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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning commission appeal - Universal Life Church41000 Woodward ,Avenue • suite 345 East • Bfoom{ielc~ Ni~~s, Mic~igan 48304 p: 24$.971.2400 F: 248.971.1906 www.da~tontomich.com May 29, 2012 ~~~ MAY 3 ~ Z0~ oROwu.~, cAU~o~ Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors 7 County Center Drive Oraville, CA 95965 Re: Universal Life Church of Chico/Mother Nature's Temple Appeal from May 10, 2012 Planning Commission Denial of Use Permit UP09-0012 Dear Supervisors: This law firm represents the Universal Life Church of Chicol Mother Nature's Temple ("the Church"} and Reverend Robert Seals with respect to the Church's application for a Use Permit {"Permit") that would allow it to continue in its religious exercise on the Church property since 1984. We respectfully request that you approve the Church's application for a Permit pursuant to Butte County Code Sections 24-230(d)(5) and 24-45.10. The Permit is required to allow the members of the Church to continue in the free exercise of their religion. In the event the County denies the application for a Permit, certain legal issues will arise. The denial of the Church's application for Permit similar to the izutial denial by the Butte County Planning Commission will likely result in a violation of the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA}, which is codified under 42 U.S.C. §2000cc et seq. Background of the Church Universal Life Church of ChicolMothex Nature's Temple, founded by Reverend Robert Seals, provides an Omni-faith environment to awaken and inspire earth-based spirituality, self nourishment, care far the commons, and empowerment of women. Its ethics are based upon the fundamental rights of personal spiritual freedom, living liberty, ethnic equality and the pursuit of happiness. We shall reconnect people to the essence of self-respect and loving one another, the village and community and the Godliness of nature. It is a community role model in its efforts to live and promote sustainahility and healthy lifestyle. ~GIS. Co. C~-~A, ~a G~~ Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page 2 The Temple is anot-for-profit entity. It is funded by grants, donations, rental of church equipment and properties, the manufacturing and sale of ecological sustainable goods and fees collected from diverse seminars, workshops, classes, and clinics. Its many services include, but are not limited to: weekly earth-based omni-faith gatherings, spiritual and environmental awareness, conferences, children's camps, addiction and abuse support, holistic healing, weddings, funexals, outreach services, homeless shelters, summer camps and retreats, yoga, meditation, music art and dance. T am a principal attorney of Dalton & Tomich plc and have dedicated a substantial portion of my law practice to representing religious entities in land use disputes. Our firm has litigated and prevailed in religious land use matters on behalf of religious entities throughout California, Michigan, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Colorado and several other states. See www.daltontomich.com. Background' of RLUIPA RLUIPA provides a number of important protections for the religious freedom as it applies to the use of land. On September 22, 2010, the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice celebrated the 10~` anniversary of the passage of the bill. In conjunction with the celebration of the passage of the law, the Department of Justice prepazed a timely report an the Tenth Anniversary of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act and frequently asked questions with an answer guide specifically for local governments who address religious use issues. I urge you to review both the attached report and the frequently asked questions in light of your decision. As observed through the policy statement issued by the Department of Justice, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc et seq., is a civil rights law that protects individuals and religious institutions from discriminatory and unduly burdensome land use regulations. After hearings in which Congress found that religious assemblies and institutions were disproportionately affected, and in fact often were actively discriminated against, in Iocal land use decisions, Congress passed RLU1PA unanimously in 2000. In considering RLUIPA, Congress found that zoning authorities were frequently placing excessive or unreasonable burdens on the ability of congregations and individuals to exercise their faith with little to no justification and in violation of the Constitution. Congress further found that religious institutions often faced both subtle and overt discrimination in zoning, particularly minority, newer, smaller, or unfamiliar religious groups and denominations. Congress also found that, as a whale, religious institutions were treated worse than comparable secular institutions by zoning codes and zoning authorities. Congress further found that zoning authorities frequently were placing excessive burdens on the ability of congregations and individuals to exercise their faiths without suffcient justification, in violation of the Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page 3 Constitution. As RLUIPA's Senate sponsors, Senator Hatch and the late Senator Kennedy, said in their joint statement issued upon the bill's passage: Zoning codes frequently exclude churches in places where they permit theaters, meetings halls, and other places where large groups of people assemble for secular purposes.... Churches have been denied the right to meet in rented storefronts, in abandoned schools, in converted funeral homes, theaters, and skating rinks-in all sorts of buildings that were permitted when they generated traffrc for secular purposes. In the ten years since its passage, RLUIPA has been applied in a wide variety of contexts and has been the subject of substantial litigation in the courts. It is a complex statute, with fve sepazate provisions that protect religious exercise in different but sometimes overlapping ways. They are: • Protection against substantial burdens on religious exercise: Section 2(a} of RLUIPA prohibits the implementation of any land use regulation that imposes a "substantial burden" on the religious exercise of a person or institution except where justified by a "compelling governmental interest" that the government pursues in the least restrictive way possible. • Protection against unequal treatment for religious assemblies and institutions: Section 2(b)(1) of RLUIPA provides that religious assemblies and institutions must be treated at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions. • Protection against religious or denominational discrimination: Section 2(b)(2) of RLUIPA prohibits discrimination "against any assembly or institution on the basis of religion or religious denomination." • Protection against total exclusion of religious assemblies: Section 2(b}(3)(A) of RLUIPA provides that goveraunents must not totally exclude religious assemblies from a jurisdiction. • Protection against unreasonable limitation of religious assemblies: Section 2(b){3)(B) of RLUIPA provides that government must not unreasonably limit "religious assemblies, institutions, or structures within a jurisdiction." Background on Constitutional consideration In analyzing the constitutional basis for religious land use claims, Courts look to the Free Exercise Clause, the Free Speech Clause and the Free Assembly clause of the First Amendment Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page 4 to the United States and California Constitutions. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals follows Supreme Court precedent when analyzing Free Exercise claims. And for purposes of analysis, the Ninth Circuit will treat First Amendment claims for freedom of speech and freedom of assembly alike.~rl A Court will likely analyze claims under the federal and state Constitutians together while keeping in mind that protection of these liberties under the California Constitution is broader than under the United States Constitution.~~l Free Exercise analysis begins with an inquiry into whether the law at issue is neutral and generally applicable.~31 If it is not, strict scrutiny applies and the law must be narrowly tailored to further a compelling governmental interest. Even if the law is facially neutral, if it unduly burdens the free exercise of religion it must still be justified by a compelling governmental interest. While the Supreme Court has held that the right of free exercise of religion does not require Courts to invalidate neutral laws of general applicability, it has affirmed that laws that depart from this principle of neutrality are subject to strict scrutiny.~4~ There are two ways in which a law can discriminate against religious conduct. The first is facially. In Church o the I.ukumi Babalu A e Inc. v. Ci o Hialeah, for instance, the Supreme Court stated that "[a] law lacks facial neutrality if it refers to a religious practice without a secular meaning discernible from the language or context."~51 In that case, the challenged ordinances prohibited the "sacrifice" of animals within the city limits, but exempted "slaughtering" (defined as "the killing of animals for food"} by " `licensed establishment[s]' of animals `specifically raised for food purposes."' The plaintiff argued that the words "sacrifice" and "ritual" had strong religious connotations and that the use of those terms in the ordinances demonstrated a lack of facial neutrality. The Court disagreed, holding that "sacrifice" and "ritual" had secular meanings, and that the ordinance defined them without reference to religious practices. Yet facial neutrality is not determinative. The second way in which a law can discriminate against religious conduct is through its application to a particular use. This is called an "as applied" challenge. Under this analysis, Court's look at Free Exercise claims when governmental conduct rises to "subtle departures from neutrality," and "covert suppression of particular religious beliefs."