Cheers erupted from a crowd from the Shady Shores neighborhood near Lake Lanier recently, as the Forsyth County Planning Commission voted 5- 0 to recommend denial of a conditional use permit for a Hindu temple in their neighborhood.
Speakers raised several objections to the proposal by Dr. Sumalatha Satoor to construct an 11,200 square-foot religious facility with 109 parking spaces and a 4,100-square-foot priest’s residence. They claimed that roads couldn’t carry anticipated traffic volume and that parking and septic issues were also a concern. An attorney for Satoor told the commission that she’s willing to consider changes that would mitigate neighborhood impacts. Attorney Stuart Teague said that could include reducing the size of the temple, which would occupy land that has been zoned single family residential.
A member of the planning commission contended his opposition had nothing to do with religious beliefs, after Teague pointed out that a 2000 federal law prohibits the use of zoning to promulgate religious discrimination.
The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners is set to take up the matter later this month.
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