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Were the owners making money from these events?

The 83-year-old farm, which is located at 528 Scaife Road, is located in an Historical-Rural Residential District, contends Katie Stringent, borough manager and zoning officer. Ms. Stringent’s order said the farm was being used improperly as a place of worship, a place of assembly, and as a commercial venue and “special studio or school.”

According to the borough’s website, those activities are not permitted on the property, or only permitted as a conditional use.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/north/...es/201807130157

weren't you one of those rule of law guys?

stop your whining, christian snowflake.

odd that youll whine about this, but you didn't post in the thread where your fellow christian got busted sexually assaulting a boy, which is something thats very prevalent in religious circles.

and in this case since its America, christian circles.

I don't see why that matters.

I am a rule of law guy. The constitution clearly states that government shall make NO law in regards to religion.

Amendment I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

If the fed can't do it then state and local cant either. You can't zone out churches. PERIOD.

Wrong states and locals make laws the feds don't have all the time, legalized pot for example. And there sure are a lot of churches in every town in America for the SO persecuted Christians. You make me sick.

Do I Need a License to Open a Home Business?
What You Need to Know About Home Business Licenses



Business Licenses
•••
By Mindy Lilyquist
Updated January 31, 2017

Many people who make money at home, don't start out wanting to start a business. Often they make a few bucks selling their home made goods to friends and family, or take some extra work on the side. But if your goal is to make money, even just a bit extra to help with finances, it's possible you'll need a business license.

The problem with starting a business without a license is that if you get caught, there might be penalties and/or legal hassles. Because of the potential risk, it's worth it in the beginning to find out what's needed. In most cases, you'll fill out a form, pay a fee, and you'll be in business.

Most localities that regulate business require a license. It's possible you live in one of the few a places that don't (yet) have businesses licenses, but odds are your city or county requires one.

The good news is that getting a business license is usually easy and affordable. You can find out about registering your home business by visiting your city or county's website online and looking for information regarding small business. The Small Business Administration has business license resources for all 50 states.

Why are Business Licenses Needed?

Many people are tired of government regulation and control, which is really what getting a license is about. However, as a consumer, you'll see that business licenses are a good thing. A business licenses is necessary because:

It gives notice to your local government what you're doing and therefore will hold you accountable for what you do, and insure you don't do anything to harm the public.

It's a source of revenue for your city or county, through which it funds schools, libraries and other resources.

Benefits of Having a Home Business License

Properly registering your business offers multiple benefits. In addition to your conscience resting easier, a license offers validation and gives you the documentation necessary to apply for a business bank account and business loans, if needed.

How to Get a Home Business License

Getting a license is usually straight forward, and you might even be able to do it online. Before applying, you need to have a business name and determine your business structure. The steps to getting your license usually involve:

Go online or call your city or county office that deals with business licenses to learn the process.
Fill out a form with your business information.
Pay a fee, usually between $25 and $50.

Once you have your license, you're in business. Each year you do business, you pay a fee based on your earnings.
Other Registrations or Permits You May Need

Having a home business license puts you in business, but depending on the business you start, there are other licenses and permits you may need. Here's a list of possible additional registrations that may be required:

Occupational license. Many states regulate certain types of jobs. For example, you may need a permit to sell food, work with people (daycare, therapy etc), and financial work. Search your state and "occupational licenses" (i.e. California Occupational Licenses) on your favorite search engine to find information for your state.

Sales tax permit. If you're selling tangible goods (items you can hold in your hand) and your state collects sales tax, you'll need to obtain a sales tax permit through your state's tax comptroller or tax office. You can probably apply and submit sales tax you collect from customers online.

Zoning permit or waiver. Zoning dictates what types of establishments can exist in areas of your city, town or county. In most cases, areas zoned residential don't allow for businesses. However, if your business doesn't require a sign, increase traffic or involve dangerous items, you can likely get a waiver. Contact your city or county's zoning department to find out what, if anything, you need. Don't skip this. If you fail to get the proper zoning okays, you can end up paying fees or having to close down if your locality finds out.

Federal Employer ID Number (FEIN). An FEIN is a social security number for a business. It is free and can be obtained online. Sole proprietorships don't need one, but it's recommended so you don't have to use your social security number for business purposes (i.e. to fill out W-9). LLC and other business structures, especially if you have employees, require an FEIN.

Health Department Permit. If you sell food that you create in your home or run a home-based catering business, you may need a health department permit and be required to adhere to a set of rules, such as storing ingredients for home and business separately.

Doing Business As (sometimes called "assumed name" or "fictitious name" statement). If your business name doesn't include your given name, your city or county may require you to file a doing-business-as statement with your county clerk. This statement is also published in the local newspaper letting the community know who owns the business.

VAT tax for EU sales. If you sell goods to EU consumers, you might be required to pay a VAT tax. If you don't want the hassle, use a payment provider that collects and pays it for you, such as Amazon or ClickBank

https://www.thebalancesmb.com/do-i-need-a-home-business-license-1794654

Again your wrong. States can make laws where the federal doesn't already have a law regarding it. It's been proven in the Supreme Court over and over again that our Bill of Rights overrides any laws the state passes that goes against it. Even with Pot laws the federal can swoop in at any time and arrest the lot of them for breaking federal law. They are just choosing not to for some dumb reason.

