Ventura County Christian High School v. City of San Buenaventura

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

I. INTRODUCTION

On October 30, 2002, plaintiffs Ventura County Christian High School (“Ventura Christian”), Dan Misenheimer, William Bays, Bret Bays, and Lisa Darby filed a complaint for damages, injunctive and declaratory relief against the City of San Buenaventura (the “City”), the City of San Buenaventura Planning Division, the City of San Buenaventura City Council, and Does 1-50. Plaintiffs allege that, on account of plaintiffs’ religion, defendants have wrongfully interfered with their ability to install and use certain modular classrooms on property currently leased to the plaintiffs. In the complaint, plaintiffs allege the following claims: (1) violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (“RLUIPA”), 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc et seq.; (2) interference with plaintiffs’ right to free exercise of religion, in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution; (3) interference with plaintiffs’ freedom of association rights, in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution; (4) interference with plaintiffs’ freedom of association…