Suit Over Amish Building Code Compliance Settled

A settlement has been reached between the Swartzentruber Amish community and the Town of Morristown, New York over building code compliance.  In 2009, eleven Amish families filed suit in federal court challenging enforcement the town's requirements that they submit architect-stamped construction plans, install battery-powered smoke detectors, use hurricane tie-downs and  construct frost-proof foundations. The Amish said that these requirements violate their religious beliefs. (See prior posting.) The Watertown Daily Times reports that in a compromise the town has dropped building code violation charges.  The town will accept Amish cellar construction as meeting code requirements, while the Amish will have smoke detectors installed in their homes during inspections and will use an approved method to secure their roofs.  The parties agreed to dismiss the federal lawsuit and the court issued an order doing so on Sept. 21. [Thanks to Blog From the Capital for the lead.]