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County, church settle lawsuit over alleged discrimination

The church claimed zoning laws were biased against faith-based schools.

SARASOTA, Fla. — Sarasota County has settled a lawsuit with a Christian school that claimed its zoning laws discriminated against faith-based schools

In March Englewood Christian School, which is run by Englewood Church of the Nazarene, had sued the county after it was denied a zoning exemption.

The county said the church needed the exemption to operate a school with more than 25 students. The school had twice that.

The school spent two years applying for the exemption, paying $10,000. The county denied the exemption in November and fined the church $250 a day.

On Monday, the school agreed to dismiss the case after the county granted a special exemption to the school. The county agreed to release liens on the church's property and to waive all fines.

Under the settlement, neither side admitted to wrongdoing or liability.

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