~61 Official action that targets [']New York State Club Ass'rr. Inc. v. Cit~o{New York, 487 U.S. 1, l3, 108 S.Gt. 2225, 101 L.lad.2d 1 (1988 [z] C.L. U.B. v. City o Chicago, 1996 WL 89241 p. 2S (N.D. Ill. Feb.27, 1446) t3wision Church, United Methodist v. Grill. of Long Grove, 468 F.3d 975, 446 (7th Cir. 2006) [Ql Employment Div., Dept. of Human Res. of Or. v. Smith, 494 U.S. 872, 879, 110 S.Ct. 1S9S, 108 L.Ed.2d 876 1990 [5] Church ofthe Gukumi Babalu Ave, Inc. v. City ofHialeah,508 U.S. 520, 533, 113 S.Ct. 2217, 124 L.Ed.2d 472 if 993) [6] Gillette v. UnztedStates, 40I U.S. 437.452, 91 S.Ct. 828, 28 L.Ed.2d 168 (1971) Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page S religious conduct for distinctive treatment cannot be shielded by mere compliance with the requirement of facial neutrality. An ordinance lacks neutrality if its results in the suppression of religious practice.~7~ The Court in Lukumi found persuasive the fact that the Santeria church's rituals were "almost the only conduct subject to [the ordinancesj," the stated government interests could have been addressed with narrower regulations, and that statements from city officials indicated hostility towards the religion. The Court explained that a law is non-neutral if it "refers to a religious practice without a secular meanin~ discernible from the language or context" or if its object was to suppress religious practice.~$ This led the Court to conclude that the object of the ordinances was to prohibit the church's religious practice. Since this demonstrated a lack of neutrality, the Court applied strict scrutiny before finding that the law violated the Free Exercise clause of the First Amendment. For purposes of First Amendment Free speech and Assembly Claims, a Court will treat First Amendment claims for freedom of speech and freedom of assembly alike. 1n addressing a First Amendment free speech challenge, the court must consider whether the challenged provision is a content-based regulation that restricts speech because of the ideas or messages it expresses.~~~ Such content-based regulations are presumptively invalid. The government may neither favor one viewpoint over another,~101 nor suppress an entire category of speech, even if the regulation is viewpoint-neutral within the category of speech, because the First Amendment bars "prohibition of public discussion of an entire topic."~lta When regulating First Amendment activity in a public forum, the government has a difficult burden to carry.~12~ For the state to enforce acontent-based exclusion it must show that its regulation is necessary to serve a compelling state interest and that it is narrowly drawn to achieve that end. The state may also enforce regulations of the time, place and manner of expression which are content-neutral, are narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest, and leave open ample alternative channels of communication. Content-neutral restrictions are subject to intermediate scrutiny under traditional First Amendment jurisprudence.f i~~ 1n sum, government may impose reasonable time, place, and manner [~I Lukumi, supra, at 534, 113 S.Ct. 2217. ts~ Lukumi, supra, at 533-34, 113 5.Ct. ZZ17 {emphasis added). [gl R~4. V. v. Ciry of St. Paul, 505 U.S. 377, 382, 112 S.Ct. 253$, 120 L.Ed.2d 305 (1992) ~~O~Ciry Council of Los Angeles v. Taxpayers for Vincent, 466 U.S. 789, 804, 104 S.Ct. 2118, 80 L.Ed.2d 772 (1984) ~61~Consolidated Edison Co. v. Public Serv. Comm'n, 447 U.S. 530, 537, 100 S.Ct. 2326, 65 L.Ed.2d 3i9 {19$0) ~EZ~Perry Educ. ttss'n v. Perry Local Educators'Ass`n. 460 U.S. 37, 45, 103 S.Ct. 948., 74 L.Ed.2d 794 (1983) ~"3~ United States v. Wilson, 1S4 F.3d 658, 663 {7t1~ Cir. 1998. Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page b restrictions if they {1) are justified without reference to the content of the regulated speech; {2} are narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest; and {3) leave open ample alternative channels for the communication of the information.~14~ Finally, the hybrid rights theory creates an exception to the rule in Lukumi that only laws which are not neutral ar generally applicable can be strictly scrutinized. The case represented a watershed in the Supreme Court's free exercise jurisprudence; it had the effect of narrowing the number of cases in which courts will strictly scrutinize government actions. After the case was decided, Courts are to use strict scrutiny only if a litigant's exercise of religion is burdened by a law which is not neutral or generally applicable. There remains the possibility, discussed in Lukumi, that courts will apply strict scrutiny to a free exercise claim if another constitutional right is at stake.~15~ Courts have come to refer to this as a "hybrid rights" claim. Under either a direct burden or a "hybrid rights" analysis, Lukumi and subsequent case law establishes that before a court is even to analyze whether the law is neutral and/or generally applicable, there must be a burden on religious exercise.~~6~ The use permit application The Church, also known as the "Goddess Temple," is located on two parcels at 13524 Autumn Lane, Chico, California {the "Property"). Existing uses include two single-family residences, Church buildings and "Sacred Lands," a pet cemetery, no human remains except ashes (interred, not scattered), and recreation areas (including a pool, pond, and trails). The buildings were constructed beginning in 1981 with religious services beginning in 1984. The owner of the Property, Reverend Robert Seals, is an inventor, musician, artist, and perhaps most notably, the spiritual leader of the Church. The Church conducts many religious activities including Sunday services, Yoga groups, meditation groups, and non-amplified music. Weekly participation in the religious services is approximately thirty people. A private shuttle bus has been used to reduce parking and traffic issues. Additional uses include nature and exercise walks, small weddings of less than one hundred persons, summer children's camps of approximately twenty children, and small "end of life celebrations." The purposes and activities of the Church are nearly exclusively religious. The Church's mission statement sets Earth, in relevant part, which the Church seeks to provide "non- denominational environments to awaken and inspire earth-based spirituality." The very location ~ia7 Ward v. Rock Against Racism, 491 U.S. 781, 791, 109 S.Ct. 2746, 105 L.Ed.2d 661 (1989) 115494 U.S. at 881, 110 S.Ct. 1595. 1'~1 Lukumi, 508 U.S. at 531, 113 S.Ct. 2217. Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page 7 of the Church is integral to the beliefs of the Church and its members. The current location in the foothills of Chico provides the necessary environment to exercise the Church's earth-based religious beliefs. The obtaining of a Permit is essential to the continued free exercise of the Church's beliefs. In its Report dated May 10, 2012 the Butte County Planning Commission highlighted two concerns, which contributed to the initial denial of the Church's application far a Permit. Some of the concerns are briefly addressed below. 1. Noise. As of the writing of this letter, Butte County does not have a noise ordinance. However, the Butte County General Plan (accepted in 2010} identif es noise levels considered "generally acceptable" in the County. These levels include a maximum of sixty (60} decibels for non-transportation noise in a non-urban area in daylight hours. The Church creates a limited amount of noise. Any use of the land, whether religious, residential or commercial will create noise. The Church, however, has committed to keep the level of noise to a minimum. In its own Staff Report, the Planning Commission listed noise reduction as a Mitigation Measure that could aid the approval of a Permit. We request and urge that the Church be allowed the reasonable opportunity to comply with this Mitigation Measure and lower its decibel level to sixty (60} to comply with the relatively new General Plan. 2. The "Earth Dance." Mother Nature's Temple has committed, and will commit again, that it will never host or lease the property to host an earth day event similar to the one in 2008. As you are undoubtedly aware, in 2008, an "Earth Dance" event was held at the Church due to a late scheduling conflict and the apparent unavailability of other appropriate sites. The Church, independent of the Planning Commission, determined the event to be incompatible with the environs and Church goals. The Church acknowledges and respects the concerns which neighbours expressed about the event. Therefore, the Church has promised that no such events will be held on Church grounds in the future and will agree to a provision within a use permit excluding this use. This shows not only that the Church is mindful of its surrounding neighbours and their concerns, but also that the Church is willing to make certain modifications to its activities to better f t in its existing area. Rather than take the Church's promise as a gesture of compromise and good faith, the Planning Commission used it as a reason to deny the application for a Permit. It is unclear how a promise to not repeat a past event (which occuzxed in 2008 before the passing of the General Plan in 2010) would negatively impact a Permit far future