OC Couple Threatened With $500-Per-Meeting Fines For Home Bible Study

so then you agree that if i have 4 friends over every sunday to watch football i should have to pay for a permit? or if I happen to find a really good deal on a nice car and i decide to buy it for my son who turns 16 in three weeks, the town has the right to tow that car out of my driveway after 10 days simply because it doesn't have a license plate on it? while the kid that lives across the street owns a 1978 datsun rotbucket with plastic on the back window, its painted 3 different colors and a bungee cord holding the hatchback down and ductape holding the headlights in place but because his car has a license plate and the 2008 jeep grand cherokee i just purchased that is in excellent condition doesn't have a license plate, my jeep gets towed because IT might be an eyesore to the neighbors?
what I'm saying is that some common sense needs to be taken into consideration. city mandates pertaining to my house and my property can be a real slippery slope

 

If that's what your city ordinance says, then of course. We are either bound by the rule of law or we are not.

See above.

Of course. The law can not be applied selectively. Take the plate off the rustbucket and it gets towed too. Heck you could put a Bugatti Veyron in your drive and if it's not registered... well, you know what will happen.

Certainly. What we are talking about here is carefully balancing competing interests. Is a limit of 4 unpermitted guests in a private home a bit over the top? Of course it is. But it does not surprise me in the least considering Laguna Beach -- a very affluent community where you can't as much sneeze without proper authorization. But how about 40 guests? Every week? Taking up all the parking on the street? Throwing up in the neighbors bushes? All that yelling and screaming for a TD or an interception? Again, competing interests -- your right to entertain your friends in your own home on your own private property versus your neighbors' rights to enjoy domestic tranquility.

But the bottom line is the law must treat everyone equally -- whether a Bible study or a wife-swapping club, all the law cares about is too many people in a private residence not zoned for accommodating such large groups.

 

the gov't shouldnt be allowed to charge you anything because of hw many guests you have in your home. the only thing they should be able to (*)(*)(*)(*)(*) about is the parking it may take up.

whats next, gonna start charging people for having friends over every weekend to watch football?

 

Im a resident of Mission Viejo. Its a trip to see my little city create a fuss on this forum!

Good discussion, It had absolutely nothing to do with religion. As a matter of fact we have the eighth largest church congregation in America. It had everything to do with zoning and if you lived here you would understand.

The reason I say this is because Mission Viejo is part of the largest planned community project in the world. Every square foot of this region was planned out decades ago by the Irvine company. There is a vision for how the citizens are suppose to behave here and the city officials work very hard to keep it that way.

Before anyone decides to pull the 'government intrusion card' This area by far has the largest Conservative population in California. It 'VERY' conservative here, believe me, but in contrast the city ordinances here are on strictest I've ever experienced and the property taxes are the highest in the State. But in return, I live in the cleanest, safest and best kept city that anyone could possibly live in. Im Ok with giving up some freedoms to keep it this way and applaud the actions of the city.

 

It is not like they are hosting drunken karaoke parties (as fun as they are) and keeping the neighbors up until the wee hours of the morning.

Well, it is their house. It is their freedom to associate.

The county should just go to hell and go (*)(*)(*)(*) themselves.

 

Haha...so tohave three people over they should...rent a VFW? Now, that's funny....and ridiculous. Do you realize how ridiculous you sound?

 

Yeah I can't imagine Bible parties get very loud, unless they're singing hymns or something. lol

 

Could be but also blocking the street. I hate it when my neighbors have garage sales, people parking on my lawn and in front of my house when I am trying to do yard work. Traffic has to go single lane because they park on both sides of the street.

 

At he most three cars in this case, could block your entire street? I like you blues guy...and I love the blues. But, in this case I think you are wrong. We are not talking a party or the coming and goings due to a garage sale. People have the right to have others over to their house...regardless of what they are doing inside...or if they have to park in front of your house once a week for a couple hours.

You do not own the street in front of your house. If the people start parking in your driveway...then I could see a problem.

 

That is a parking issue, and is independent of the act of inviting people over to your house. Parking can be limited very easily.

 

DRUNKEN HYMNS!!!!!!!!11111

I would so totally attend then.

Who is bringing the Dos Equis?

 

Oh a little too much wine at these sorts of parties. Lay off the blood of Jesus! xD

 

They never stated how many other than more than 3 and up to 50.

If the Tea Party was having such meetings they too would be in violation.

Which does not change the fact that a yard sale next door is disruptive. There was a case recently of a lady who was having them every weekend and the law told here she was in violation.

As I pointed out previously if someone decide to open a restaurant in their home and started taking customers the neighbors would have a legitimate gripe. And yes if someone hosted football parties every weekend with large crowds the neighbors would have cause to gripe.

 

No that is part of the problem and why such laws exist along with the noise that can be involved.

 

Hmmmmmm.... wine. Pinot Noir with goat cheese and lightly toasted bread.

Absolutely delicious.

Between the two, I would pick a party serving wine over beer any day.

 

A problem that is easily solved.

As for the noise, a group of people meeting for Bible study are going to be noisy? Since when? A small stereo will overpower any conversation in the room.

 

---Pretty simple stuff.

 

Facts not in evidence

Could be especially the coming and going.

 

Facts based on common sense. Parking can very easily be controlled. Hence one of the reasons I would rather walk around downtown Denver rather than drive.

These people could just as easily walk or carpool greatly reducing the numbers of vehicles.

If those few minutes of coming and going is enough to disturb you, then I quite frankly pity you. People have lives to live, and if they have an extensive social life, then great. I hear my neighbors, I hear people coming and going its not a big deal. I go on with life. It is not like they host parties till the wee hours of the morning.

Basically you are allowing what the neighbors view as a slight inconvenience as a justification in preventing people from holding small meetings inside of their homes.

 

Facts not in evidence, if one of my neighbors or myself have more than 3 or 4 car loads of people it starts to block the street. I am sure we are not alone.

You can make that as a statement of fact covering every household.

You don't know that either.

Look go change the law in the city if you think all those things can be over come. But this city, the citizens decided on how they want their neighborhoods managed, and it is constitutional.

Slight is allowed for in the law, it's when it moves beyond that that the law comes into effect.

Tell me is it a particular religious character your avatar is based on?

 

They are all slight changes that can be made to protect the rights of those home owners. Anyone who has issues with their neighbor having company at their home quite simply needs a life of their own. I live in an apartment and the rules are not even remotely as strict as the the rules that the home owners are subjected to.

lol, yeah. Its satire. James Maynard Keenan depicted as Jesus.

 

This is a gross violation of the 1st Amendment.

 

Not at all. Time, manner, place -- all reasonable exceptions to free speech and assembly. Read the article carefully, the parties in question are being fined for violating city ordinances and zoning laws.

 

Last time I checked the Constitution was the Supreme Law of the Land.

 

You go ahead and yell FIRE! in a crowded theater and tell me what happens. Time, manner, and place.