This story was on KSTP on the 6 o'clock and 10 o'clock news:

A church that wants to build a new house of worship filed a lawsuit against Wayzata accusing the city of violating a federal law.

The Unitarian Universalists Church said it has outgrown its current building at 605 Rice Street East. It asked the city to build a new church along Interstate 394.

The city said no, because the area is zoned for residential structures and churches are only allowed in areas zoned as institutional areas.

Wayzata Mayor Ken Willcox said, "The major priority of the city over the years has been to preserve the single family home neighborhoods that we have left."

The church said only 4 percent of the city is zoned as institutional and none of that land is for sale. The church said that violates a 2000 federal law that protects churches against most zoning restrictions.

Sam Diehl, attorney for church, said, "The goal here isn't a protracted lawsuit. The goal is to have the city comply with the law."

The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has opened a formal investigating, but is not commenting.

Republican Mayor Ken Wilcox has told this church "no" for two years and now the City is being threatened with a law suit. 

How would you feel if a church wanted the land right next door to your house, land that isn't for sale.  Land that is zoned residential.  Your local government stands up for your property rights and the church brings in the federal government to get their way.  Why?  Why not simply move to another nearby city?  In the words of a friend personally affected by this case, "These people never stop."

The taxpayers of Wayzata should buckle down and take this case all the way to the top.  It's time to start standing up to these bullies.