VENTURA, CA -- The Ventura County Superior Court today dismissed a significant portion of the lawsuit brought by the Dos Vientos Community Preservation Association (Association) and Donald Armstrong, in an attempt to force the city of Thousand Oaks to discriminate against a California church and a non-profit organization.
In Dos Vientos Community Preservation Association v. City of Thousand Oaks, Liberty Counsel represents a nonprofit foundation (Foundation) which purchased a former YMCA building and entered into an agreement to rent it to Godspeak Calvary Chapel Church. The alleged "Association" consisting of a few individuals stated that the church's use has not been cleared under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The plaintiffs argued that the church should not be considered a religious organization entitled to protection under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which requires that religious organizations receive equal treatment as do other organizations in government zoning decisions.
