Watertown, NY has been engaged in a year-long battle with a local Amish community over building codes. They are not alone. 2008 has seen a rise in similar disputes across the country as the Amish way of life increasingly finds itself at odds with local government regulation ranging from proper sewage disposal to smoke alarms and home inspections. In the case of Watertown, the Becket Fund hopes to set a national standard with a federal lawsuit aimed at the city's enforcement of the codes denying their plaintiffs building permits. The suit is expected to be filed soon.
The nonprofit faxed a five-page letter in March to town officials that echoes many of the points [Public Defender Steven] Ballan has argued, among them that the town is selectively enforcing the law against the Amish to effectively force them from the community even though the municipality stands no loss if the conservative religious group is left alone. Town Council members said previously that they must enforce building codes because turning a blind eye to the Amish will create unfair enforcement. Building codes are set by state law but enforced by towns, villages and cities.
