• Sidebar Ads




Bible Park zoning challenge to continue


 Related Articles
Email Print
Even though Bible Park USA is going to Lebanon, the Shelton family’s challenge to the Rutherford County Zoning Resolution will continue.

“As we said early on, this is not about the Bible Park. There are issues of law, due process, and transparency that remain before the Court,” said Steve Shelton, spokesman for the family.

Last week, California-based Entertainment Development Group announced plans to make Lebanon the future site of Bible Park USA. The company has optioned 113 acres north of Interstate 40, between the Murfreesboro and Watertown exits for the park. The property’s sale is contingent on project approval by the Lebanon and Wilson County governments.

The Shelton family, which owns the 240 acres previously optioned by BPU, filed suit against Rutherford County in June challenging the county’s use of a landowner petition and the subsequent denial of the park’s rezoning request.

In May, the landowner petition forced a two-thirds majority vote by the county commission for rezoning and conditional-use permit request by BPU Holding, LLC, the developer behind Bible Park USA. The vote fell in two short of the 14 needed to approve the park’s plans.

The lawsuit requests the landowner petition be corrected, the zoning application approved and attorney’s fees be paid by the county. No specific damages were requested.

“This is a landowner rights case,” Shelton family attorney Taylor Harris said in a previous hearing for the case. “It’s our position that landowner rights have been violated.”

The case is scheduled to go to trial Wednesday, Oct. 1.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.
 
 
 
Tagged under  BPU, RUCO


Member Opinions:
By: hikerman on 9/22/08
The Sheltons are proving themselves to be greedy neighbors who care nothing about the community or the county. If they cannot accept that BPUSA was a deeply unpopular scam that was legitimately defeated, then they need to move away and quit trying to sue the county with this frivolous lawsuit.

By: constant on 9/22/08
I hate the bible park idea, but on the other hand if I owned the land and felt like I didn't get a fair opportunity to sell it I would want "my day in court" as well.

I don't think the lawsuit is frivolous, it is their right.

By: peri_winkle on 9/22/08
I agree w/constant on all counts--against the park (for the same reasons as hikerman), but not against the lawsuit. getting this into court is the only way to resolve the zoning ordinance issues. with that done, we'll know what we're up against next time.

By: Farmall on 9/24/08
Good luck with the property rights issue, if the supreme court is any example.

By: lifelibandprop on 9/24/08
Like the BPU idea or not, this is not a frivolous lawsuit. These property owners where subjected to a strict 2/3 vote in a rezoning request when the average property owner's request requires only a simple majority. That is a legal double standard and is completely immoral. I do not recall the portion of the constitution that addresses due process stating that unequal "due process" was permisable if the "neighbors don't like what your doing".


Login and voice your opinion!
Powered by Bondware
Newspaper Software | Email Marketing Tools | E-Commerce Marketplace