use. In any case, we respectfully request and urge that the Church's promise to not repeat an event such as the "Earth Dance" be seen and considered for what it is: a promise made in the spirit of compromise and cooperation to aid in the Church's continuation of free religious exercise. The Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page 8 acknowledgment of the "Earth Dance" should not negatively impact the Church's application for a permit. The Consequences of denying the Use Permit Should the Church's appeal and its application far a Permit be denied, Butte County will be in violation of fedexal law. As noted above, it cannot be questioned that the Church is a "religious assembly or institution" engaging in "religious exercise" within the meaning of RLUIPA. As explained below, Ninth Circuit jurisprudence strongly indicates that a court would likely find that a denial of the Church's application for a Permit would violate RLUIPA. "Substantial Barden" It is likely that a Ninth Circuit court would f nd that a denial of the Permit would impose a "substantial burden" upon the Church within the meaning of R.LUIPA. The Ninth Circuit has said that "A substantial burden exists where the governmental authority puts " `substantial pressure on an adherent to modify his behavior and to violate his beliefs.' " Int'1 Church of Foursquare Gospel v. City of San Leandro, 673 F.3d 1059, 1067 (9th Cir. 2011) cert. denied3 132 S. Ct. 251, 181 L. Ed. 2d 145 (U.S. 2011). The case of Guru Nanak Sikh Sac. of Yuba City v. County of Sutter provides helpful guidance as to the Ninth Circuit's interpretation of "substantial burden." In that case, the court strongly suggests that a religious organization need not show that there was no other available land for its proposed use. 456 F.3d 978, 989 (9th Cir. 2006). In that case, the court concluded that a substantial burden did exist based on two factors: "(1) that the County's broad reasons given for its tandem denials (of permits) could easily apply to all future applications by Guru Nanak; and (2} that Guru Nanak readily agreed to every mitigation measure suggested by the Planning Division, but the County, without explanation, found such cooperation insufficient." Id. This suggests that the Ninth Circuit will take things into consideration such as proposed mitigation measures and the reasons behind initial denials of permits. The Ninth Circuit appears to be rather lenient in deciding what meets the "substantial burden" test. See Intl Church of Foursquare Gospel v. City of San Leandro, 673 F.3d 1059, (9th Cir. 2011} cert. denied, 132 S. Ct. 251, 18I L. Ed. 2d 145 (U.S. 2011). A denial of the requested Permit would not only "substantially burden" the Church's religious exercise, it would effectively shut it down altogether. This becomes clearer when it is considered that the Planning Commission did not even allow the Church to agree to any mitigation measures. See Guru Nanak. The various ceremonies and events conducted by the Church are central to the faith of those that attend the Church. Disallowing the conduction of ceremonies and events in the current location would surely put "substantial pressure" on the members of the Church to modify their behaviors at the expense of their beliefs. In sum, it Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page 9 appears that as a result of the beliefs of those who attend the Church and the jurisprudence of the Ninth Circuit as briefly explained above, the Church would very likely be able to present sufficient evidence to show a "substantial burden" based on the denial of the required Permit by Butte County. "Compelling Governmental Interest" Once the Church has shown that the denial of the Permit places a substantial burden upon its religious exercise, it is unlikely that a Ninth Circuit court would find this burden to be justified by a "compelling govemmental interest." Under RLUIPA and Ninth Circuit jurisprudence, the burden is squarely on the government to prove the existence of a "compelling governmental interest." 42 U.S.C. §2000cc-2(b), Int'I Church of Foursquare Gospel v. City of San Leandro, 673 F.3d 1059, 1070 (9th Cir. 2011) cert. denied, 132 S. Ct. 251, 181 L. Ed. 2d 145 (LT.S. 2011), Guru Nanak Sikh Soc. of Yuba City v. County of Sutter, 456 F.3d 978, 992 (9th Cir. 2006). Such a "compelling governmental interest" must also be narrowly tailored to the restriction at issue. Id. The Ninth Circuit has held that "compelling governmental interests" are "interests of the highest order." Intl Church of Foursquare Gospel v. City of San Leandro, 673 F.3d 1059, 1071 (9th Cir. 2011) cert. denied1 132 S. Ct. 251, 1$1 L. Ed. 2d 145 {U.S. 2011} (quoting Grace Church v. City of San Diego, 555 F.Supp.2d 1126, 1140 (S.D.Cal.2008)}. Courts have concluded that even substantial governmental interests do not meet this highest of qualifications. Cottomvood Christian Ctr. v. Cypress Redevelopment Agency, 218 F. Supp. 2d 1203, 1228 {C.D. Cal. 2002}. Courts in the Ninth Circuit have traditionally been quite strict about what qualifies as a "compelling governmental interest," denying such interests as esthetic concerns about blight, revenue generation, and preserving land for industrial purposes. Id. at 1228-1229, Intl Church of Foursquare Gospel v. City of San Leandro, 673 F.3d 1059, 1070 (9th Cir. 2011) cert. denied=132 S. Ct. 251, 181 L. Ed. 2d 145 {U.S. 2011). It seems unlikely that Butte County would be able to meet its burden to prove the existence of a "compelling governmental interest" narrowly tailored to the flat denial of the Permit. No doubt the County does have some interest in any potential denial of the Permit, but it seems quite unlikely, considering the jurisprudence of the Ninth Circuit and the fact that a "compelling interest" is the highest level of interest, that the County's interest would rise to the level of "compelling governmental interest" as required by RLUIPA. "Least Restrictive Means" Assuming Butte County does indeed meet its burden of proving a "compelling governmental interest" narrowly tailored to the denial of the Church's Permit, it seems unlikely that a Ninth Circuit court would find that Butte County had used the "least restrictive means" possible to further its interest. The government again bears the burden of proving that it has used the "least restrictive means" possible of furthering the compelling governmental interest. 42 Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page 10 U.S.C. §2000cc-2{b}, Intl Church of Foursquare Gospel v. City of San Leandro, 673 F.3d 1059, 1066 (9th Cir. 2011} cert. denied1 132 S. Ct. 251, 181 L. Ed. 2d 145 (U.S. 2011). To meet its burden, the government entity must show that there are no other possible measures that it can take to further the compelling governmental interest. See .ld. at 1070. For example, in Cottonwood Christian Center v. Cypress Redevelopment Agency, the court ruled that the government had not used the "least restrictive means" for furthering the interest of generating revenue because there were other ways of generating revenue available to the government apart from preventing the religious land use. 218 F.Supp.2d 1203, 1229 (C.D. Cal. 2002). Qther federal courts have held that the governmental entity "must show that it considered and rejected less restrictive measures because the less restrictive measures were not effective to serve the compelling interest at issue." Rocky Mountain Christian Church v. Bd. of County Com'rs of Boulder County, 612 F. Supp. 2d 1163, 1175 (D. Colo. 2009) afj'd sub nom. Rocky Mountain Christian Church v. Bd. of County Com'rs of Boulder County, Colorado, 605 F.3d 10$1 {10th Cir. 2010} amended and superseded on reh'g sub nom. Rocky Mountain Christian Church v. Bd. of County Com'rs, 613 F.3d 1229 (10th Cir. 2010) and affd sub nom. Rocky Mountain Christian Church v. Bd. of County Com'rs, 613 F.3d 1229 (10th Cir. 2010}. Courts have clearly held that the governmental entity has the burden of presenting evidence that it considered other less-restrictive means to achieve the compelling governmental interest {assuming there is one} and that each and every one of those means failed to further the interest. It seems unlikely that Butte County would be able to meet its burden under the "least restrictive means" test in a Ninth Circuit court. Indeed, it is nearly impossible to think of a more restrictive means of furthering the hypothetical governmental interest. A denial of the requested permit would effectively shut the Church down. Surely, proposing some mitigation measures for the Church to meet in order to gain approval would be less restrictive than a flat denial of the Permit. This could potentially be the largest hurdle for Butte County to clear in defending a potential RLUIPA claim because it is dzff cult to see how the County could meet its burden of proving that other less restrictive means were unavailable to further its governmental interest in the case at hand. Potential Liability of the County As you are undoubtedly aware, Congress provided that should a governmental entity violate RLUIPA or the First Amendment Free Exercise Clause, significant liability will attach. This includes damages, injunctive relief and attorney fees. Below I will outline the same for you: 1. Permanent 1'njunctive Relief. My client desires to use the entire property for all uses consistent with its religious purposes. The legal basis for this is 42 Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page 11 U.S.C. ~ 2000cc, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act ("RLUIPA"), 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc-3(e}. 