Large Lot Churches!?

[AubieTurtle]

A city in suburban Atlanta just passed a law requiring all churches to have at least five acres of land. They said the law came into being because several small churches had popped up lately. Seems to be this is a way of making sure that only mega-churches exist and that there can be no neighborhood churches that members can walk to. Sad.

[Mods, feel free to spin this into its own thread if it is off topic. My recent alley post was combined into another one so I'm wary of starting a new topic close to one under discussion]

 

[Cardinal]

A city in suburban Atlanta just passed a law requiring all churches to have at least five acres of land. They said the law came into being because several small churches had popped up lately. Seems to be this is a way of making sure that only mega-churches exist and that there can be no neighborhood churches that members can walk to. Sad.

[Mods, feel free to spin this into its own thread if it is off topic. My recent alley post was combined into another one so I'm wary of starting a new topic close to one under discussion]

This would be a good topic for a new thread. I would think this requirement would run afoul of both good planning and RLUIPA. What about churches in established neighborhoods? It would be nearly impossible for them to find a suitable, affordable location. It would also seem to discourage re-use of buildings and promote sprawl.

 

[Seabishop]

It seems unfair just based upon freedom of religion grounds. Only certain denomenations can muster up enough of a congregation for a 5 acre site. It seems to favor the established religion of the area, while smaller congregations are SOL. As long as you can meet the parking requirements why 5 acres?

 

[jordanb]

Yeah this sounds a lot like a plan to discourage small denominations.

At least they won't have any HALLELULJAH CHURCH OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST THE HIGH CREATOR AMEN type churches this way.

This kinda makes me think that the sprawl churches need a good name though. How about Worship-Mart or McGod?

 

[Wulf9]

Any church with a good lawyer will get their church and a lot of the taxpayer's cash under RLIUPA.

 

[Chet]

I agree that there are serious RLUIPA concerns here. There is no rational nexus between lot size and practive of religious activities.

 

[NHPlanner]

I agree that there are serious RLUIPA concerns here. There is no rational nexus between lot size and practive of religious activities.

Absolutely.

 

[The One]

No kidding

Absolutely! McGod, that's funny :-D

 

[Seabishop]

This kinda makes me think that the sprawl churches need a good name though. How about Worship-Mart or McGod?

Drive-thru communion? You can go to church in your pajamas listening to the game!

 

[ludes98]

Drive-thru communion? You can go to church in your pajamas listening to the game!

Honestly, there is a church in Scottsdale, AZ that has drive in like the old movie "theatres". Strange but true.