Court dismisses arguments that church isn't 'religious'
Rejecting the argument that a church is not “religious,” a court Friday dismissed most of a lawsuit against a congregation’s plan to move into a former YMCA building.
Godspeak Calvary Chapel Church in Thousand Oaks, California, was sued by neighbors of the building, who argued a church should not be considered a religious organization entitled to protection under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.
But on Friday, the Ventura County Superior Court dismissed most of the case brought by the Dos Vientos Community Preservation Association and Donald Armstrong.
Liberty Counsel, which defended the church, said the alleged “association” that filed suit consisted of a few individuals who also insisted the church’s using of the building had not been cleared under the California Environmental Quality Act, the CEQA....