Source: www.southasiamail.com
AUSTIN, TEXAS, September 2, 2010: A Texas appellate-court ruling that a newly built Sikh temple near Austin must be razed or moved has sparked an international outcry from members of the religious group, some of whom claim discrimination is at the heart of the case.
While disputes over buildings between municipal officials and religious groups are common, this case is unusual in that zoning laws aren’t an issue. And most property suits don’t persist after construction has been completed.
The dispute began when a couple in the neighborhood filed a lawsuit on the grounds that the temple violated the subdivision’s rules restricting construction to single-family dwellings. The couple, John and Leslie Bollier, say it isn’t about religion, but rather the construction of a building that could bring down property values in a residential neighborhood.
Bee Cave officials say the temple meets zoning laws for that area, and it doesn’t enforce private residency restrictions. Only property owners that are subject to the covenants can file suit to enforce the rules.
The congregation started plans to build a temple on the property and obtained all necessary permits from the city, said Harnek Bains, president of the Austin congregation. He said his group was unaware of the subdivision’s restricting covenants stating that only single-family dwellings can be built on the lot and that they must be used as housing.
Sikh organization Austin Gurdwara Sahib said it cost $350,000 to build the temple, and it paid $100,000 for the land. The temple was built to replace a mobile home that the congregation of about 60 families in central Texas had been using as a place of worship since 2003. Construction was completed in April and has been used by congregation ever since.