Buddhist Temple Settles with Garden Grove

September 17, 2008

Author: Deepa Bharath

Source: The Orange County Register

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/temple-city-federal-2160043-limited-council

A settlement has been reached between the Buddhist temple and the city. The temple in August 2006 filed a federal lawsuit against the city challenging the constitutionality of Garden Grove's zoning code.

Belinda Helzer, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the temple and the city will announce the terms of the settlement during a news conference at 10 a.m. today.

The lawsuit stemmed from Planning Commission and City Council denials of requests by the Quan Am Buddhist Temple to rezone its property at the corner of Chapman Avenue and Nutwood Street from "office or professional" to "residential." The temple had planned to expand the temple into a two-story, 13,000-square-foot facility.