Federal Law ALWAYS overrides local and state laws. We have more than enough lawyers on this forum who have confirmed that over the years.

You can hate me all you want to but when your wrong, your wrong.

If God is larger than the zoning board, they will find out exactly how big he is. Just like how the IRS will find out rich God is. No one can escape the beuroacracy.

For those of you who don't think Christians are persecuted in this country for the sake of our beliefs you need to open your eyes because it's happening everywhere.

J/C

If it was a working farm, wouldn't it have been zoned commercial to begin with? So the money thing wouldn't matter, no?

Doesn't mean they have the zoning rights for being a commercial venue. It probably has all the zoning rights for the farm, but the side stuff needs its own papers.

Zoning boards are the worst part of our democracy. They have a rule, regulations and an accompanying form for everything under the sun. Of course, like a powerful bureaucratic agency, the only way to get things done with them is to grease the palms.

for having Bible studies at their home, having meetings where religious songs are sung, conducting any religious retreats for church leaders or seminary students or conducting any religious fundraisers.

Not nearly enough information here for me to form an opinion.. on the surface, there is nothing that should prohibit somebody from doing all of these things on their private property... but frequency and scale become an issue here.

How often were they doing it? How many people were involved? Was it really disruptive to the community in some way with noise or with parking? Were these religious retreats multiple days long?

because they can't make any law, which includes zoning, that restricts the practice of religion

I agree there is not enough specific info for my liking either BUT it doesn't matter how it's zoned because they can't make any law, which includes zoning, that restricts the practice of religion. They also can't stop people from meeting up to have fun together because we have the right to assemble on public property period and private property with permission from the owner.

It's about your basic constitutional rights and this place is trying to deny them which they are NOT allowed to do.

Mrs. Fetterolf and her husband, a local home builder, purchased the 32-acre farm about two years ago and began providing commercial activities, including a yarn and wool shop, sales of cut flowers and fresh honey, a weekly produce stand, educational classes, and other programs. Mrs. Fetterolf has also hosted private events, including bridal showers, prayer groups and church fundraisers.

In October 2017, Mrs. Fetterolf was informed by the borough that she was holding too many events and would need permits — costing $500 each— to continue offering many of the activities.

I agree with you that if they are charging people/groups to use the land and do this stuff, then it would most likely be a zoning issue. I would think, though, that if that was the case it would've been specifically mentioned in the article. It wasn't, which gives me pause.

Editor’s Note: Social media is cracking down on Conservative content. To ensure you receive conservative and faith-based news items – click here for a free subscription to Todd’s newsletter.

Controversy

--Starnes' strongly conservative views, which he likes "to spice it up a little bit" to generate reader interest, have also generated controversy.[3]
Firing from Baptist Press

--In 2003, when Starnes was employed by the Baptist Press,[4] he was accused of falsifying quotes made during an interview of then U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige.[5] The interview spawned national headlines and several members of Congress called on Paige to resign due to comments on religion and the public schools.[6] Ultimately, the Baptist Press issued an apology noting "factual and contextual errors" made by Starnes, and noted that he would "no longer will be employed to write for the Baptist Press".[7] Starnes joined Fox News Channel in 2005 as a radio news anchor.
LGBT rights

--In 2012, Starnes said that the public school system was responsible for the increase in support for same-sex marriage. Starnes said that the public schools were "indoctrination centers".[1]
Miss America

--In 2013, Starnes criticized Miss America after Nina Davuluri became the first Indian American Miss America winner. Starnes called it, the "Miss Politically Correct America".[8][9]
American Sniper

--In 2015, he courted controversy for his response to the film American Sniper, stating of the main character: "Jesus would tell that God-fearing, red-blooded American sniper, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’ "[10][11]
Charleston church shooting

--In the aftermath of the 2015 Charleston church shooting, he remarked that removing symbols of the old Confederacy from public places was "cultural cleansing." He has also advocated that the Confederacy treated slaves "humanely" and African-Americans had "no reason to march for civil rights" as their life was better in the United States than "anywhere else in the world".[12]

In 2003, when Starnes was employed by the Baptist Press,[4] he was accused of falsifying quotes made during an interview of then U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige.[5] The interview spawned national headlines and several members of Congress called on Paige to resign due to comments on religion and the public schools.[6] Ultimately, the Baptist Press issued an apology noting "factual and contextual errors" made by Starnes, and noted that he would "no longer will be employed to write for the Baptist Press".[7] Starnes joined Fox News Channel in 2005 as a radio news anchor.

Our constitution guarantees that the government can not make laws restricting the expression of religion. That includes zoning laws. For instance a city can't say we don't want a church there so we won't zone for any in that area. In fact, the constant use of zoning to discriminate against religious organizations, in general, led to the "Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act" to reinforce and make it clear that you can't use zoning as a way to discriminate against religion.

The problem is that most small churches don't have the capital to fight in court so often have to give up due to lack of funds. It has become a major issue to the point that even Trump has had the DOJ proactively trying to punish cities in violation of RLUIPA. He has helped 4 muslim mosques get built that were being discriminated against by zoning. You see this particular issue is not a Christian issue, it's a discrimination issue and a violation of constitutional rights.

The real problem is finding a way for smaller churches to have a fair due process the same as rich churches who can pay the legal fees to protect their rights.

Off topic, but I don't think Churches should be tax-exempt. I find that ridiculous. They're a business like any other.