Chandra Wallar, the county's general manager of land use and environment, said the county has re-examined the situation and decided that the Joneses don't need a permit after all.
They folded like a cheap suit after given a 24-hr deadline by the pastor's lawyer.
She said the county was not targeting the Joneses because they were exercising their religion, but rather it was trying to address parking and traffic issues.
“We've advised the pastor he has the authority to continue to hold his meetings just as he's held them,” Wallar said. “My hope is we will be able to resolve the traffic concerns.”
I don't know what was in the minds of the county officials or the neighbor that complained about the amount of cars, but it sure reeks of an anti-Christian crusade. There was no legitimate reason for them to go after the couple in this way. If there really was 30-40 cars like the neighbor complained there were, the county could of approached them for a resolution before threatening them with fines.
Instead, they used a statute meant for churches to stop the peaceful religious assembling of a few people. They could of used other statutes that referenced residential parking issues, but they had to bring their religion into it. Why would they do that other than to show contempt for their beliefs?
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