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Hindu Group in RLUIPA Case Says Temple Size Is A Religious Necessity

By Howard M. Friedman

AP reported yesterday that the Adhi Parasakthi Charitable, Medical, Educational and Cultural Society has recently filed a federal lawsuit against West Pikeland Township, Pennsylvania, challenging the Township's refusal to permit the group to build a Hindu Temple larger than 5,000 square feet on a 24.5 acre site in an area zoned residential and conservation. The group wants to build a 26,000-square-foot temple and a 9,000-square-foot auxiliary support building on the site in Chester Springs. Neighbors object. Some of them voiced concerns at the Township Supervisors meeting about a "mosque" and possible movement in of Hindus.

According to a report by Westpikeland.org, proceedings at the Zoning Hearing Board hearing last August revealed that while Hindu group has some 200 members, only about 20 live within 50 miles of the proposed Temple site. The group's attorney, Richard Lipow, says the size of the proposed Temple is dictated by religious considerations. Certain gods need to be a distance from others. The group says that the Township's zoning ordinances violate the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act as well as the group's free exercise, free expression and assembly rights. [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.]

Full post as published by Religion Clause on April 23, 2009 (boomark / email).