Church Sues Plano, Texas Over Acreage Requirement for Churches

Yesterday's Plano (TX) Courier Star reports on a lawsuit filed by the 50-member Vietnamese Baptist Church against the City of Plano challenging the Board of Adjustment's denial of an occupancy permit to the church. The city will not permit the church to have electricity and water service at the building it recently purchased for $400,000. While the basis of the denial is not completely clear, apparently the issue is the city's zoning requirement that churches located in residential areas be on at least two acres of land. Filed in state court, the lawsuit alleges that the restriction violates the church's 1st and 14th Amendment rights.