Epona, LLC v. County of Ventura

OPINION

M. SMITH, Circuit Judge:

Epona, LLC and Michael Fowler (collectively, Appellants) appeal the district court’s order dismissing Appellants’ First Amendment and Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons (RLUIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc et seq., claims, and denying as moot Appellants’ motion for a preliminary injunction. Appellants challenge the County of Ventura’s (the County) permitting scheme, which requires individuals to obtain a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to host weddings on their properties.’

We reverse the dismissal of Appellants’ First Amendment claim because the permitting…