Religious freedom battle erupts as New Jersey town attempts to turn church property into pickleball courts
Christ Episcopal Church in Toms River, New Jersey, found itself at the center of a highly charged legal battle after its leaders moved to expand outreach to the area's homeless population and proposed a 17-bed overnight shelter.
"It didn't take long for neighbors to become concerned," Harvey York, the church's attorney, told Fox News Digital.
On April 30, the Toms River Township Council placed an ordinance on its agenda to condemn the church's 10-acre site, which includes the parish house, auditorium, school, sanctuary and deacon's residence, under its eminent domain power.
Church Fights New Jersey Town Over Plans To Seize Property And Turn It Into Park
The town's plan is to turn the congregation's property into a recreational area.
Read On The Fox News App
"Any governmental agency has the right to condemn property for governmental purposes. That's clear. However, the township has never thought of this as a recreational site," York said. "For them to say they need recreational land flies in the face of the facts and their master plan."
York and his legal team argue that the move to seize the property is the township's direct response to the church's shelter initiative.
"It is clear that this is being done in retaliation for the church making an application for a homeless shelter," he said, pointing to both the constitutional protections for freedom of religion and the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.
"I don't know that you'll find a lawyer who will say, 'Oh, yeah, they have every right to do this; they're going to win.'"
Despite rising community support, from local congregants to offers of amicus assistance nationwide, reactions remain mixed within the New Jersey town.
"There are people that are thrilled that the mayor is going to condemn the property," York said, but he believes "the majority of the community is shocked and dismayed."
Business Owners Take On City They Say Is Playing 'Musical Chairs' With Property In Eminent Domain Case
As for the church's next steps, litigation is certain.
"The plan will be decided by the diocese," York said. "But they certainly will litigate the issue, and I believe it will be successful."
The church's attorney said the government should "mind their own business and stay out of the religious affairs of the community."
Five or six hearings have taken place, and the next zoning board meeting is scheduled for May 22. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Township of Toms River for comment on the pending litigation and the hearings.
The church originally applied in July 2023 to operate an outreach center for the homeless, an effort that was approved. According to York, their application for the shelter fully complies with local and state regulations.Original article source: Religious freedom battle erupts as New Jersey town attempts to turn church property into pickleball courts
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Forbes
6 hours ago
- Forbes
Will Trump Pardon Ghislaine Maxwell? President Says He's ‘Allowed' To Do It
President Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of pardoning Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell on Friday—saying he hadn't 'thought about' the possibility but is 'allowed' to pardon her—as Maxwell's interview with Justice Department prosecutors this week has sparked new questions about whether the Trump administration could offer her a pardon in exchange for exonerating the president from Epstein's crimes. Ghislaine Maxwell and now-President Donald Trump attend the 50th Anniversary of the Ford Modeling ... More Agency in New York City on Oct. 30, 1997. NY Daily News via Getty Images Trump was asked about the possibility of pardoning Maxwell as she enters her second day of questioning by the DOJ and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted on charges of sex trafficking and transporting minors to participate in illegal sex acts, stemming from her role in Epstein's alleged sexual abuse. Trump told reporters he 'hadn't thought about' pardoning Maxwell or commuting her sentence, adding, 'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about.' The president did not respond to a follow up question asking if that meant he had not ruled out the possibility of pardoning Maxwell. The DOJ's interview with Maxwell has sparked criticism that it could tee up a potential pardon, as legal experts speculate the Epstein associate has little reason to speak with prosecutors unless it could benefit her case. Legal analysts have suggested the Trump administration could pardon Maxwell in exchange for testimony that's favorable to Trump, with former Watergate prosecutor Nick Akerman telling CNN prosecutors are hoping Maxwell 'will be motivated to say that Donald Trump didn't know what Jeffrey Epstein was up to with underage girls and they never participated in that.' This story is breaking and will be updated.


