Free Exercise Challenge To Restriction On Feeding Needy Rejected

In Knauss v. City of Phoenix, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41359 (D AZ, June 6, 2007), an individual who was a volunteer and contributor to several church programs to assist the needy challenged a zoning ordinance that precluded a church from serving food to the needy in an unscreened outdoor area in downtown Phoenix. An Arizona federal district court found that plaintiff lacked standing to bring many of his challenges. It found he did have standing to challenge the restriction on free exercise of religion grounds, but rejected that claim on the merits. While the ordinance prevented plaintiff from extending charity as required by his religious beliefs, the restriction was a neutral law of general applicability. The city met the rational basis standard necessary to uphold such an ordinance.