rodeo Clears Some Hurdles

By Evan Seeman on May 25, 2018 Posted in Substantial Burden

Texas’ appellate court recently issued a decision involving the interplay between religious freedom and governmental police power, a “cowboy church,” and NIMBYism (Not-In-My-Back-Yard). True to its name, Denton County Cowboy Church (the “Church”) began hosting weekly rodeo events in 2009 at its outdoor arena. The arena is on the Cowboy Church’s 7-acre tract of land … Continue Reading

Federal Court Rejects Church’s Religious Land Use Claims Based on Government’s Legitimate Zoning Concerns

By Evan Seeman on April 20, 2018 Posted in Equal Terms, Substantial Burden

A federal court in Nevada has ruled that the denial of a church’s special use permit application to develop property with a house of worship did not violate RLUIPA’s substantial burden provision, the Equal Protection Clause, the Due Process Clause, or state law. Significantly, this case demonstrates the bedrock principle that land use agencies may … Continue Reading

Rabbi Lacks Standing for some RLUIPA Claims, Says Federal Court

By Evan Seeman on April 13, 2018 Posted in Equal Terms, First Amendment, Nondiscrimination, Substantial Burden

A federal court in Maryland has found that a rabbi was without standing to bring claims under RLUIPA’s nondiscrimination and equal terms provisions, since those claims can be brought only by an “assembly” or “institution.” While the court dismissed these claims, identical claims brought by a Jewish congregation – an assembly or institution under RLUIPA … Continue Reading

Maryland Federal Court – Church’s Alleged Substantial Burden was Self-Imposed

By Evan Seeman on April 11, 2018 Posted in Equal Terms, First Amendment, Nondiscrimination, Substantial Burden

A federal court in Maryland recently rejected a church’s RLUIPA and related constitutional claims, finding that the religious group’s claimed harm was self-created. The case demonstrates the importance of due diligence efforts in connection with developing property in the context of a religious land use controversy. The religious group, Jesus Christ is the Answer Ministries, … Continue Reading

Pave it! RFRA Unlikely to Protect Sacred Burial Ground

By Karla Chaffee on March 17, 2018 Posted in Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Substantial Burden

A Federal Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court of Oregon recently issued findings and recommendations in Chief Wilder Slockish, et al. v. U.S. Federal Highway Administration, et al., concluding that federal highway construction work did not impose a substantial burden on plaintiffs’ religious exercise. Plaintiffs, including members of the Confederated Tribes of the … Continue Reading

Religious Land Use Controversy Brewing in Laurel, Maryland: Can a Church Worship in a Coffee Shop?

By Diana Neeves on March 13, 2018 Posted in Equal Terms, Nondiscrimination, Substantial Burden

Redemption Community Church (the “Church”) has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Laurel, Maryland (the “City”), after the City issued a cease and desist order prohibiting the Church from offering religious services at the coffee shop it owns in the City’s community-village zoning district (the “CV Zone”). According to the complaint, the Church … Continue Reading

Church’s RLUIPA Claims Unripe and Moot, Says Federal Court

By Diana Neeves on February 21, 2018 Posted in Ripeness, Substantial Burden

A federal district court in Illinois has dismissed religious discrimination and related claims alleged by the Church of Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ (“Church”) against the City of Markham, Illinois (“City”), in connection with the City’s denial of the Church’s application for a conditional use permit. We previously posted about this case, Church of … Continue Reading

City of Bayonne, NJ to Pay $400,000 to Settle Claims Over Mosque Denial

By Evan Seeman on February 2, 2018 Posted in Settlement, Substantial Burden

The City of Bayonne, New Jersey has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed this past summer by Bayonne Muslims, asserting that the city discriminated against the Muslim group after denying variances needed to convert an abandoned warehouse to a mosque (read our previous post about the lawsuit here). As part of the settlement, the city … Continue Reading

CAFO Stinks, but Not a Substantial Burden

By Karla Chaffee and Evan Seeman on January 31, 2018 Posted in Land Use Regulation, Substantial Burden

Do 1,400 cattle and 17.4 million gallons of cow waste in open-air lagoons, upwind and a half a mile from a religious youth summer camp, impose a substantial burden? As unpleasant as a concentrated animal feed operation (“CAFO”) may be, a neighboring religious organization cannot use RLUIPA as a shield to prevent its operation. We … Continue Reading

Church Alleges Religious Discrimination Over Baltimore County’s Conditions on Approval of Development Plan

By Diana Neeves on January 15, 2018 Posted in Substantial Burden

Hunt Valley Presbyterian Church (the “Church”) has sued Baltimore County, Maryland and the Board of Appeals of Baltimore County (together, “Baltimore County”), challenging Baltimore County’s conditional approval of the Church’s development plan, which sought to expand an existing house of worship. This is the fourth congregation to bring RLUIPA claims against Baltimore County in the … Continue Reading

Prisoner’s “My-iBible” RLUIPA Claim Thrown Out as Moot

By Evan Seeman on January 8, 2018 Posted in Substantial Burden

What do a prisoner in administrative segregation, an MP3 player, an audio version of the Bible, and earbud headphones have to do with defending local governments in RLUIPA claims? Read on. The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit recently ruled that a prisoner’s RLUIPA claim had been rendered moot and could not … Continue Reading

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