Fox News
8 hours ago
- Fox News
Youngkin unleashes cutting-edge AI technology in effort to slash Virginia's government red tape
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is embarking on a landmark project to use "agentic" artificial intelligence to hasten his 2022 pledge to cut one-quarter of Virginia's red-tape regulatory structure during his tenure. The term-limited Republican signed an executive order that introduced a pilot program using AI to scan the entirety of Richmond's regulations and official guidance. "We ask each agency to calculate the savings to them associated with any action that is taken. For more information about our methodology, I would point you to the Regulatory Economic Analysis Manual, which can be found online," Youngkin spokesperson Peter Finocchio told Fox News Digital. "AI is utilized in two key ways in this process: comparing existing regulations with what is actually required by statute, to identify any redundancies, and comparing Virginia's regulations to those in other states, to see if other states are accomplishing similar goals more efficiently and with less red tape." "AI is utilized in this way to make recommendations, but there is always a human in the loop making the final decisions, which is required by Executive Order 30," Finocchio added. Agentic AI refers to artificial intelligence that differs from typical reactive bots like ChatGPT or Grok that provide information based on prompts, and instead can be programmed to pursue a goal, make autonomous decisions and take actions. Driverless cars like Waymo taxis are another real-world example of such technology. AI will "supercharge" the Youngkin administration's efforts, his office said in a statement, and help ensure that government is streamlined and modernized to better serve the people of the Old Dominion. "We have made tremendous strides towards streamlining regulations and the regulatory process in the Commonwealth. Using emergent artificial intelligence tools, we will push this effort further in order to continue our mission of unleashing Virginia's economy in a way that benefits all of its citizens," said Youngkin, who was a successful executive in the private sector before entering government. The AI tool will alert the state to any areas in which regulations are redundant, contradictory or overbroad. State agencies will then be able to use the AI platform in the future as well to continue breaking down the barriers to effective governance. "The 'Virginia model' for regulatory modernization has become the gold standard across the U.S., with other states and federal agencies looking to replicate our reforms," Virginia Regulatory Management Director Reeve Bull said. "With this newest initiative, Virginia will continue to lead the nation, becoming the first state to launch an agentic AI tool to power the regulatory reduction process," Bull added. Thus far, state government guidance documentation has been culled by nearly half, as roughly 48% of the total word counts have been deleted. That figure adds to the 26% of regulatory requirements statewide that have been either streamlined or eliminated, resulting in an estimated $1.2 billion annual taxpayer savings. The state indicated that there are still some agencies in Richmond that have not met Youngkin's 25% goal laid out in his original order.


Fox News
10 hours ago
- Fox News
Trump heads to Scotland to talk golf, politics and trade
President Donald Trump will depart for Scotland on Friday for a five-day trip where he will check in with his golf resorts in Turnberry and Aberdeen, as well as with British Prime Minister Kier Starmer and head of the Scottish government, First Minister John Swinney. While it is unclear what dates he will be meeting with the British leaders, one topic of conversation expected to be top of the list is the U.S.-U.K. trade agreement. The U.K. is one of the few countries with which the U.S. has advanced its trade agreements under relatively amicable terms, signing a deal dubbed the "Economic Prosperity Deal" last month, which agreed to slash tariffs. It is unclear what details the pair will hash out, but according to Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, an international affairs think tank based in London, the June deal was more of a "head of terms," essentially stating both nations' intent to move forward with new trade terms. "Now we expect to see more detail to be hammered out and specific rates on various industries to be specified," Mendoza explained to Fox News Digital. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also told reporters last week that Trump and Starmer will meet "to refine the great trade deal that was brokered," though the White House did not answer Fox News Digital's questions about what specifically will be discussed over the weekend. "The U.K. is the only country to have secured this deal with the U.S., reducing car export tariffs from 27.5% to 10%, saving manufacturers hundreds of millions each year and protecting hundreds of thousands of jobs," the British government said in a statement. "At the same time, the aerospace sector has seen the removal of 10% tariffs on goods such as engines and aircraft parts, helping make companies such as Rolls Royce more competitive and allow them to continue to be at the cutting edge of innovation." Starmer championed his relationship with Trump in a BBC interview earlier this month and said that it was "in the national interest" for the two men to get along. "We are different people, and we've got different political backgrounds and leanings, but we do have a good relationship and that comes from a number of places," Starmer told BBC podcast "Political Thinking." "I think I do understand what anchors the president, what he really cares about." Apart from geopolitical talks, Trump is expected to get in a round of golf at one of his courses when visiting his clubs, like he did in 2018 when he visited the historic golf resort and hotel at Turnberry. The British government did not respond to Fox News Digital's questions whether Starmer is expected to play alongside Trump at any point during his trip. Scotland appears to hold special significance for Trump as his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, was born and raised in Scotland before she moved to Queens, New York, and he dedicated his club in Aberdeen to her after breaking ground in 2023 and naming an 18-round course the MacLeod Course. He is also reported to have created a memorial garden to his mother at the resort. Though his strong affection for Scotland has not always been reciprocated and Trump has previously been met with protests during his trip. Scotland Police confirmed with Fox New Digital that "significant" security precautions have been taken ahead of Trump's visit, including pulling in additional forces from across the U.K. to help with the police effort. "A policing plan will be in place to maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimize disruption," Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said, confirming that protests are once again expected. "The visit will require a significant police operation using local, national and specialist resources from across Police Scotland, supported by colleagues from other U.K. police forces as part of mutual aid arrangements," she added. Trump will return to the U.K. in September for an official state visit, where he will meet with King Charles III at Windsor Castle. The visit will mark the first time the U.K. has invited a U.S. president for a second state visit.