City Gives Church Use Permit To Avoid Lawsuit

Antioch, California city council voted on Tuesday to grant a use permit to the congregation of La Palabra de Dios to move its church to a location within a planned arts and entertainment district. Today's Contra Costa Times says that council members agreed only reluctantly in order to avoid the cost of defending a federal lawsuit under RLUIPA that was threatened by church attorneys if the permit was refused. Lawyers for the church say the city was unfairly criticizing the congregation, arguing that the city's redevelopment plan for the area had not been successful.