The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal from Burtonsville landowners who claim Montgomery County illegally enforced a zoning requirement that prevented a Christian group from building a church on their land. Without comment, the justices let stand a lower court ruling that the county did not violate the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act by refusing to alter its master plan and extend sewer service to the planned building. The federal law, known by its acronym RLUIPA, prohibits government from imposing substantial burdens on religious exercise through land use restrictions. Montgomery County has denied the alleged violation. The county’s refusal to extend sewer service — and court decisions upholding the refusal — have blocked Burtonsville Associates and Burtonsville Crossing LLC’s planned sale of their land to Canaan Christian Church, a sales plan which has been in place since 2013. The landowners lobbied the county on behalf of themselves and the church and ultimately pressed their legal challenge to the Supreme Court – to no avail. The owners’ attorney, Roman P. Storzer, did not immediately return a message Monday seeking comment on their plans. The owners’ denied appeal was docketed at the Supreme Court as […]
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