2. Attorney Fees. Since the wrongful denial of the use permit, my client has incurred attorney fees and costs. As you are aware, the costs will increase dramatically through the course of litigation if the case proceeds. The statutory basis for recovery of attorney fees under RLUIPA and our constitutional claims is 42 U.S.C. § 1988. 3. Damages to the Church. The most signif cant is the loss of the Constitutional right to Free Exercise of religion. The legal basis of our damages claims is Smith v. Allen, 502 F.3d 1255 {11th Cir. 2007}; Petra Presbyterian Church v. Village of Northbrook, 489 F.3d 846 (7th Cir. 2007), Carey v. Piphus, 435 US 247 {1978}; and 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc~2(a}. See generally, Wright, Damages or Compensation for Unconstitutional Land Use Regulations, 37 Axx L REV. 612, 637-39 (1983}. The harms from the County's deprivation of the rights of the Church and its members are substantial and it is indisputable that damages are required to make the Church whole. But what is the price for this liberty? By way of illustration, in The Zen Center v. City of Walnut, CA, the City agreed to settle a RLUIPA case for $900,000.00, include a public apology on its website and submit for training on religious land use. The settlement occurred on May 24, 2012. In Reaching Hearts Int'1 v. Prince George's County, a jury recently a church $3.7 million in total damages in a RLUIPA suit. Similarly, Mamaroneck Village in New York settled its RLUIPA case for $4.75 million. Also, the City of Hollywood, Florida, paid $2 million in damages after being sued under RLUIPA. Its officials were also required to undergo RLUIPA sensitivity training as a part of the settlement. Like the cases above, my client has suffered constitutional and RLUIPA harms from (among other things) the daily loss of the right to exercise its religion in adequate facilities and the daily suffering of religious discrimination at the hands of the County. By way of comparison, the County currently imposes fines of $100.00 per day on persons that continue to violate its zoning laws despite warnings. Since violations of the constitution and federal law are per se mare serious than violations of local zoning codes, the harm the Church has suffered can be no less than $100.00 per day, and is indeed significantly more. Moreover, these damages will continue to accrue until the County allows construction and full religious use of the property. While this list is not exhaustive, there are other damages that the Church may assert if this case proceeds; it should give you a good idea of the damages we will pursue aggressively in Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors May 29, 2012 Page 12 court. You should also be aware that I have been in frequent communication with the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division and they are assessing whether they will intervene on behalf of my client in this case {see e.g., footnote 3 supra). Finally, I wish to reiterate to you that my client does wish to enter into a good faith dialogue with the County to resolve this case and understands that give-and-take from both sides will be needed in order to resolve this case quickly and amicably. The simple desire of the Church and its members is to he permitted to enjoy free exercise of religion. The opponents to this project made several material and false representations to the Planning Commission concerning the Temple and its founder that impacted the decision of that body. Indeed, the body did not allow the Temple to rebut the false and malicious accusations. The Church has mazaifested willingness to compromise with Butte County to the best of its ability in order to preserve its ability to conduct religious exercise in accordance with its beliefs. There are also compelling federal law concerns under RLUIPA that would accompany any denial of the Church's application for a Permit. For the above-mentioned reasons, we respectfully request and urge that the Board of Supervisors approve the Temple's application for a Use Permit. Very Truly Yours, lton & Tomich plc Daniel P. Dalton Enclosures cc: Rev. Robert Seals Michael Evans, Evans Fun Works Charles Thistlethwaite, Planning Division Manager ~.e~fla~ v~ ~e '~~~t~ .~an.x~~er~~ . ~~fh~ ~.~ } '~~ L~n~ ~Tse a~.~ ~s~ti~€ti~xx~Iiz~. Pe~rs~ns ~~ ~~e~ Stakes I)ep~n~at Qf J~stire ~pte~nb~ 22, 201 ~ Rep~orE ©~ the Teti A,~xvex~azy ~f tae -l~euus ~~td Use ax~td Itia~~ ~'er~r~x~s A~ 'I~ fi~edo~ ~ practice the r~bigitm o~c~o's chaos~b is among the Est clZshed. ~g~ m. o~r~iox~. It is o~ ofcs~ foot pxigcip~Ies, ~ ~ Cow aid ~ hSr-~r l~us. in our i~ecreasi~p diverse ~io~o, the De~acfine~ ofTus6ioe ~nt~~aes sfea~ ~ ~ #be dose oftha~s lzasfc freedanz to e~ar~e ~ art people arc freo to Iive avcord'mg #a 1i~- beliefs, ~e of dis~ia~ orp~. p'ar desp~ IIze ghee of~'igio~ frt~ed~ ~ car fau~cl`eng doq~mems, incIisri-rte a~i gtx~s bane faced ~.on based an,~7,~~ugbot~ onF hisdoxy_ .A:ud ~o~glt tsurbiy, Congress and the feral gvve,~ape+at l~ ~ acted to P ~menis~s from. €iisc~ia~. ~ ~ t1~a Depac~ bas stood at the v~ard. to ass~e #~ this fao~a~tal. ~ ~ Ia~as ~ secmre in are'aigorauslg enfo Fir example, ~~ ~ was passecr l ar~zy zo.xespvz~se -to o~gai~ iaci~ Uensious, the 1$a-dmark G~v~ Rigl~ ~ of 1964 imckad~d ~ along v~id~raee, colp~ s~ aar3 aatio~ as des m which peasozrs a~epxotected against 3i~ m a host of ass -~ a ~cogntti.~ ~atz~iviclDals zz~ tiffs ~y too ova found themse~~s tl~ victims of d~s~ lnse of faitb_ 'J~atie'~ oft~e Cie.! l A.c~ x+e~~res players to ae~tr~oda~ we~as' reUgiot~s des and p~ sorb as obse£v~ txf the sabbs~. and ~ sveazna~g ofreligi~ cloi~g. These legal pxQ~bectioms co~ee tD be ~t today= ~stlast ysar, far ~ the ~t of3"cefiled suit agai~ast a .oon~#y in Aew Je3r a:~ tfie cnaaty sue. ~ ~lrow a female ~.amml, nfl3icear to wear a ierigic~pmanda~d ~ a~ tl~ ~t loos bey arciaiv~ i~a a of oases tv held e~svre ihat woxlCexs of ~nriuns fates eve xea~nahle accexion. for Ssbbaffi obsece anal. ~igions lxolidays. - ~ Dept has ~ beta. active im. rases mvrnh~ ~ for a~amgle, p~~ harass of ~~ a~ad ~st- stets based cmE zo~oQ i~ sebnai, ~ateCting the right of man. and 7ewish stud~its ~o rece~re ~ ~s fac rel~+~ns b~ysy a~ or~suring ~ rigl3t of ~. ax~.d ~n struts to map dig tbaes such as w~u stncle~ are ar#fow~d~ta ,ter fi~a vadons o~ec s~dea~m~ed awes. Amd~st last ~h, tlm D€vlsian.n'achecl a c duo in a case it brought a~.st a ~ tbat3~i ~fnsed s ~ paiz~swhn woxe sites ~ ~egwez,e m~ctbe~s of tixe I?alu~ Going, steal wort. Xxi add~.o~~ gTaws carol~mgi~atian.ir~the~vro~plscey apt sr~nTs ate. ~~ ~~ so~ety, ~ ~ ~s ~ came x~acfed to #he~e3 fc~r prvtedio~3 against gxflle~.ce based nea an i~v3.dual's or group's r+eligiEa~ fir 19b$; wlxeat Co~~s enacted $ie list fsdeaal lie wee lam, at covrxed acts df hate^f~cd ^~zalence based on. a.person's relig~ina. la l~}b, C,ou x~ponded ~ s zash ofaxsoas ~ ~. dest~yed a urge ~.vab~ o£ps.~aat~y A€rica~Atin~ea. places ~£wc~rship by passing tae Chn~hArson Pr~e~iaz~. Act ~ I99E5, ~ a federral crime ~o corrimit arson br va'~dslisn~ aga~t a cbaa~h, sy~gvg~, ~sgne, vac o'C~xp~e ol; woxs3~ ar tuvzvle~ly -~,f~ea~i~ithapeisan's free erase o£xekig~ozL _ ~c~, as wide. ~ ~ R~~ats .Act ~ ~9b4, ~fiese ~atn~acsiorrs rox~.inue t~ be .#~~s ~z .~efedetat govemme~t's aas~nal to cv~atteligito~rs animosity. '~ h~s~ceD~- usedfriese tnoIs tt~~.1~ several ~.whn, im 24Q8, va~ali~ and framed dom. T~ ~c Cater afCo~mhi~y Te~a~ssee. AAnd i~2U10, an ~ pied. gua-key to a sp~gogue iia~ l~o~ey .Akabama, by s~''.,g Nazi cgs qzt the these cremes z~ ~s bago~ay and shred ~. exist ~ too Y camFnimi{3ees iu. our r~aa; an,d tl~ we nest cue to u~ the kgws ofi~ ka~ to ac~abst a~ bf' di~imi~tioz~ a~i - Btrt o~ ~t~ and v~ience are ~'~ ~ threats tq religxo~s h~1.y, $eccagug f 0 years age ~w~aQakeas ar~ee age. came toge#h~ tv ~ ~igi4~s 1~`t~.y by Pig ~ Religic~~s Lasa~ I]rse and d~ati~d Peu~ons Act (RLUipA), h WF~s 5lgued ~v ia'w a~ ~eptenobe~ 2Z, ~[!QO ~ Thy law, ~ub~h used. both hoar b~ ~smncn~y a~ +~*as ~agparted k~* g braasl ~c6alitia~. oaf rdigio~uslg azzd idefl~ogiGallg diverse gxo~, accesses re~ii~raus ration a~ gove~mmen# in~mge ~~gl~s 1~"f~fy ~ t~ aocak Lam-ar:,~ Iar~s, h a~ zoz~ag aid ~~ ~ a~ t~ r~,~i4us es~ise vfper~ o to %. Upau sig~,g tie ,A,~ ~~ C.~am ~, °~~%aQ5 hl~ig is a camstitofional value of the highest as~der, aaad. the l~'ram~ 41 the Constimtiax~inr~v~ded pratacEioxc ~ ~e free else o~xeligicm iii ~ very i~ Amera,dnxeut. T~fs Act rs ~ iaoapou~ce fi~,a ~e eSer~e Qf~igkcauplays is ot7or ~c soazety_"~ ~. ~t~ F' since i~spassagey ~I~A. ~ ~ secura~S~ ab~it3r o£~s a~ aid ~vus to ~ mew fps freellr and w. ~.an, T,.#tis has came bofhtiu~i-vicfo3'~ m cx~arts as w~I as ~ gave~oat~trffis Yolam~~y malilymg ~ beliavi:or to eoanpIy with tl~ ksw_ TkFs ~pc>rt.~ #~ ~ ofRLLTB'A, o'a~a' $~e fast decal as ~ as kes~ns Iearaed a.~ r~akle~ges~aced i~.~g~ehw~. It else ~-~e 2ss ffiatrekig~us ~ ~itnt3analkzed pemaas, s~ and oilsi aartdfrie ranr~ ~Qight ice zn ~ decsc~ to Via. L 42 ~7.S.G ~ 2U()Ooe ~ seq 2P.d~at t as Signing ~~ HrSiigsrnsZ.andUsa amd~,stitio~io~.~ers~s 14~ct vf24f}U, 36 G~mrp. ~.7~ 216$ ~~ 22, 28(}0). ~~og ~o a weed amity to gaffer fi~ ,ovor~bzp adad zeli~vs e~erc~sexs a oz~zccial. eI of~e ~eeligiaIIs bberty_ lt~co~nrymg mat Ibis ab~Tify eras a~.I~.d~d, ~e~.a or ~~ by sta#e and ~a~ detozzs, Co~ress h~~. zume hags ~ae~rthe c~,tuse af~ree dears to Pe~.gion~ in ~ use decisi€~,~. Tfae cgs t~neart3aed `~assiva evicl~ce" afwidespread dish a_~ms~religions pexsons and ~ by ~ and local ~ m -apse de~siar-s.3 ~~ #'o~d ~.# xe~a~ ~ast~ong fret' laced ba$t o~ am3 st~bt3e tiQn. based on~gian. ~ dIs of agpraval, aBd ~a# t~s mast own impac#ed xm:uar~tq fails and ne~re~ , aor ~a€ - d~tio~as.4 ~P~', h grooms ~vb~se members ~ amlp ~e peroen# of . ibe ~a~ia~ up ~ percent of repar6ed caul eases mva ~s .1.:[~~~ ~. ~ W ~S ~TI:Tf~~P.7![-1'C7ilYS~'1~~ ~~`~Oy ~riiaaa~y i~pac~ by aciue~e zaa~om,g adiams, toss £~d drat "fir] dGgioas ~is~~'c~n- as sa~fi~s cc~np~ed ra~isl ar~d e~bnic dis~n~i~tlan."