st barts case brief
DESCRIPTION
The Rector, Wardens, and Members of the Vestry of St. Bartholomew’s Church v. City of New York and the Landmarks Preservation Commission of the City of New York , 914F.2D 348 (2nd Cir. 1990).TRANSCRIPT
Ed FitzGerald03/23/08
PRESERVATION CASE BRIEF:The Rector, Wardens, and Members of the Vestry of St. Bartholomew’s Church v. City of New York and the Landmarks Preservation Commission of the City of New York , 914F.2D 348 (2nd Cir. 1990).
Facts
The Landmarks Commission denied an application for a certificate of appropriateness submitted by
St. Bartholomew’s Church on grounds that the proposed demolition of a supposedly unviable
auxiliary structure and replacement with a revenue-generating 47-story office tower would interfere
with the historic and aesthetic integrity of the landmark-designated property. Action was brought
against the Commission by the plaintiffs alleging that its application of New York City Landmark
Preservation Law had imposed an unconstitutional burden on free exercise of religion, limiting its
liturgical practices.
Issue
Whether Landmarks Law unconstitutionally denied equal protection, applying different standards of
hardship to charitable and commercial organizations, and whether the Commission’s application of
said law violated the Church’s First Amendment right to free exercise of religion by entangling
government in religious affairs through limiting the Church’s options to raise revenue for purposes of
expanding charitable activities central to its religious mission.
Holding
The Court determined Landmarks Law to be neutral and so, constitutional, and found that the
Commission’s application of said law did not interfere with the practice of religious beliefs and thus
violate the Church’s First Amendment rights.
Rationale
The Court grounded its decision on its finding that the Church had failed to prove by preponderance of
evidence that the Commission had prevented the Church from carrying out its religious and charitable
mission in its existing facilities and that deprivation of commercial value was reasonable as long as
the continued use for present activities remained viable. Landmarks Law was found to be neutral
regulation, generally applicable (e.g. zoning ordinances) to sacred and secular establishments alike,
and so did not deny the ability to practice religion or constitute coercion in the nature of those
practices affirming that “the right of free exercise does not relieve an individual of the obligation to
comply with a ‘valid and neutral law of general applicability’” (quoting Stevens, J., U.S. v. Lee).