Digital Media Center
Bryant-Denny Stadium, Gate 61
920 Paul Bryant Drive
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0370
(800) 654-4262

© 2024 Alabama Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Selma City Council Faces Federal Lawsuit

By Alabama Public Radio

Selma, AL – Selma City Council members are facing a federal lawsuit filed by a church that wants to tear down a century-old building to make way for a parking lot. The First Baptist Church in Selma's downtown historic district wants to tear down the old Y-M-C-A building, which it bought in 1996. The church has already razed an adjacent building. The Selma Historic Development Commission voted in May to deny the church's request. A city ordinance restricts construction and demolition of buildings in the historic district. But the church claims federal law prohibits the government from regulating property in a way that imposes a substantial burden on religious exercise. The City Council met behind closed doors Monday night to discuss the suit.

News from Alabama Public Radio is a public service in association with the University of Alabama. We depend on your help to keep our programming on the air and online. Please consider supporting the news you rely on with a donation today. Every contribution, no matter the size, propels our vital coverage. Thank you.