~ Ca~gxESS also lea~aed , as ~ w~I~, ~gious ~s wz~ fxeabed wcaESe in g decisiops ~, comparable s+e~alar Wis. As ~ bd.'s Iea~ spoazsors, Sana#ars Edward Sennedy and O~ ~, noted ~t~ joimt sfia~ae~ upon ~~ bill's passage ~oniQg rvrles fitly e~~ds claurcl~s ~ plates ~vIa,e~ ~' versa meetings bala.~ and cr~~ QIacP.s w~ Iaage g~is afpeapl~ ass+e~ble ~ secnla~~o"ses... . Glmr-clres have ~ dew. ~ ~gbt 3~ aneet in~x+ented sto~oud~'in. aba~ned scl>+ools, m cro~ver~d fixne~-al ha3ness s a>fd skaiir~ sib--i~at aIl sorts of btu`Ic~ngs -dot e • . ~ g~ ~ see~p~ses.~~ ~ ofl~ ~~iatloas,~ C.o~gress co~der~ e~tds~ce ~t coming ~od~ ~ g laws _ ~d.xeJzgiaus a.lies to u~tb a~a,Iy c~cxr~y perming paw whiff fl$erir+esa7i~.in:~abam.ar~e ~of~~blY 1amFdeA,s~.r~riaas e~.g Wzth ~~ to mstifi!~.ecl.ge ink, mortal ~.ta~ts, ju~ean'te mss, and s-~ag ~e§, Ccmgrss ~nvi.~ ~tbat l~sla~CC,zz is prot~ ~Iigi~ free vas nip xu ~ ~ ~ €~ag3r~ nod II~ "some xic3: r~io~s Ix-be~.~y ~ egregiuas ~d~ ~a~" ~d if~t ~vn a~c~ 9€m~mes impose frival~s ~ azbitra~p Tales." 9 The I~lativ~~ ~~9 cater. eIes sudx $s ~hners denied min b9read ati~a~ ~ dazed ~.e ~,s~~rR-xep_xo. i-t3s-~~.s, is-~ ~ i~c~x~. ~s~sg.(z~a~~ ~r~s~c~~ °.~;~~~ 1o~x~arz~a~ 5~ ~~ 6xd,~~ 'ram ~~~ ~.~sss. $13R. Reg. }.E3G-239 a~ L~2~4_ ~7~ Staff at t56~9. gr~ dicey a~n~giovs ~ adeolo viewpoints sr~.cb. as tam ~ ice an Ri~ifs, i#ic Am~icar~ ~ des i~zrioa, 8ie ~ Joint Crn ~ ~e~ican Jes~ish C~iitee, ~.e upon. o~Orthodox Ted ~n~afions, ~ ffie a~x Legal Soczety_ _ ~~ Yeaxs X.a#~ex ; ~~"~'s gym. I,arrd x7sE RLU~.A~ bas bad a c3~atie impact m. xis ~ t~ years ~, gr~ctiag t~xe rates £readr~- nfand ~uvr~ing ~ diz-~on ag~~ iaci~idu~ls and ~m1.s sung ~ ~~ the z~eligio~s ~ortrtTgh ~x+~u,. e~sia~n, a~ nsc of grc~rty. Tire ~aavsufis trader iiLiTlpA ~t have bsent su~.s~~ ~ ~. terse ~ ten. have ~ ~ zigbis ova wick ~c o~r~giaas g~s~ mrwg ~a~ Jeers, Mt~nxs, Sys, and Yna~ otheas. Axe c~urLS ~e inf. axda~ ptotec~; gins eg~ise m a wee xaAgc oi' ~ ~~ Ptofwo;'~ - sin + P~yetmeetmgs ~. sh~~ activities iup~hc~~ls and . + ~a~ased sock sexvices srx~Z as Tun~iess shehersz9 getup hoanss ~° anct sung Uzi Cauzfs have a3va~ded ~ e a~vamds dear RLiTiPA, ~ a 53.7 zaimott ro~g dapaages ataax~ fo a ~~ ~ was bawd fiorxn i~nldiag a e~x~. a~ props ~ had ~rcbased Erased ~ a ~.y's ~nau~ tav~d i% cbm~ch.~ The ]~pa~t of Jastiee has used the ill array of avai7ab~e en~ore~aerrt tools -to easnre the pia. of zs freedom. Sines S>e e~actmeaat oaf ~.~A, t7~ ~xtnn~ bas: s €3penad ~1.It~T3IPA ' imch~ng s s~ fai'in 2U1~ u~ Stax I6'717i~-02. ~~ eg,!~re~z~axraXc.S,~oCietyv Cowrtyq{.53~3er,~55bB3d978(9ie~2~Ob)[Sz~dtteat C~dvs+~a~S~~rts ate ~dI3 '~ Gre~EDrtl~nd~ C3irorh v City ~.NewB~. 395F3d 895 ~' ~:~ayS~ooty ~~o~>saE~3a~E~~2om~ ~~.giur~v v Orrmr~ Cor~aiys,4i~ F3~ i317 ~i (~ Z(}A~~ ~mee~ugsiuxabbi°s hame);~rZurv~d v ~~of~-, i3x>~ gip.=x.~(~~xc~or~3C~~~r~s.;s~ ~ C~3-af ~~v ~~~ t UtusuTz o~'Ckrfs.~ Zti P3~ ~4U6 (~,tasb. 2oD9). t~~ C~~, ~~ x? ~d.3349 [M~3. k]. 20~ ~.~gre.~xs,~~ir~'vmrge~sas v. ~ ofB}~,I+~. fl0-3366, 20i ~ U.~. }7~rst.I~S 36393 {D- N.7:2DI0 ~rgHer~4~rtt~~ ~? Pr~ruaeGsorg~'sQ~.,~&4~F.~p 2d7~-6(~7.Md,.20EIS~g~"ctr368E App'z37t?, 372 ~4~ [fur. 2#~ifl}. - - died. s~v~ 1~U.iPA i~vs~ i~vrr~g la~.d u~ . _ ~ ~z`ied k0~r~ bps i~t.~ cases ~ ~ the raazf abut i#~ i~te~ta~ior~ of f~ ms's grav[sitaio~s; and ~ - ! ve~aaed yap tips tea d~ fhe co~#~ia~' ofRL;~TlFA ?~ 34 use s~s~ - [3alaiaom. tie A'~can Sous ~ S~nvey, 2II48 Depairtm~trsf7ns(icq 24Zp In stsne ~ ~ .has og~ed ~ve~%ns in and ~ mfa~. loci, g~ve~n,enf • o~ia~ about the Iahv and their ~~~%es und:~r ~. Ac~da~o~y, €bgh the ~iy afians Sexvic:e, the ~~t bas ~o:~d chtectly t~ caii3es to visa giant's and re`solveocrgflicts3nvalving~laceso#'~vo~hiptl~t~gTrtbefiocontgs:mitii€s. - ~g iuves~ig~iio~ cu.~ly peard~ ~a m~~.~o ids of uses v~b~e ~ - Uepmfine~'s Civ~ Rigid I31v3.szt~ opeDed am inv~, reieva~ local gove~neuu~ has subse~.~y mocufied ~ ~dz~aarsce €~ its actions fiovcr~d'the campiai~~ io x+eo~e~y ~xhe pcrt,~t~ial l~LI~A ~vinTa~i~n_ - • • 'fie IoQ~'s eases 1 fallen. i~o ~ bask catega~es: rases izrvo~oag sU~;atio>~ of - ~gx~s ~sr ~ a~irmus bg a,~scliciio~ agair~ a place ofd or~li~c~ sal; eases in ~vhic~7~ouses ofw~zp 13aFe been barred m. zones ~vl~e seenlar assemblies sn~. as dubs, •lodges, '€~ eon ce~#c~ are ~; and cases l4c~l g~ ~rCreplaced tai bmde~ o~$ie ~ligions ezse of~iousy rertrgi~xs seals, ter i'aitbrba,~ed socialservice providers. - Ixxxmtpl,es t~cases nr ~~ :not~lrich'sh~ Division leas beep invc~lveEi iBe~i~ £hsitec~SY~s' x Ci~p oaf .T~~, California This mornlz ~ ,mace I~~ari~aQenf filed ~ agava.~ ibe o£Wa1~ Cah~x~a over dew 4£a ex~trditi~I osir p to #he~ Tai~aa. C'~er to allagr ~'b bid a l~rdcc lie of Vii. 'lCl~ s~ a~ ~t ~ ex,~'h~: ~~rsvaci snac~'ka~ £ur ~tia~glaces c~€waxsh3ig, aa~ >~ ~ dried fbe ~ Ccni~ea's applica~iv~n, the ~ I~adnot denied ax,[y c~io~ ~ a tonal u~pC tabm~d, ea~and or operate a ~ o£~crrshi~ see ax least 19811. Urztted.5~ates v. Sx~~ .llfew Y ~ Jae ~fli1~ fhe Depa3rbme~ obta~ a caf deraee m ibis ease, permitting ~ aaz- of a "boos bovse" t~ a lmspital ~ aNecv Yo~willage. Tb~ Y provides d a~ lodgnag to ~abba~~~eavaz~t Jas to e~~ tbern to visit s~ re3ativesatti~ei~,aspita~cmtSab~a. U~aited 3c v ~ ~ver,~n~t of~ZVidsrm Cor~x~y arrr~'Naslivitl~, ~'erlne~ree_• ~fl+et a Clais•fasn. group, Teen. Ctr~geg pn~sed ~. to liiu~ a xal S.n,ce ab~e ce~r, the ~ aoae~ded-the ~ e~ inns. ~~ to k~ $ie ~ fioxo. these. The G~vil~'.. ~ 1?ivi.~iorr. investigated and fi%d said apndrea~xec~ a ~tm2f~l9~unde~Rb.UUIZPt~. ~d~fieFairHag-.t~~Teerl.~ge to mnve fa~azd tai ids plates t[s bid ~ xssid t der; * wed Sys ~: City of~'ollywoo~ The Divis€c~sa :~[~ srr[t ~ Apra 2~5 against the ~' ofd~oll3~crnod, Florida, offer it died a permit to a~a EAriboda~ 7ewish syaag+agne .lacatad.,~ a ~ nom, a ~ tit t~ suit a]Yeg~ed was rawly g~ ~ otl~ houses Qf~atstu~. T#~e suit '~eged. ~#3.#~ tl~ and ~e~G enitcetret adios ta~est by tlxs C7.fy as ~~ tie synagogue ~~ a ~# of ~iescau. ~wa~d Ortl~radEi~ Jew. ~ tl3.e e~ v~tiac trJial, t ~cvi~s€rm reac~iad a e~senf deGZee nth the extg ~ the synagogue $aat pis t~ synagogue fo oant#nue -too ope~'aa#e a~ the lot~.om and ~r e~pa~d :ar t}ae ~~od in ~ ire; aud~ ~ city o#~'its A sepazate atgreel~ attbe ~e time re~the ~ to p~- S2 rnx`~~i~ in ~ ~ at6a~ys~` f~ #o the sy~agogx~ tamed S~r#es v Yr~lage o~±`'~[irnumt; Na-v Ford - ~~ Stems alleges in ~s ~ that a l~e~' Y'o~ v~7Iage enacted a bast an~boarclz~zg s+cbroods spe~rfica~tal Has~ic Jews, vPho eciacate :klu~' ~ 1~3~omrdYng schv~s GSlled y,.~4:oli~. astrTmg xnt'~LB ~. A ~d~ ra-ou~ re~ect~l fba ~t77s ~o'~A f7D ~ 37.l~f}~3 a~~ CaS6 iS W![lYlIIf~.i~OF49~Td. ~Ittifed s v City of ~attkcgar~, Moir: ~18 ~p~fied ~ ~ SElif agalB.4t ~ ~' Of W~E~II, ~.17.4~]s lIE,~S, O'S~ lt4 aSCla~.cm, of places of wo~.ip a~x ~ricts ~pe~ed elnbs, dodges, mediugs flails, ate. ~.ea~, and. ifs im~osii~x~ o~~ta~ i~f~ioI~oa~ severa$ ~aIl c~ ap~asting ~ these dis~cic~. The ~EJnl~d Suss ~ a dctxee ~cvi#l! the city o~ F$by 2S, 2~ft}8 ~ .i# to t~# place$ of~o~p equally ~ oi3teae abl. lid States ~_.~nui Cor~ty, ~aros'aii= 'Thu . Rsg~s ;s~o~ ~ed.tue ' rs~ ~ ~Ci3, a~ die ~ med. a pmt for Hale O Santa, x s~II, n~eno¢~mafiio~i Cl~~tau a $~ ~sas held se}Vices can M~:i s~ce ~96t1, to bred a ~ aai, ~.8~ acr~a o£Iaar~i. ixt a~x district. Z1~e church. encom~tges l~~a ~ $row hood in aocc~dance ~vrdi B~`tdzc~l, p~ip~.es ~l'i~a xn~ln~ony with the laud, am~# ~ an. ~ ti~rict Bras to.rts~vtia~h3ip weeds. The ~9 perroiftorl. v~anio~s secular asse~ies~ ~ distnic#, inc}gzodeo .es, petting ~vs, aa&spc~fs lx~cls. The co~.g . fly suedwi#b..~ cbmzcby wit ~ bind a~ad.payiug it .ages a~acl s des. .i~lvri~ The Civ~. ~ ~ivisiom opened ate. hx o£t~ Cziy atl' Cxasvdte, Flomda afro ~ ~9' dew. ap~nit to Fay ©€~rod ~r,;cn;ec #u~p~ a elm i~ot a~g foamy as aJ~loose Lodge~ .As aresult of thein~igatio~, the cify agreed#~ at~ow~ the C~ to opera#e an the sryte, aid r~avged ~ zomina cods ~ treat tfie saza~ as otla~r ass~ambly ages. '~ Grp Rigs I~ivi~on c~ ~ imves#gakicm, n~ A~ 2fl08. ,8er~ley, ~~: A ~nnsgne kad ~ ~ a ~ school b~ c~ao- a~.~ asre garb. in. tl~ lage of Eie~y, Ill~azs fcrrmoze ~n2fl yam. T~ ~s~e souk to bind a 13,oao square foot ~ to accocrda~e sts ~cn, ~vhie7r. bad gro~~. to the ~t ~ ~vorsUi~ s~ed~tb.e~ys se~ces, az~dto v3a~orb~s to give ~~ arnoze made-dike agFea~~e, ~ud~g a~ a t Tie ivy p~ject faced c]onody oppos€tim~ aid z pelt dials. T~ ~ Rag~Zfs }hv~;sio~. fined am zc:~o~.~ Rl:.LT.ti'A in~~. ~~2AD$, as axe~t of ~ i€~vestigatit~n, ~ V`IIi a~ aad to aIlaw the z~osr~u~'s I~coject to s~or~e fo~r~vard. A ~.ssnr,~a~ed .Fr~zd v .Tam of ~asm~ .~~Jes~~}r_ .A.ZrTew Ies~y Tom aIlI~ tlel~ped az~~'s ~~,apphca~sn fat' miore tl~ ~reeyears, the tr~edto stop the budc~mg Pra]~ hY ~ ~ ~x+o~erlyt~tder ant doms%m. 'lie ~e filed sr~ ~cmtder k~.Ull~~A: aad ~i~s and fede~ c~ahne Tha Div~.an a fx%etad.-~~ ~~-ci~vrt brt~aga~nst Toip?s motion foz s~amaty e~~ The U'r~ S~f~ brie~'oon# the masgae produced. su~czea~t csra~ce t© shove timt the ~'aw~p del~ierateiy~ t~ rue's a~rpli~iiom fog a etruclifio~ rye P~~ c~is~~rea.~offi ~ra~.gh ~ e~ze~cise fits Bower of ~e~ ~r~nain Th8 c~ft ag~eed.~.the Dim fhe age a£e~ea~ domaza p~s'eu'ear'~ byp~sg z~9 aid vzahrte RLUIP~. T!~ parties ~st~,lq sett ~ ~ ~ the I3ivisia€a closes ih~ i~-~tigs#iog ier ~ dear r~~e a}'~ortrnt Cm~ .IIl~rm~ .~ ~ sr~ol ~ I~ ~czve, ]E~ais, euc~mr.~. city ~~ ~ _ gla®s tobu~d a e o~ ats pz~ty, zt~ afwbich app tQ be dtzve~ 6ya~s a~s~t ~u,~~s. Thy +E~~ hts ~~~ ape~~ a ]~~'~i ~.o~ ~ ~z~ hY Dgya of 7ustACe's City Re~ans Service, the v~Iage z~ached ~a s~ree~thatgd the snc~~to ~ild~umo~ s~jeL~k #t~ c~i~t cx~~. ,Sri~ton Toss~rshx~i, ~'stnrsy~vra~tr~ - S~.z~, Top deed a p~ £or anh3ies afCod ~ ta'i~d aaa 3.