Decision Reversed; Hispanic Fellowship Can Proceed with Building
by Allie Martin
November 18, 2004
(AgapePress) - A Hispanic church in Texas has won approval from city officials in a Dallas suburb to construct a worship center on church-owned property.This past summer, the Templo La Fe Worship Center sued the city of Balch Springs after city officials prevented the church from constructing its first church building on land the church purchased in 1997. When the city failed to comply, the U.S. Department of Justice opened an investigation into the matter.
Hiram Sasser is director of litigation for Liberty Legal Institute (LLI), the Plano-based firm that sued the city on behalf of the church. "In this case, this was really easy because the city wasn't following their own zoning regulations in the first place," the attorney explains. "They were intentionally discriminating against this small Hispanic church for no good reason."
As Sasser explains, the city has now reversed its original decision and agreed to pay damages to the church and attorneys' fees and costs. "The thing we have to remember is that churches in this country receive special protection," he says, "and these cities can't push them around with these zoning regulations because federal law protects them."
The LLI spokesman also commends the Hispanic church for the example it set by refusing to back down to the city. "Templo La Fe Worship Center was willing to stand not only for their freedoms," Sasser says, "but also the freedoms of other churches around the nation."
The attorney says that "one by one," communities in the Lone Star State are learning the lesson that if they discriminate against churches, they will face serious consequences.
According to LLI, the members of the city council who originally blocked the church from building have since been recalled by local citizens. A new council oversaw this recent settlement.
