Shi'ite Congregation Sues Georgia Town Over Zoning Refusal

Yesterday's Atlanta Journal Constitution reports on a lawsuit filed by the Dar-E-Abbas Shi'ite Muslim congregation against the city of Lilburn, Georgia in a zoning dispute.  Plaintiffs want the city to rezone four acres adjacent to its current site so it can build a 20,000 square foot mosque and a 200-car parking lot. City council has refused citing traffic and drainage problems. This follows a refusal in 2009 of a more extensive plan that included a cemetery. Plaintiffs claim they are being treated more harshly than requests from other religious groups would be.