Tiburon, CA - Town Puts Expansion of Synagogue in Limbo When it Proposed Restrictions to Address Neighbors

Tiburon, CA - Hotly contested plans to expand a synagogue remained in limbo as town officials entered a new package of regulations into the discussion.

The Town Council unanimously approved a set of recommendations including parking management, reductions in building and event size and activity on the Kol Shofar Synagogue.
In proposing the recommended solution, Vice Mayor Tom Gram, who helped draft the package, called it "our attempt to balance the issue on both sides." "We've proposed a series of restrictions and controls on Kol Shofar, which we believe address neighbors concerns," Gram said.
The town council wants to cut back in the number of events and people in attendance as well ending events an hour earlier on weekends.

"We have asked only for space and for usage for critically needed religious uses," said expansion proponent Ron Brown. Synagogue officials contend the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act was created for cases such as theirs. The act prohibits "substantial burdens" on the exercise of religion by government regulations, unless a compelling need can be demonstrated.