Arundel Bay Christian Academy is suing Anne Arundel County in federal court, alleging that the county has deliberately used ? and misused ? zoning and building regulations to prevent the church from opening a new school on 57 acres it owns in Lothian.
The church is operates a school on another church?s property less than two miles away, the lawsuit says. The facilities can only accommodate 175 students, and the church would like to serve 300 students.
“Due to the lack of adequate classroom, chapel and cafeteria space, the church is forced to turn away scores of students every year for the last four years who are seeking a Christian education,” the suit says.
The plaintiffs include Joseph Lewis, who was refused acceptance to the school because of lack of space, and Gavin Shuart, a student attending the school whose “religious education has suffered due to the purposeful deprivations of the defendants.”
The defendants named are Anne Arundel County; the Anne Arundel Board of Appeals; County Executive Janet Owens; Spurgeon Eismeier, director of inspections and permits; Joseph Rutter, a planning and zoning officer; and Robert Miller, a land-use officer.
They are accused ofcreating unnecessary legal obstacles that have not been applied to other landowners in the county.
In addition, Owens is accused of “an interest in land very close to the church?s property” and of being “personally biased against the church?s school project.” The lawsuit does not elaborate, but Owens has a phone listed in her name for an address near the church?s land.
“There?s not much we can say about a lawsuit,” said county spokesman Matt Diehl, declining any further comment on behalf of Owens.
“We haven?t been served. I don?t know anything about it,” said Supervising County Attorney Patricia Logan.
Eismeier, Rutter and Miller would also have no comment, said a woman who answered the phone in their office. She referred questions to the county attorney?s office.
The lawsuit asks the court to prevent the county from interfering with the church?s development of its property. It also asks for unspecified monetary damages.