~- ac~ hs~ because the g crocle dad a £~ac~ ~ far clh~. Hawe~y ~ ~g oocle: speadfcaIly sued ~~ ~ie~e ~cvas no z~nuuu~z acreage ,ems fog aciyilt rye gars, ~ asse~blgha~Ls, aoE,c3. fratexnal argkions.. The .~ ~ozz op~~ ag igaf~n~, aad. ~ Trip ~d its z taaale. bIrrJr~r~ hs~v 7`aw~ nfS~Id~ T'9vo Qrthodna Jeari~h C~agreg~o~as h~ f~aaaee~otg ~. mace theyhadre~ed. aho~re a bank ~. the ~lamida "s ~i~ di~.ce 'IIre ~$ zaz~urng code ~amitt~. pie c~b~ Xodge Jaalls} dance stadids, ;raus~ sus, aid ~ scl~ls in $te c~ic~ b~ eg~b~~es of v~rship. ~~ fled a~: aa_aicvsb~i~iatheU.S. Cam of A ,pp~Is ~ the lte~a~. ~~ ~ a lxri~as ~ dei"~ $e ' ~tstit~i©naiitg t-f RI~.CpA. '~ curt zuled~-i~ elan ofho~~ of sip fraza~ee ~me~ial dasbciat ~io~ed. ~tL~"A, acd that RLUJPA, cli~d not ~sc~d. ~m~ss;s ~ ~fy iXS ice theF~ Auiiendme~ ~rr~u113¢~k~h Suety v Corn:ty nf~'x~-, Cakfa~raAC - .A Soh tam m. a Cahifo:cala. cou~g ~ rnaly lames of ~p %~ z~ aa~ a,~icultara~ dist~ict~ fast pm~l~aserl ~. in. a ~tisl cEisi~ict, eras denisci ape~..it, ~zd . p~sed~ci:m, an. ~~ ci; rmlp €~ l~ denied a 1~f time as ~vei€. The ~€Tn.~ed States, ~ as aanicns„ argues ~ the ~o~n'~ w~ciex~Ll3'~PA. ~be~,a. ~olaEed, and the ca~¢t of appeals agreed. ~'est1~" PeT~c}r~vmrr~: - - 'i$e Civ~. Rig#~ts Dives wed as 3m~ es#.i-ga~on of l~l~st l~i$lin ~ an A~tean Ate. C.~ris#ia~a. ~iioz~. vvas wed ansepe~# ~ s c'I~nrd~ ~ pmr~ased ~ a pay white camgon..ear the investig~c~ b~ aerials r~ the;ur dec~on aid ~ the use . ~3a~rg~us ~ogmty, Geosgrur: . TJsr ~icvi~Caz~ opened mr~. axnresti~~ of ~ougFas C.~y a$~ Vx~y Fatru'1y ~3f~ Clnuch. was cl~naed t~ aba`~' p t~o bid a naw' sa~a~r'y rya mad xt dad oco~ied for 2Q ~eazs ~ ~ 2.8 arses Weir below t~ 3-asae .m® n~vlp reed for chhes, despite r~annparabl~ assemblies being l~~ an smell. plots` Zlie y ame~rd~ its ~ ~ ttua# u~aunec~s , a~ tine Di~isiau. closed zEs .gatian. men Crate, G'ah}a.~~r,.r~ i'~ 1:3 S ~ an ~sestigaizoa ax ~ ofd motive, ~fo~a. II ~? ovr~i~.s dual of a~pp~vai ~r a at fn con~re~ aodmialbg fux~er~y tised a~ a.~ed~cal l~c~ ~.to a ~ ~ the city's o-pronaE zaa:e. Tl~ U~d Stag ckrsad its ~. ea~flFis yr, air t~~ity aged to alio~ tie ~~aup to locate its ~ am the site. Iniv~€a&xe~~.'s 7n. i~~iaiaalized persons co~teat; ~ the Iand use hats l ~A IZI;UUtPA in,pro~c¢'the ~ghis of a bxx~ad sP~ ofx,aus ~ ~, Cify, ~ Mama, huiaism, I*l'a~.ve ~nerieanrehgiox~s, amci zS'l~'sm. ~iumce the ~ t~RLI~A, the Uepa~rtmeat office has opened rd~ investigaticm~ awl. ~ nunaex+o~s Qther ir~o~al im~sl~~ons gnrsua~rt ~ RZ~1PA"s ir-stifrition$lize~ p pxrrvisions. In fbn hxs~l cam 1~ DivisioEn. is A~eo. able:ta- ~ and. . - moons oax re~igians e~ere pzxcnr ~ foxbaai h~om. of a mil ini-'~fii oor aaEmt action ~e Aivps~ioz~'s eozis to inEfoumal~Ey ~er5rene iat a ~ to ~ a ~. ~amr~ap. o~. x prac~ce aregar€icsil~y coal m$~ i~itati l~ ~ why ~ m~lxvr'ck~al.~s efforts to lxonar his ar he~r3eeli~otts s.,oxxvxcti~ cau f irs ~ h~ sus cir s,~aioms d~linary ~ ii~s ~rtmpt a is e~xl. Fox fey fhe x0 Db~si~ l~.s wed ~lieg~Zt~s in severs eases tla~ an ind~a~E has been d,~ed a diet $~tic cans ~ his relfg~~zs ~xractiee~, aid lrs last si~ca~ ~'e~ a$e~ re~u~ to ~ food tbat`tr~lades bss x~ligiaa~s f~ere~, pJaemg ~ lam a# sift ~. A#~s eat s~ j~sc~ad~ns, tixe Dl~itiza~ has been. al~~ t[r eoliabaxate wnh Sta#.~ ar 1aea1 a~eiaL~ ~ ece tlxs iz~viclnai~s TrealtI~ zs ~~~I a~rl an agtna~miate diet i[s being pavv~ed. . The Deparime~ of Juice alga bas been 'e za dmg cbalLenges ~ ~ oom~tit~onality of the i~sFitr~io~alizeiipelsons soon ~f ~tL.TJlPA Sipe the ~t ~f ~.~PA, the Dept tkf.7~ic~ #~ ~v s~.ed tv defend. ~ tiv~nality o£this sectE~ m 41 cafie~a. iTtcxTi StateJ'risrn~ . A der int mate t filed s com~aitrt in ~e~, c~on~t a~Ieging thafihe was denied access to a diet ~ waQid P~ aa~~areaoe ~~his Hu~i~a far6~. Speci~cauy, he ~ that theme. aid. ~ ~~ g~ ~ff~ by ~ ~Qiso~. i~ded meat and e~ p~.s that aye grahbrted bpi s xe~igice~ A~etbe i~iai3w~. of a~z ~atic~z try tbE ~i~. Rights Di.~s3cm, ea$iex this yeas, . Mate man zuodd' ed zts pa~€wies ~ acea~nodate the inma~a's religzat~ prgct€ce a~bEga~gZ©'va~gg a vegan mead ~cvith his IImdit Via. Cey ~d Gvlurn~Zpr ~-Schools ~,~u,}m~xorul c~nd' Ca~iiSi~ ~ssissFpp~ .A~r a CR~PA ~~~ tl~ al.I atig~t=~sn Seciaa~isstsed a fmdi~s ie~car ztmg a~rTnzdh~ tithe is ~~~~~x~tm~eds~erzts~ date ioa.~alr aet~es ~'~CN~. ~ ~~ shed that wee relig~s ae#ivii~es esa, l~r Eu~tber a~eude ~s~ab~a,#i~ ~nissior~ aid. indeed than jrrveYU`les ~ to at f~yI~re amt ~earR~7TPA amtthe lion #o age hs..~ligions ~ £ox~e% to do so viu~s#es the Canslii~iam. ~ derYout.~ cervices C~tex', ~Ie~un~Tei', ~sr~s: Ibis raQS~~ same Wives as the QaTdey aed C~a Trig Sc~o~1s Case: . ~ 7?e;~artmea~t set fozth #~~ itt a £nrdi~s ld~ #~ ~r~ty also to change its g ~ ~a.I~~eparbn2nt a}'C~irrs: A Dist iiun~e ~'~esiv~e Cose~iaonal Fac~itp find a oo~gla~ sIle~rsg the was defued an ade~t~. ~e iAtt~e gegeta~ dim st~PPliedto hmu by the gdsan to ~da~ b~=eli~ be~i'.efs, ~lm~p air the Division dated. itiga€ion ~..~~i38, $te ~diiaana. Dot of Cans lemma ppa~g the ~ ~ei~. an SpprC~iate chi ~ ~'4zyTax' G'~ Cearter, 7~es~cF .New Ycrk T~ Dept rac;e~.veri a>a€ia.~ t~C st~m~beis at; Taylor Cage Cerne~, a~ home, ~ ~ aoc~omm~adate• a 3x~ Bert's zdig~ts .css, Ong intbe ~~ z. resent big fed ao. ~ cliff amihius ~ bang frsmmed, both ~ vio~at€flm. of religrivus ~re~Zefs. The r~idea~s ~a~y.'had ~cd a private ~ agaits~~hc~iy, ~ s~Za~iy afl~ tt~ D~ i~ia~ad ~ gation, ~a fiery was able ~ o~ a setiie~.nt ~ xegn;~. tTxe clis(n`G~fiQn o€el~ues ~ ~g s~. an moons ~datiaaas. - The Depax~aaea~ in ?A04 read. a~ agseemex~ot ~iie dg$-fit eased that the s~~ ag~wh~i the l~yw~.id be,hamax~ed. The ~Te~t l~eeade aid Beyond A decade ago, C,~agress recflg~ed a c~t~ need. to pxavide new ~s~fox oar of eAar oXdest and mast cker~shed free~a~. l~.~CIIPA ~ pmven tc~ be ttie v~xiable tanl tl~tlavvn~rs and the xeligi~s and ci~v7. zfgh#s cci~es b~ieved ~ wo~.ld lae fcrr l~ ~ • ~1 ~iglrf of ~ freed. arnd ~ reai€}aus ma;aa3ot. `The bread~h~~ ~ m ~hieh rt hasbe~rt aFP aad the zaoge of:gro~-s ~evhose~ b~a'V~bee~. p~otec, is as ~ as die copy hr ~'h~ ~e lice. , . _ Tke CSv~ Rights Ditvis3oa' ~ worts undex RI.F>l~A a~,e gait ofthe faaoa~ effort t~ g~rot~ f~ _ ab~ity ofco~es tr; apsacb'~ce theme ~ peace. RL~J'I.F,A. has bey a ~dable alto the feral law e~xeen~ ars~al. GoYng farwa~, ~ Div~it~. w~ cow ~ nee $ie w~ _ rage oftools itn that arse~l to cozn>~ ~igin~ man sndt zeF~ans libetty- whe~ec at i~lves gosec~g o£vicdence at hansea of ~ox~ap, wog ilae remits of na:~i~n~Is ~a ~e f~ iii d~ian im ~`ae~o~pl~oey o~ ~ ~ c~rtxs a' ~tY ~eadncxtna m ~- ~gt~ tan aII of ;Fhese .fib z~t~al in 2~ Ifl zo¢d l~~d. ~ am aa~io~t ~s aehed r1t~~L~eSR in advancing ei~ ~ nay axT~ic~~ais a~ ~~ ~ to face di~.aux ar-d haste` i~tx examople, nay a dude a$~r ~ attar~ss of Se~ab~ l 1, X03, Mnsl~. Axnearicans to ~ for ~~ ~ Y co~boooaao~ii~ and str~I face discos E}f~$1~~A i~.volvhlg~ di.ationtiag~ast Mnsli~ ~ ~.l~az#:a~tisas ~x~d. see ~rt~.nubez Yr, 20U1, eigh~~havebeen opened shlee]~ag of ?A1~. Th#s fist is a sober z even. in #~ 21~~ucy, chal~nges tcs true re~gious - l~earty=e As ~~ move imt{- R~,UiPA's seca~ad decade, ~ sh~Tsi ~. ~ prate made, a also . av~,e these ?~-~-- *~'"*'~ cb~l~.eatg ~s.~s to be resolved by t3~ a cauimeed mod. ~ eclnca~e awd iaaf~m official's ©f##zeeor obligations mrde~r fieh^~r, a~ .entgalb®s of ~ce~stlisz~ and ova. _ . 'l'he7x~~t~~cctmplamt.~abo~-goodes~lsaarplaoes~af x~vo~i ~~ce se~larlriies l~ aI ~ amd. ~neetiz~ bsalls axe pemdtt~. She DeparfineErt ~ rec~tres ~ of ~9 faiti~s l~s"based ~ fbenr ~ tur g~,~la~ o~'~orship~ And•fhe D~ std ~ylearns of _ ~ :, 'aT ~~ p an reIi~.o~s ~ c ~~.les~ reasons, Bch as generating e~-tax revue foot a. Io~~ctim~. or-tl~ persox~i preefea~ces of office ~ the final sag, poriso~s are open. +ole~zesi bask xeltg~" os a:cEomtnodalitrnssudr xs arcesg to +eletgy and r~ig[ans mateciala, aid fbe religions nits ofd iu nze~al atitrns axe ion ~~ igtxvsetl. Thew ~m~s xn~t to €~ ~ go';ag f~varrl Tmr #ha comrES, ~vaxe ]Ytigmnts, and ~e Depanr~cn;k oft ~.st~ ~o ~ fbe basic ~vv!„~io~s of~UIl'A a~ wn~e: to esiucate gcxvez~e~t o~ i,~ala abate obl~bons xinclear the la~r_ ~ tie coming year, ~ ~atfs vv~€ ]~ y a ~oa~ril,ern€ximsetde~.le~ issues as a~.~ ca.~espr+oc~.~~N systems. 1?ori~.s~, dier[#c~t~ yrese tuts fa ~e ;tem. ar~o~ns asse~ilp i§ treated on less ~ ex~ual te,~s #lmn. a woes ~ or institetiam~ ~xler RLU.E~',A Seciiani 2~}~l). Like~e, titre ] been ~rery comes decided nhdeaRLU.iPA's pr.~ agaaost~lelimitalioxr ofr~ig%at~s asse~liss- Oaa tip sae o~zelieds the S~eme hurt this year ~i. tale cxo~ w3ze~exxnor~az3r t%ges are evadable to offs ~dex $~ ~uti4natired pens section afRLITiFA,~ axed • ~ dec~iwx lily will fr~uo~e the ass~.e foF ~ land use gmvisi~aaa as well. H'a~w~ve~ ~ issue na lo~zger act in tbie coarts~ ~ co~arl~oty of1t1:.T3Ip.A. The e C.o~beld. imp r v Fl'so~ the ins~tac2~ pe~aoas ~cftan ofRF.UlPA dad mot v.~la~ $ze 1?5't~~+IisT~rn~ [~ao~e. Si~y, federal ~ cow b~ im~an~ rejrx~i arty tizat ]Rl:,1UTPA viala~s the Ong t".lai7se Qf the Constz#ution ar exceeds goers gavPe~ ~ ~4~' ~t Ind sip Vane ~ ate ~ea~ a~ histice ~ a~ of cmfy ~ laoad~ses and. auae imstia.~erl peas case that I~av~e event xaise~d ItL~PA's aao~itufzon-a~t1.~ as aoa issue. Since Jm~ 2, fhe 13m.~ of ~e is mare of oxilg one lax+d:+nse case ~oui one i~a~si~d p~o~ case ~ have eve raised 1~A's cc~nality as an lssne.~ _ As ate eanx#s ~,~„ ~ legal. issues, fha Deft of d~.~e's £'~ Rxg~s .X]ivisiart ~ ihp ~ aaa. ~ role ~ ~ 11L1~.~, iarves:ngpot~daal vanes bxzagiag la atizeg as amieors imt sxg~~ cases, P~mg tec~cal awe, and g ~.e,~hlio a~i. gc~v ~ . A~ slis~ ass ~ l~~ Je:w~h~.gog~ and. schools, A~ Ate. ~ amid, reasingl~', slum w.