Legal News

Justice Dept. Zen a message to Walnut with lawsuit

By Richard Binder

The Justice Department filed suit against the City of Walnut yesterday, claiming that by rejecting a permit for construction of a Buddhist center the city was in violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000.

Federal officials allege in the suit that the city has treated the Chung Tai Zen Center differently than other religious facilities, having granted a conditional use permit, for example, for a Catholic church in August 2008 that will apparently be larger than the proposed Buddhist center. The suit further says that Walnut has not turned down any application for a conditional use permit to build, expand or operate a house of worship until the Zen Center's permit was denied in January 2008.

The lawsuit is seeking an injunction to prohibit the city from discriminating not only against the proposed Buddhist center but any other religious entities and institutions that seek to operate in Walnut.

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Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on September 14, 2010 (boomark / email).