Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Yuba City v. County of Sutter

326 F. Supp. 2d 1128, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25716, 2003 WL 23676117
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. California
DecidedOctober 17, 2003
DocketCV.S-02-1785 LKK/GGH
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 326 F. Supp. 2d 1128 (Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Yuba City v. County of Sutter) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Yuba City v. County of Sutter, 326 F. Supp. 2d 1128, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25716, 2003 WL 23676117 (E.D. Cal. 2003).

Opinion

ORDER

KARLTON, Senior District Judge.

Plaintiff, a religious organization, brings this civil rights action challenging county officials’ denial of its application for a permit to build a temple on its land. This matter comes before the court on defendants’ motion for judgment on the pleadings pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(c). I decide the matter on the basis of the papers and pleadings filed herein, and after oral argument.

I.

THE COMPLAINT

Plaintiff Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Yuba City (GNSSYC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering the teachings and practices of the Sikh religion. 1 This action concerns a parcel of property that plaintiff owns in Yuba City, and on which plaintiff has sought to build a Sikh temple, or gurudwara. Plaintiff brings suit against the County of Sutter and its Board of Supervisors, as well as Casey Kroon, Dennis Nelson, Larry Munger and Dan Silva, each sued in their official capacities as members of the Sutter County Board of Supervisors. The suit alleges various constitutional and statutory violations in connection with the County’s denial of plaintiffs application for a conditional use permit for building the temple.

A. THE GROVE ROAD PROPERTY

On April 4, 2001, plaintiff initially attempted to obtain a conditional use permit for the construction of a temple on its 1.89 acre property on Grove Road in Yuba City. The proposed use included a 2,000 square foot assembly area, 1,550 square foot dedicated to restrooms, storage and an entryway, and an additional 1,500 square feet dedicated as a dining area and conversion of an existing building to be used as a commercial kitchen for temple activities. The proposed temple site would hold religious ceremonies for no more than 75 people at a time. The property was in an area designated for residential use, primarily for large-lot single-family residences; in such areas, churches and temples are only conditionally permitted.

The Sutter County Community Services Department issued a report recommending that the County Planning Commission *1131 grant the conditional use permit. The report indicated that while the permit presented potential conflicts with established residences in the area, the conflicts could be minimized by specifically recommended conditions which would be consistent with the general plan. At a public meeting on April 4, 2001, however, the County Planning Commission voted unanimously to reject the conditional use permit. The decision was apparently based on citizen objections concerning noise and traffic that would interfere with the existing residential neighborhood. Following the Commission’s denial, plaintiff began searching for a more suitable parcel of property for the proposed temple.

B. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY

In 2002, plaintiff acquired the subject property for the purposes of building a temple there. It is a 28.8 acre parcel located in an area zoned for general agricultural use. The parcel included an existing 2,300 square foot single family residence, which the plaintiff proposed to convert into a Sikh temple by increasing the size of the building to approximately 2,800 square feet. As before, the building was designed to accommodate religious services for no more than 75 people at any given time.

The County Community Services Department again recommended approval of plaintiffs application for a conditional use permit, including certain mitigation measures to alleviate environmental concerns. On April 3, 2002, the County Planning Commission held a public meeting to consider plaintiffs permit application. After receiving evidence and public comment, the Commission approved the permit subject to certain mitigating conditions.

On April 5, 2002, an appeal of the Commission’s decision was filed with the Board of Supervisors, and a hearing on that appeal was set for May 21, 2002. On May 10, 2002, the County Community Services Department submitted its staff report, recommending that the Board of Supervisors deny the appeal and uphold the decision of the Planning Commission to approve the permit. The Department determined that the proposed use was consistent with the general plan and that the recommended mitigation measures would mitigate any adverse impact on surrounding property owners.

On May 21, 2002, the Board of Supervisors met to consider the appeal and, by unanimous vote, rejected the recommendation of the Community Services Department and reversed the County Planning Commission’s decision to grant the conditional use permit. The Board of Supervisors directed county counsel to prepare findings that: (1) the proposed use would create an unacceptable level of traffic, (2) the proposed use would conflict with agricultural operations in the area, (3) the proposed use is inconsistent with residential uses in the area, and (4) the establishment, maintenance, and operation of the proposed use will be detrimental to the health, safety and general welfare of persons residing or working in the neighborhood of the proposed use, and be detrimental or injurious to property improvements in the neighborhood and to the general welfare of the county.

C. PLAINTIFF’S CLAIMS

On August 19, 2002, plaintiff filed the instant action, alleging over twenty state and federal claims. Thereafter, plaintiff voluntarily withdrew thirteen of these claims. Plaintiffs remaining claims allege that Sutter County’s land use regulations, both on their face and as applied, and defendants’ denial of the conditional use permit application, violate the Free Exercise and Equal Protection Clause of the *1132 Constitution, and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUI-PA). A cause of action for judicial review in accordance with California Code of Civil Procedure § 1094.5 also remains.

Plaintiff alleges that defendants have deprived it and its members of their right to be free from religious discrimination and their right to free exercise of religion by treating them on terms less than equal to those of a non-religious organization, by imposing a substantial burden on religious exercise, and by unreasonably limiting religious assemblies. Plaintiff seeks injunc-tive, declaratory and compensatory relief.

II.

STANDARDS UNDER FED. R. CIV. P 12(C)

A motion for judgment on the pleadings may be brought “[ajfter the pleadings are closed but within such time as to not delay the trial.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(c). All allegations of fact by the party opposing a motion for judgment on the pleadings are accepted as true. Doleman v. Meiji Mut. Life Ins. Co., 727 F.2d 1480, 1482 (9th Cir.1984). A “dismissal on the pleadings for failure to state a claim is proper only if ‘the movant clearly establishes that no material issue of fact remains to be resolved and that he is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.’ ” Id.

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326 F. Supp. 2d 1128, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25716, 2003 WL 23676117, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/guru-nanak-sikh-society-of-yuba-city-v-county-of-sutter-caed-2003.