RLUIPA.org
Buddhists in Newton, CT Denied Right to Build on Own Land
Members of the Cambodian Buddhist Society of Connecticut believe that the 10 acres of land they purchased seven years ago in Newton, Conn. would be a good place to build the first Buddhist temple in the state. And because The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty believes they have the right to do so, the renowned Washington D.C.-based law firm has filed a “friend of the court” brief with the Connecticut Supreme Court which is reviewing last year’s decision of a lower court against the Buddhist group.
The Becket Fund, a non-profit, interfaith public service law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religions, filed the amicus brief today on behalf of the Buddhist Society which is continuing to tangle with the Town of Newton Planning & Zoning Commission in its effort to build a 7,600-square foot temple and meeting hall on the property it purchased for this purpose in 1999. The brief is posted on its Web site, www.becketfund.org.
“There are some 500 million Buddhists around the world and every one of them has the right to have proper, permanent facilities in which to practice their faith, whether they are in Cambodia, Connecticut or elsewhere,” said Kevin “Seamus” Hasson, founder and president of The Becket Fund. “The Connecticut Society should be allowed to construct such a facility on its own property. To not allow them to do so clearly creates a ‘substantial burden’ to the practice of their faith, an action prohibited by the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”
The Becket Fund has a successful record with RLUIPA cases throughout the country and is a national expert on this and other religious liberty issues.
“We believe the lower court too narrowly defined RLUIPA,” said Hasson regarding the Connecticut Superior Court’s earlier decision. “The Town of Newton needs to take seriously its obligations under federal law. We are pleased to share our expertise with the state Supreme Court and hope that our brief provides them with the information necessary to help them decide to reverse the lower court’s decision.”
A date for oral arguments, the next step in the appeals process, is not expected to be set for several weeks.
Resources & Documents
- Becket Fund Amicus Brief (10/12/2006) (PDF, 4KB)