Plano, TX- Templo La Fe wins settlement against the city of Balch Springs today after a legal battle to build a church on the land they purchased in 1997.
Balch Springs prevented Templo La Fe Worship Center, a small Hispanic church from building the church due to the city’s discriminatory zoning regulations.
“We are pleased with the decision today by the City of Balch Springs to stop its religious discrimination against churches. We are glad that the Templo La Fe Worship Center was willing to stand not only for their freedoms, but also the freedoms of other churches around the nation,” said Hiram Sasser, director of litigation for Liberty Legal Institute.
The city of Balch Springs reversed its original decision to prevent the church from building on its own land and agreed to pay damages to the church and attorneys’ fees and costs.
The city council members that originally blocked the church from building were recalled by the citizens of Balch Springs, and a new council oversaw the settlement.
Liberty Legal filed the suit in June 2004 against the City of Balch Springs when it prevented the Hispanic church from building its first church building. When the City failed to comply, The U.S. Department of Justice opened an investigation.
“One by one, cities in Texas are learning the hard lesson that they cannot discriminate against churches or they will face serious consequences. The Liberty Legal Institute will continue to defend every churches’ right to exist, free from burdensome zoning regulations,” Sasser said.