A California legal group insists it is unlawful for a county to ban churches.
Calvary Chapel Bible Fellowship in Temecula is preparing to file a lawsuit against Riverside County in response to the ban keeping churches out of the Temecula Wine Country. A public hearing will be held on August 22 to decide on churches in the region.
Christian Newswire reports that Pastor Clark Van Wick of Calvary Chapel Bible Fellowship met with vintners and was told, "We don't want your kind out here." But Bob Tyler of Advocates for Faith & Freedom says there is no justification for that.
"Temecula Wine Country is currently excluding churches for no real apparent justification," he asserts. "We believe that churches should be permitted in the zones, particularly when the zone allows wineries and other facilities to host weddings and concerts and other events that really resemble religious functions as well."
The church received permission in 1999 to model its building and build a new facility at the location. But shortly after that, the county passed a law banning churches from Wine Country.
Churches in the area have submitted more than 3,000 letters to the county asking it to overturn the ban.