~ an,~ s~tarols axe paxticAlarly ale: tQ ~~ zcig actioar~ fialo~;by local offtc~iah~y nflen.nnder mnoidY ~ ~re~g ~y a~td de~~ ~ en:fvrce~ea~ of tl~ la9v -bn ~ ~ 544 ~F.S 7#!9 {2U6~. . 3a~err~d v ~y af.s, .4~6-csr-f~s~3~{t~F~. Tea.) o~~o Sx~e~cve~aefl~.Ap~r~ 2, ?~D~ (!mod Lek ~rsaey-r~ca~ etas ~c~v-4?.6~ (k] S~j{Moticn.#aimt~vtmeoaSep~m~er27,~A0'/J ~~ s3. 13 + such ac~ioa~s a~ a o#l'ic3als ~.d ter ~.spnns~~itie~. • ~~dgb~t ~ be lie from sn~ ~o~ ss nmc~ost basic ~ rigTzts. Tl-e Dep~~ut of moire cand~xs ~ •+~ ltLillPA, ~ al{ of trt~~an's c~iv~ xis laws, i~ ~~ ~ every ;~vi~ai e<zn ~j oq' the ~reedoxas steed. bytfie f`l,nc~ta i~€- .:~ ~aft~ ~flfJa~ o~otthe]Ga$d,-Use Pm~ons Q#'#~eReTeg'eoBs IIse aid PErss~ Act [ELbIYA} ~ Regis Laa~tl use ate. -~snala~cl p~~ A~ (~iL~A~ ~2II.S.C_ § 2(iD(~c e~ seq., ~ a c~ rigbis ~ ~pxs imd~vidma2s ax~dze~ous ins~s from ~' a~~nly dome ~d ase ~gu~a#c~¢s.~ .' hugs ~w~ic~. CQngrss ~o~ti~ relagiti~xs assemblies ~. ~~;r;~ were d~po~ioa~elp a~ an fact ohm mere e~ively disaann ~n Iocal Iandnse dee~€."•i~ns, ~s passer] R~T1PAasXpin l{i00 Fitt s;~:ed>~.fFA ~~ aze Septeau'bea ~, 2Q9U. Comte ~r~. g ~ ~~e ~ p~acmg eye ar n~easauab~eh~st~tthe 9 af~a~ns andamdivadmals~v e~exrtse #~e5r ~itbt~i.~ei~mo~~d.~vcYm.vftheCoa~a. Congress ~€r~d *.~t re~ga,o~ ams o~~ced bath ~e ~ a~ ~~. .~ F?~Y ~~ mewer, smaller, or liar mligic~asc grate and d~tc~ts~i~s:~ ~ - Ca~ngress also ]6axnoud. tba~ as a ~rrrl~ re3igiogs ian~s were ttea4ed'-~orse ~. oanapmrable seanhr tons icy zra~ag a~ zg des. As ~A.'s . S s~t~oa.'sy r~Taoteh and roue 1~ ~e~satorgenna€Iy, saiclin #l~ir,~,omt s~e~ irssuc+d uq~om the bail's passage; "; codes fi~q~ e~ccl~ elm~l~ xu glaees wl~ ffie~ perm~fhea~, ~ ~aalts, and o$~erplacx~ ~vlir~e~g~ps ofpeo~le asse~utsle ~orsp~oses_ _ _ _ ~hesha~vebeem clemied~engbtt+vvz~aeet~. sfraacds, iwt abantl~ed sclsaals, i~ oaEnv £~ersl haaYesy -diea€e~s, aad ~ >irs.T~m aIl sozts ~ ~ wet ~i~d ahem ibey gamed trams :~csr secalarpes."3 Caaa~ss ~' fot~d that zanmg aatb;oadd~es flg we~p3aciag ea~sive bgzrleaus c+~t ~ a~tp' ads and 3ndlvadaals to ease ~.ezr {a~i~is s~dE jus~ficat~, xn, ~vzak~. al's ~~rtioaa. I his Sfatemeutdeals a~3rPA's Tamed mse ~vccrvisinffi. A~ear se~ioaxaaFR~.~JIl',A gxotectq ~ z~t~otts ~reeaom oppsrsC~ns edt~pzus~s a~ catty ~cna. 2 I4b (~1~ ~. 57714 (c~y~i. ]~27, Z(#?~j (~nxptex~af ~at~.sl~atcb t~u#.T~csTp~. .R~.tJIPA ~vxdes a xmmbe~r afi~po~tpr ~r ~ x~7.rgio~s Leedom. a~ pers4n~ paces of ~t-t~sb~ icli~oas schools, and afI~c~ xe~.ons ass~lies a~ud. ~, inro: + ~O#ect~on ugt su7ia.~ br~dens on re~i use: ~Ct€ca~~(a~ of RY.~tPAgmh~~#be~tto~ ofa~la~:d.uses~ic~m~oses a "~#ial ~Clen'" an tote ~~g~sns ex~eise of apersa~ ~r man. ~ ~e~ j~ified by a ~conapell~ ~vsc~e~ ~ tl~ go~c~~ p~zsacs in. $~ I~ xe~ctiv$ vt-ayp~'ble. - ~ Ff7DfP.C~{AI f!~ 1D1~Fl~ ~°"~fJl~~OT TP~l ~~PE~~P~4' ~71~ l7Yt~i07L~ 3e~.2(b~~~ o~'IIPAi~s#bat~lig~us ass~bl~s aadi~~zast 1~e ~t~. a~ least xs well as n4~r ashes and imst~f~ans. d prflt~~m rsgst r-~liguaur or dexotona~ vin S~.cm ~b~,~ o~ RL~'A ~b~'[~s ~ou~ as aup ass~.oably err ~i~n o~ ~e bass ofrel3g~iaaa o~rrelig%o~s won." - • .~tection rat tntrrl sio~ o,~`i~cgivue asserar~ili~s: ~ear~ ?.~b~(~}(A) o~ RL-~A~vi~s fl~ govemm~ss m~lSt riot t~l~t e'BC~tule ~13,g~ asse~m~Iiea gym. a,~t~sdicfi~. • .Yroi.~c~iorr rtgr~zrts7f ta~,rorusble Innita~ivn n}'rekgious a~ie~ Sec4io~ ~io~3)[B) of~L~ET~PA ~ gn.e~ z~ ab3~y `~~ig'xans ass~xli~ h~tr.~~ ~ ~ win a~o~" - ~.~A's ~an~ections cau be e~nroed. dry t~xe ~ of rns~i~ oxbp ]ar~ii~ Tn 8ze ~n years ~ l~ I.tLLT~P~l,1~ ~ applied~a a wideva~iety . o~crmt~s a~.has h~~ ~.I~ oftiallitigatia~zn#6~ cods. his a cr~plea~ - s~ey 'wi#~ fave se~az~ ~ovis~s +t~t ~re~iginns exercise i~ di€feY~ 1~ saw ovgways,. Ito a~t~ns~id~itr~rnr~sQt ~e~ ~amdex-?~T~A, a~ in asasi ~ aad of~r ~e~ne,~ e~iesin . ~~ uirerae~s ~ ~ez~ by ~.UiPA, ~ Depaatm~t +c~rn has #his y aid ~ooori~,~y~g ~ ~ ans. Sep~mtbe~72,2dI(~ Q~i©ns asc~ Aas~ers on ~LatEd-II~~a~v~isia~ a~`~~A. ~. V~ha irs prot~te~ aid ,cvha~ty~es ®f ad~ifies ~e c~~reta. her RGII~PA? RLU~'A ~rn~ts tbn ~ligions wise ca€s,A ed#o 3nclndc re~g[a~s arm ~ z% ~. fro hrc~~~als. ~tLU~PA has bum mss ~r e~amp~e, to p~~ct harms of v~, ~livzdua~s hang ~~~ ink hones zeli~€,aas se~a.ooJsy re~igi~rus ~e-~ earth based b~-me~s sb~texs, sow ~~~, ~uP #~rmes, aad oar soda]. serves. ~_ What dog areas egercasc" i.~.e~n~? 1~.~A ~aY~O'4]~eS ID ~wt]EaII $ fhb "~}3~O1LS a ~I~.ides ~ e~~~ of Ie~[g1oTt, "~wbgth~r or not ~pehed ~iy, o~ ~emral f3o, a ~ysf~a afxelzgiaus belie~a T6ns a co~dp a~~mi~paIify avoid fhe fx~x~ce pf~TIPA ~y a~g fbaf apstticx~r rei~giot~ ac~iai#cy is sc3na ~ a n;~gto~ granp ~y'nts #v do z ~ sc-~ ~t~ do: Fc~r ens, a ~wr! d not nbtim.'GPay are not r~Tg~ions eg~cise bey they are ass tt~ a-c~'s beliefs or less co~rp ~ S~S3aq ^v~ansb~ se~v~es= ~.~k'A also spec~f' t~s ~ 5errtiun S that "~t~e use, ba~e~m~ cry wont of z~. ~~ far ~ g~upn9e nfaeliginns sxer+cise s~a~i Sae consider tn'fie i~ig'x~us e~ezcise . _ _ ." ' pzuvisi~. z~aa~ies r~eaot mat cc~shr~ort or a af~~es af~vorship ~ _ a p~apea~es used ~ use proses zs nriZg~ons e~ u~.c~r RL~C7iPA_ R~igiot~s e~rerc;c~ erg a mile ~~ 4€a~ti~rifies,~g Dpeaatlcal bless ~elfr~s, soup. ems, ~ owe soc3at iced acr~soryrrses snt~ ag l~lawslsip halls, posh 1aa~ and ~Iau~~n~-~rxnams~tisedf~ im,eet~.gs, reli~ams edacai~oaa, a~xd r fmmctiv~ a,~ ~f a s~lig"~cs+us ~ e~h3. al~~ ~ ~ iDt how; ancl~amt ur e~panusia~ of schov~ nvcaa. wee the ~c~7if~es rvrnrld ~ t~ti forb~.seenlax-and..~bgiozas ~ activities. - . 3. Who is bou~ad byTtlsi3l~,c+~.'~s req~ir~T ~,IIIPA. ~ ~a states (x~nding s~ d~ and ag~zes~ anal their ~~ sow. as ~.esy pales, ~~~ ~ ~~ ~' ~ glaariang bna~nds, ~n~g boards a~ xva3m~g aplaeals bcrards_ l~~iJ]I'~ does not cxaver$~e aaas ofpuva#~ ci6ze~ mess a r calar of state larov, s~ as ~ra~n~t ~l RLTJTPA teat ~al~m the fedexal. g ~ ann~er sani~ ]aw, fee Reli~.ous pre~am~ ~. ~~ 42 ~_S..C,. § 211001 does. ~. ~7oes ~~PA t r~~~ assel6i+es and ins l~ local zonn-g ls~ ~ RIw.TJ~PA is ~t abla~C et's~n fronit g lads. As a gn~#tea•, x~gicx~s i apply f~~e sar~ae per, fali+aw tfxe Sa~terec~ a~ go~t~"sarn~land~sep~r-0oessesaso~rla~al.nsexs~ ~.UIPAdoesnca#gre-ems rnr~plaQe tbnz-omaal ~ ccx~ Ra~esa it~pos~s axxnar;Taecofsa-11~guax~s and r~irern~ts onloc~ gzra re~chng ioa~ t~a~ re~igia~ ~ bq + the zoning ~acvP oa' its a~licadirrn ~~ s~ph$tan>aall~ ~ ~ ~ea~se ~ ~e~g p~sned.t€~igh the rcti~ • the ~o~g ~w Aor~ trea# Ferig"xaos uses less ~vorab~q ~ n~r~.ons as~~abires and ins, ~ -~ Iaw u~t discz%m~e bated an re]zgion oxrefi~iot~ decry aid ~~ ~ -the,~is~c~ic~~ttatall~ar~lyze~ic.~~iousnse~ "S~'heu~. $~ece is a caaa~ct bit AZL7~A and the zcrniutg c~ or how it is Tied, Rl~UfP.A, 8s a fedeanl. civ7 rights 7amw, des doe and. ~ zoning law grs~e ,~~ - ~ ~~ as ~ ~ii~it~ apgl~es i#s tmy and ones ~tampQSe a~~ed tia1 b aazrelig~as es~ ~~ apple traihtia~ zon~ang cotes--such as xe~a~ons addresffi€~ ~raf~q horns ofd ~ ~ ~P~tY~ ~ of useyse~aclc~ ~ - to re~gious ases,jt~.st as $t~.y are aped to anp other ~ ~. S..Are there occasions'~exi a ~o~ asseu~~' car ~[u~ dl~s ~ha~e ~ ~F~Y ~' ~~ $P~'~ and ~.~ ~ ~~ hefa~re rt kas ire~u~e to ~YF,~i?- As a pr~i~ matter, app~y~oo~g far a wing pt~mit,. dal ~e ~~ ~titl~int the sy in- case ofd~aL~ ~ o~ tl~s fasi~t ands e~wayto abt.sin e appz~av~al. R~ ~~ acrd l ~vts gte ~ed~ ait~pt to xesaive ~ thro~~h es€~ab3ished zo~ngesr hs ss~ue ~ have that runs ins~io~s zsed ~eot xn~ka am alipat ~' Z Sze fang a Ri.YTlPA lawt ~i .ese ~h~de s~w~ ~r appli~tio~or sppealwankibe ihr3e ~ t,~ comes, a~rftterewou~dbe ~,trs dew, t~erf~yar ~, or~'~eapplic~nx~.az~ ~~y'an~ - 6. ]E~i~A a~,pN~s ~ ~ `~an~ ~ ~n,~ ~'Vbat does,€h~ nn~ R~UIPA defines Land ase r+egtYlatia~7t as a. `~o~g ar lar~~g l~ ... the limi#s of ~tc~ $. claim~aat's use c~ d~f I.ancL" Toa~img law encompasses ~av~sy ~ or codes w?~ afi-vx-id~g ar lan~.~e c~rti~la~ed in what am~.s aru3tmc'~S w~ccs~ioas. I.~dmax~~am, laws arezest~fciioz~stimt n~cipa~s pin s~ec~ ~c~gs or s~estc~ ~eseFVetlmse that are c~med signifi~t ~ 1~~, ~ ux c~iz~~- R~..UlP1~'s demon afland ~~ howl does axst ~ i3n e ~~' ~ ~. as ~ cotes, Vices x~q~adug use of opal sew ct~snections, ~avvs r~ pro~Y tomes, ~ ~dlcn~ea~3~-~v~,: ~~ovs go~er~g ~ ~ ~ , - . 7. 73oes ~LUfI.'~. ag~~y #~a focal gv'v~.a~m~uts IIsi~ €sninntxt d~ i~t #~ pxap~y n~avn~d Tiy ~e~ig*~s ins#~tieusy ~ _ `~aai~,e~t doh' zefets to gax~~ g ofd P~DP~-`~Y ~p~bIic use ~ovzs~ .~ c~tpens~6ice7t. ~s a geue~ral mater, zt ~ uat a ao~ring ter la~dm Iaw, aaa ~ ~,TTIl'~. w~ ~ ~1y. ~o~rev~a-, ~bexe ~mc~ali#~es eve tiled #o use ena# tlom~n fo ~c~€t ~ g I~ro~ss ~p~es of ~orsbig ~t ba~v~a a~r~l foyC z~.nin~ ap~uuva~ cotes lave ftd that soh acfioms .ybe coves by RT.~[JIPA. "S. ~ places of ~orsh~ip s~ be landmaxk~~ - I~'cs, glares ofd can ~Se Imo. ~o~ ~e any offer ~aQ+d use tiara, tanrinr~. naa desigaations #~ impose a subs~al b~.e~ c~ze~ici©s e~celcise Abe j~~bY~3 &`a~ andpt~s~mfhe 7,ee~ve~ Alsq ]~ x~.la ~t ~t be di9~y 9. ~44hat kinds n+Eb~'de~s ~u regions e~ are ~snnfial bm~deng" ~entier ~e saarrtial h-~i~rf. icy is ~sive, aad.~oo~s att~.e degree f~w~. ag ~ a~ng~arnis-h~y~ t~ ab~g afape~san. clrgmtt~ ~ engage iatt~ its ~,err~se m - apa~iat~ar res~diooa or sef o£aFas wz~l, he a ~tbsfamt~llaurdeQ. ma, a oamp]a~n~s rel~iaus e~ise w~7lvarybasec~~an. evn~ svc~ as 1~e see aud~ afi~eb~rde~.parrtp, ~ieac~tal~re~gioQS needs ofauimsliv~ial ca' ~~ious man, die level cif dent o~ irmoa sp~e mss, whether ~~ gc~'l~es ffia reasagabljr a~a~e, tie his~ry of~ ~Ia~a~[t's to l ~a a Y, ~ abs~ce of good~aithby dxeg armies, andn~.y o8~ zs. Cfyi a ~~y takes ~ n~$ue ~tuw~ng ty,~ a!r adiorps, rt ~ ~e a ~iai, b~xeaea ~ r~kgions esese~e x~RX,U~A " • eyely ~ oc~$partic~3ar~yfea~~i~tres aelEViiy; ~ lu~ug any get restric:biort om.ie~.ons use ofa~pr~Ey; ar • g sf,~tific~ ~Y~ ~Y~ or ~.Fem~ erg' a place of~va~ig, xek~s sc~l, gErotln~aeT~iaas y_ fey fc~ esau~Ioy found ~ial~mdeas can ~reliaztn3s e,~earase-in a deaodal of a c~~~tuxp~nitdue #a o~e~ousa~-~~gr-~iedb9a ~Y~ a p~ c.a~ req.g a ~elsgia~as rett-eat to owe as a bea a denial af~a~. csfapa~ c~~r, a of ~p~ ~ ads school, ax~i. a d~ n£~e aba~'dy'tu ~aonv~ a tn~cfiug's sF~a,~ space ~ xellgiaus use. LYnivr~:e~r, courts have fuemd .nn subsia~#~ lau~ea'vioJ~ion vahea a ch~r$ was dewed -the amp~zt of tr.