Virginia Buddhists File RLUIPA Suit Over Zoning Denial

Last month, the Virginia Beach (VA) city council refused to renew a temporary use permit that would have allowed the Buddhist Education Center of America Inc. to continue to hold Sunday services in a monk's home. The Virginian Pilot reports that last Thursday, Buddhist monks and their followers filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that the permit denial violates RLUIPA and their First Amendment free exercise rights. (See prior related posting.)