A Pentecostal church in New York has won the ability to build an auditorium and a school on land it owns after a 14-year battle with the suburb’s officials.
After Fortress Bible Church purchased the land in 1998, the city ordered an environmental impact review and asked the church to make a donation to the city in lieu of taxes; the tax-exempt church refused. The church and its pastor, Reverend Dennis Karaman, sued the suburb of Greenburgh for allegedly blocking the church from building and violating their land use and constitutional rights.
The judge determined that city officials had “acted in bad faith” and ordered the town to issue a building permit, but the city of Greenburgh appealed the decision. The appeal was heard Monday, September 24 by a three-judge panel, which again found in favor of the church.
The church’s lawyer, Donna Frosco, said it was “disappointing they have had to endure this war of attrition for so long, and now we are hoping they will be able to join the community.”
This article was written by a churchleaders.com staff writer.
