Jewish Group Wins Connecticut Zoning Appeal

In Chabad Chevra, LLC v. City of Hartford, (CT Super. Ct., Dec. 15, 2011), a Connecticut trial court reversed a cease-and-desist order that had been issued by the Hartford (CT) zoning enforcement officer. The Zoning Board of Appeals had affirmed the order that prevented a Jewish group from using as a religious facility a building it had purchased near the University of Hartford campus. The court found that the property had been used by it previous owners, a Baptist group, for offices, residential facilities and religious services.  The court concluded that "the only apparent distinction between the activities of the prior owner and Chabad Chevra is their religion, Christianity and Judaism." Hartford Business yesterday, pointing out anti-Semitic overtones in the original denial, says that the city has decided not to appeal.