In Lansing, Buddhist Temple Faces Zoning Violations

April 5, 2004

Source: The State News

https://statenews.com/article/2004/04/temple_trouble

On April 5, 2004 The State News reported, "A Buddhist temple located at 2514 W. Jolly Road in Lansing is currently staring immense suffering in the face. The temple, for all intents and purposes, is a regular home in a residential neighborhood. It's sandwiched between private residences and a white statue of Buddha stands out front to greet temple visitors. Inside, mostly Vietnamese Buddhists gather to meditate, worship and share fellowship in the temple's limited accommodations. It essentially is a self-supportive community within its walls, the only irregularity being the housing in which the temple exists. Members recently were notified by the city of Lansing that their temple could be in violation of a host of city ordinances. Before any house of worship is allowed in a residential area, it must receive a permit, which requires the building to be located on at least 2 acres of land. There also are concerns of parking - the temple hosts up to 100 people on special occasions - and accessibility for disabled people also remains an issue. Given the circumstances and stripped down to the brass tacks of the matter, the temple basically is in the wrong neighborhood, without the means to bring itself up to required code. Members are fiercely proud of their community, however, and say that the Lansing home is the only relatively local temple available to them."