~µspmdomg it wo~Id haveg~f~red rhea t~exc weae ab3s ~g alf~aiives a:van7able, when a ze~ig~s ugh sr~ioc~ro~as cicnied-H~ ab17r"ty to u~x~.ate a ccmavne~~ess ~:ea' and Div o~ of $porti~ ofz~s b~ and~~ a chv~b. was bad. ~ de~uo~rtag an adjar~ir ~ ~g rt dad. used i~ o~i~r ca~ruct a fam~p h'~ ce~gtea; as•~z~: virasa~er space ou tie ahn~ch's emus ~ ~ be ,snitab~e_ ~. ~,~~~ OOII~.I.I~S ~ 1~-CIIih~ i~C.~7~i~IdII g~TDIIt'9PI1P3! t.~ ~l#xRYr >es<" sec~oni, ~v~I apply. Jas# w~.e3u rues the ~uiaai bm~lexa'° #~ app~g iaa sr ~a~eatl$r case . ~.~P11<applies t~ tai bm'~te~~ .g ox ~mas~g Iaws have pry ioaglace undue w ~ gove~aaeat~aTses `~~vidnali~d ~ of ~ g~roposed~ for the property i~vad,~ Sy ~r~ie, ~onmg oz' ~g c~ecist[ans tlty ~o>hve si'tC~l "m[ll'4ack~x'~ ass~a ~axdiv~ahaalized aa~ a~ pa~sF,~'W'~ $ia govt Iq~ks of mad can~decs fhe gaz~c~ar .s of a pxopose~ use in de~.c~; whe~~ lap orr deug t>>~ Anse: ~ wiIl cc>vex rntnst a~rpl_icart~aas faJr Sara, speei~ usePe~sy s~aa~ e~~tian~ retests, caoandit~~ use p®m~ ~g appeals, and sime7ai' applications ~iir ~e~ these all t~inauri33r ~ro~!~ the gnvern~ra~# re~e~~g the fists a~xtl ~g disc~iio~r det~~iicn3s whetl»r ~o g ox erect att appl~ati~ro. A~ aI of a. lnrizdziag ta• ~YP~$ ~oleljr an. a ~n~.~l, o3~,~e~e bat~±s wilt ~ ~SCxe ~t~ past of tier dceisian maYrear ~+ould ~ he aQh~ividaatr~ assesses and. thous w'ou~ n~rt irerp~~ t~ applaaQ ofd s~abslau~al bum Pia~caTlp, hn~vvever, sne~ pnreiy `~ ~oz~s a~ ~p rare ~II z~rmug c~isp~ Ewa cif a or ~ ~ did pot xuvo~ve an ind~~ nssessm.~t, tie sofis~ial bum stall applies iftha at issae ~ comm~t~, ~ as cirxu ar espansia~n projects; car if there is f~lcral fmxl~g .nrxvo7~~ved ll. '~ are des ~' c~napeJO€uag h~fietesL~ ~ pe~aat Iorsdi ~nn~ #o iampmse st~sEun~ bards ~n religions P4erracP2 , A gd~e cmmoti impose a dal n on :tcligious e,~exc%,~e rrn~ess it has a r~ ga~ve~me~al ~ ~e e€o~ so ~E is pe~ueal ~agh~ar-s t~ are ~ least r~ic~ive ofrel~igious ~c1om plc. "Co~e~g i~ is a legal ~ z~zemaimg "of die ~a~a.~ ord~r_" ~~ bests ale ~y reasoa~3y car ev~.~g imps ~caent. Gau~ct~ Irsrt+e xtal~. tl~t ~ ante~e~s II}x~V~.dQLi~ ~o~ ~o7~ID1G ~Ve~~ ~ alb IIt}$ c~ll~ ~ ~~e~i O~p~'O'vII3~ # IIII ~~SC IS C+DII~~ ~~{3L1 ~ ~OCa~ g0'VP ~3 a~ ~$ 7~~ ~36 COII~I.~1D~ ~ L~OSe 7e f#1 t~rr~.s~v,"+r+.ASSp~~ health az~ swig ~ ~ safely cauoex~us ag to t~ tau ~ cog. Hoear, a county orzr~icigaliLy c,~not si~y~a~ ~ aa, ~ate~t in traffic safety i~x the ab,~act as a ao~g iEx~#ez~st j~yigg a steal l~d~ ~ x~aious e~ase_ ~ the go ver~.e~ ~ sT~w tl!lat it has a ao~elhag ia~es~in ac~ievh~ tip ~ dmo~i tFie pa~ealas-~rst~fi~ at issv~•s~ch as sa:fety'.~terests ~. t~~ $o~ cm the ~artl~ street at tee. Eves, ~~ ~.. is cc it~s#be pzd. ~ou~ tlxe Ieast~trict'rve rneaas. Ifil'u~re ~s atu~.eY-~y that the ~ox~ could achiec~cre t~ same c~mpcltlug i~e~est#w~~se a Ibu~den t3~reIi~iouse~ea~ise, i~E gooset~ ' satlxex titian dxe auoie berme wary. ~. ~_ 'A~'Ita# ck~cs ~~. re~~o ire of ga~ve~~~t ~t€ii r+~rd ~ f~ae treatment ol• - t•ons asse~I~es and i~4~oaa~ as vve~ as n~ons ~ssennlrlxes and - imrstidudo~uc'? ~er.~irnot ?.~b}(X) afRL~PA tams a pxv~on, i~io~ as i3te "equal berms prgeisum." ItgroYides that ~xz~o g£~ve~neart sl~i# ma~o"se or irnpl~ent a ]ands regu~tion in a c#l3at heats arellgu~ts assembly or ioa~ anless than equal. #earnas w~. a no=ueligians assembly csr i~ot-.~' his ~ ex6encts to c~azxces t3~ on #heir ~e tread xe~igis~ns asse~ablies ~ cis an IeSSS thy. egaat teaoQS, as well as arclltces ~ongh. ~x~Y ~fral, are a€ed ~ a trams aiblies a~ ~tic3ms arl Iess tli~. e~al 3 tlu~ ~urelagia€rs assemblies cur ~.s_ - Cc-ng~ess exacted this psaan. ~ ads ~ p~rt~i]]em ol: ~ codes, ewer :~aeially ar in aicatian, exc~ng places of ~oz^~ 'where secular asse~abEes are p~mit€ed. '~ legisla9~re l~is~x9 pbim~s t~ the grobiem: ofbn~s af~rrt~~ berg e~clr~ded gene ~ rAe~ng bps, pzavaf~e cb~ and ath~ secular assea~ablpgla,ee~ arced, . )3e if a xes asse~blp xs try o~ °`less tbaa dual tom'' thaa. a secular assembly ~ n re~¢ires a tontpa oI•haw ~ ~o Wises of eu~#aies aFre ~ateti ]3t H C4i~ '~.Qi7,C;8 et ~ ~o k10'fdT a. Cd,4~9p~ ~S I[i8d~ SIId f~i{.S ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~~. #~ -St~ftlO~R ~5 V]9~~'GP~~. 'V't~LY (77g'I~7G JFLC~C.tSl C~I@.~ 7I~ W}~. ~ Ca.~ 8 G'E~[fLfS ~YL fY3I3~.'~ e~ ~S Se~A1i Yiulat~ed ~1E.1 szt~3arhtmis'w3iese ~IaCES of WDxsl~i~ 'fie fo~b]ddPa~ b~ ~e chtbs wer8 ~ WI~ZeI~li~iOllS~~s were ~i~~. ~ Sy r'~y Iy ~y Se~l10r C C1Y1~ Clefs, ~y GaE1C ~, ~ other amBhes ~GPeci~~ 2uac~ ~~ places o~ WQ~ FI~+Ie ~JS~Y, ~IeIt CO- ~~~ ~a.G~ ~iid Z30~Lt1C~ C~ Wei ge~lted. - RPaS5 O,f'~ ~ ~~ ~ 8p~r~zi, ~14'aPN~$Ei ItyCal g~ raa a~va~d-~.a3~~ ~ secb~on af~~k'Aby g ~tl~ >:egulaf3ons ~a~xs r~.e~l fact sew. as Sze, c~tt traffic and ~a o~~se, T~raxrs of ~~~ noise, amd Sam' a~ec~ve cs"rt~aa ~a ~~ .lam der ~. ~ €m ~e the speed. ~. asly ac#~vcEies wing ~ L~. ~f~eaf ca>.utes ~~rma~atio~ used o~treixg~ ora; eons d~aaration ~oaEd+e~c ~II~~A~ _ Sew 2(1~~2) of~tLUIF~i bars m~leme~a.~io~n o~ a hid Ase xe~daiu3n #~ ~sa~~'basisofre~~iaz~~re~~iozascleao~. T.~sb~appi;.~sta apP~[Ga~p, a£~d rase ~galai~s #~ fatwally djscr as wed as agp o~ - ~d use rego~stz~mi, t3zat are ~aciallg~niiai bit vg~ in facE ~e based on rsligicaa~. orz~igious demon. 'IIras if $ ~oa~g gem is denied ber,~.se ~~ ohs da x~at I~xaea~exs ofapartic~¢lar religians gco~ air ~~r a~cp odserreasc~n an agpli~rt ~.d~.ied. a ~ingpe~ ~t wnuldhaYebeer-gzvea~. to it mod. rtpart ©~a dd~er~t re~g~n ins d~mmna!~icm, Ser~.a 2(b)(2) has been~ola~ed. Eeea~e -#In~ section apples 3x~ ~snbased oa ed~ reIi~ nr rrekgious denami~n, i# caa appl?yto sitaa~s where a c'rty7hayn~ he drts~g ail ~mbeis afa x~aig~ian, ~t ~- ~. paw sIIb-grrmp oac sue. ~~. What does itme~ ftir a local. g~~rnmen#fa e~r~nde xe~gio~ ~aaes frtgaa Sectib~7.~~{3)(A) local gaFVts firo~a "fioial~r ~ffi~ ~eli~~rs _ ads firnm a jurise~ctim~~ ~a city, i~wn. or vou~g dad ~n u v~heae re~giaus • s ara pitted, tbatwa~x~dbe ~ ~al~-5.o~tionof lion 7.~6~)(;)• x5, at does 3i# ~es>~ fear a Iac~l goverrouao~aa~ bo impose mtteasQnable .iimihaiia~us on a reTiigiaa~ ~, ~aasfitnriiiaai, ar ~reY . Section ~b~(3.~} ~o~`b~ hand. ~ rla#io~as ihat z~bly ]" ~i~ious a.es, in.o~rsy oar ~ wzth3u a~sdic~. 'ffiis pa:o~vis€ttt is ~oJaded. z~a ~mnicipali~'s la3od asp lawn orrcation, rel~ns~ ai~i a.es c~~bmable opport~t~ties ~o ~ and c~s~ ~#ha~ ~ie~ax~. A ~ c~b~ess dads t~ $ ~' aFaly. o~ffie ~ ~. a par~ica~~cixan, in~h~g ~e aaada~y o~i=lamed ~ the zcs o~re~,aas anions. Cotes lie fc»md ~omreasanab~ li~a~s ~vh~re regala#ians effed~d.~ ~r sites ~ ~n ofbuonses of ~-~l~r, saw as dough frt3oadage slraa~ug ~ vxba.~e i3oupased ~ aaad. clmeS#iaoo~:te ~ caan ~~- ~. ~.ea must ~me~e fife sit ~dec Jf~LUQ'El? RLU~PA ~vsai#s ~ byp glamiil~ mast be IIedin ~e or~'ederal c~k w ~ yews of fhe ailegedltl.~TPA. vioXatian. - ~'~ ~l~at ~+. a ~oea~ rt coo to avail 3~b~fy~omtdet RL1=TIl'~}.? ~t.IIlPA contaa~s a "safe bmrboa~" p~avasioz~ $zat ~ a low ~ver~e~ ~~ S~~IC~[DII ofR),I~PA's ~~ p1.0~ ifi~ ia~e5 S'b~IS to a~e}xar~te #~ v~tatitm. Sion 4{s} provrd~ ~ a ~oeal go~vea~ent cari a~aad ~e f~ of RF~'Tt'PA's pravisiaa~s by: - • ~am~gang policy aa[-Ixrac~ce ~ r m ~ sobstanbal b~~ on religions ~ezi~sa; ~ re~i.~ ~e gfl~.cy acpr~ice a~,.d exempf~g -~ ~ bled, re~ious exercise; - R pznvidsug esen~tio~s ~tl~pollCy orpra~ce f~ appbic~tio~s t~ sar€y rsnn~.re~gia~s es~is~ o~ ~ry ottxe~ mss ~ agates Abe sabs~ial bmdezt. XS. Wbaf rs fie Depaxt~tent n~'d'ir~~'s rude iou e~.fvx~c~g Ri'~17.t~.~.2 ~ Ucpart~oa~t ofl~ioe is amazed to f~ a Ian n~let P~..~I3iPA for teary or in~va rel~e~ h~~t for ~ag~es. Far ~~e, fhe ~art~t~rb~g s~ se~g an ohs ~ a ~ a~.ty #~ has vial2LU~.~ to a~ ~ d~to~yy z~g Modes ar gram spee~c p~ to a glace ~' wrip, T~eliguai~s sr.,~ooI, ar o(81~ rPdigi~s nse. Howes tI~ Dement ~' ~o# sew meaty aw~is ~tf r~fpea~soars car ~ ~at]ha~e i z~ujarre~ Ttu~ w~ - ~~ ~ elan~ges ~pnar ~UlPA ~io~afs must late ~a1 saits_ ~hegor~.~ a~Cr~ ~ Sectic~. oftbs ~~ R%Da~ l the deleted y ~ ~~ #a ~ac~€gate aiadbr~€ng ~.UIl'A l.~ws~, both on its own ~ itt .coon wit Uniited States ,Aftora~y's ~~ces a~mzd tt~e oo~rnfry. you b~i~+e you h~ a potential RLIrT.~'A vio~ic~an case, yea six~utd ~g ~ to the a#Eea~ioII ~tiie Dept 4fe ~s soan as pos~`~ fo a1Iow adeq~te £~nrxevic~~ - - - - TYue ~ rives ~ comgia~s ~ iduua~ a~ grips tease iagh#s xtnderRlulJiFA m~ylaade 1. trios 'QYhije it raanot tag spit nr all, cases, tt~e ~~~ a xu3cwl~-ofacticrps ~ adciitt~.ia ~g sr~ttoresc~h-eliLl€7i'pA ma#teas.. TJzellep~may helve the qty Rela~o~s S ~G"RS) to ad~ss cry tit or disoozd, lti ~ the rmm~icigal;~r m g ~ abt~~us ~ ttLUipA.. 7# may file an anus beef tc~ weag~a, ire. ann. aou. i~poarrtofIa~ T~ decic~mgto file sort, theD~tde~rs a ~ of is znc~nding war a terse Wives r~peoriant ar r ~, ~I,g searo~s vra~a#io~s of law, ~ irf i# ies a case tba~tl set~ea~ f~ fie cases, Maayy of ~e ~~t's cask have been reso3ved by iabng cpnsenE decrees that ~ o~arntrrtic~pa~.p's spe~ic obhgatforrs to PIY wiflr t~ ?ate 1lEgg~rzcved ir+.sfizvY'clixa~ amid a~ e~o~raged to see$prriva#e ~ ~ ~ ~i~~ 3ua~itin~to ccratactirtg ~~par~extt ofc~ s r ~. ~~ ~II SO~tL'llYl@ {~Yft9l~ '~~ ~~~ ~ D~~gb'~1C~ 8~IU~ 3 ~,~~1~ III81~e7t'? T~ ~SO'!~ & ~~ DII7LSL~~S g 8~ ~1~ ~~ flll7mL3~1' ~ ~P,{~ ~ . ~l.Ofi~ ~ -0) 517116 _ [202} 305-I [TAY) ma~[ng~ as: ~ . U.S. D~ut o~~ _ ~ S Di~.~a~a 95#1 Peu~syh~ia,A~e, N.'4V: _ 'H~sing ~ Ci~Ee~t S~r~,1`iW.B '~'as~ig#~ A ~. 2053©