9th Circuit Says Substantial Burden Under RLUIPA Can Be Imposed By Neutral Zoning Law

In International Church of  the Foursquare Gospel v. City of San Leandro, (9th Cir., Feb. 15, 2011), the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the district court and held that a city's zoning decision made under a neutral, generally applicable zoning law can impose a "substantial burden" on a church's exercise of religion under RLUIPA. Evidence from a realtor and a former city manager that no other suitable sites exist in the city to house the church presented a triable issue of fact as to the extent of the burden posed by the city's zoning denial. The court added:

In spite of the Church’s allegations about its core beliefs, the district court accepted the City's contention that the Church could continue to conduct three separate Sunday services or could acquire several smaller properties throughout the City and relocate some of its operations off site. The district court's flat rejection of the Church's characterization of its core beliefs runs counter to the Supreme Court's admonition that while a court can arbiter the sincerity of an individual’s religious beliefs, courts should not inquire into the truth or falsity of stated religious beliefs.

Finally the court held that the city's need to preserve property for industrial use is not automatically as a matter of law a compelling governmental interest. (See prior related posting.) Yesterday the San Francisco Chronicle reported on the decision.