The U.S. Department of Justice has backed a Christian church's lawsuit against Santa Ana, claiming the city's zoning denial infringes on religious land use rights. Anchor Stone, a Chinese-American church, sought to use a property for worship that was zoned for professional use and was required to obtain a conditional use permit, which was denied. The church's lawsuit claims this denial violates the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), with the Justice Department stating the city's zoning code shows bias against religious assembly compared to nonreligious uses.
The City Council's consistent denial of Anchor Stone's application is seen as a violation of their rights under RLUIPA, undermining religious assembly rights.
The Justice Department argues that Santa Ana's zoning code discriminates against religious assembly, violating the RLUIPA by treating them less favorably than nonreligious uses.
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