Beit Havurah v. Zoning Board of Appeals

This case concerns the impact of town zoning regulations on a Jewish synagogue. In 1975, the plaintiff Beit Havurah1 purchased property located within a “village residence” zoning district in the town of Norfolk. At the time of purchase, applicable zoning regulations included as permitted uses in such a district “churches and other places of worship” and related “accessory uses.” The regulations for such a district, however, required a special use permit for “non-profit educational, religious, fraternal, scientific or charitable institutions.” The defendant zoning board of appeals determined,…