TROY, Idaho – The City of Troy is defending itself in a complaint filed in the United District Court of Idaho against allegations from the United States government, which claims the city violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
The complaint was filed in response to a lawsuit by the Justice Department alleging discrimination against a small evangelical church.
The dispute centers around Christ Church, based in Moscow, Idaho, and its attempts to rent a local bar in Troy for services without obtaining the required conditional use permit (CUP).
The city issued a cease-and-desist order, citing zoning regulations. The city council later denied a CUP application submitted by a property owner, who leased space to Christ Church.
The city stated that the denial was based on zoning criteria, including compatibility with the commercial district and parking availability.
In May 2025, Todd Richardson, City Attorney issued a statement, in part “The church meets multiple times a week on a street that has no off-street parking. They fill up the downtown parking and they flood the residential area. We have worked for two years with the Department of Justice trying to negotiate an agreement.”
The recently filed complaint said the City of Troy, represented by its attorneys, denies any violation of RLUIPA and that the city’s zoning enforcement and decision-making did not discriminate against Christ Church or any religious institution.
Furthermore The City of Troy requested the court dismiss the lawsuit and award costs and attorneys’ fees.
