Ahmadis Zoning Denial Leads To Suit Against Maryland Town

In Baltimore, Maryland yesterday, developer David Moxley filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the decision of the Walkersville (MD) Board of Zoning Appeals to deny a special exception to land use restrictions sought by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. Moxley had planned to sell the Ahmadis 224 acres of land for $6 million for them to use to build a mosque and living quarters for its imam. Yesterday's Baltimore Sun reports that the zoning board's denial was based on a desire to preserve farm land and concern about the crowd of thousands that attends the group's annual, three-day national convention. The complaint alleges that the zoning board violated the Ahmadis free exercise and equal protection rights, violated RLUIPA, the federal Fair Housing Act and the Maryland Constitution's Declaration of Rights. The suit also alleges that the town's mayor and town commissioners conspired to block the mosque construction by adopting new land-use restrictions barring places of worship on land zoned for agriculture. (See prior related posting.) [Thanks to Roman Storzer for the lead.]