Garden Grove Sues Monk Over Services

For the second time in a month, city officials have filed a lawsuit against a Buddhist monk for allegedly violating city zoning ordinances through religious ceremonies conducted at his home.

The suit contends Thu Van Nguyen’s religious ceremony at his Bixby Avenue home--also known as Lien Hoa Temple--on Feb. 18 drew 416 people from 9 p.m. to midnight for rites associated with Tet, the Vietnamese new year. Officials said they counted 74 cars parked on residential streets surrounding the property.

A conditional-use permit limits on-site occupancy to 64 people and requires worshipers to park only on temple property.

Nguyen’s services resulted in a situation that “interferes with the health, safety, comfort and welfare of the surrounding residential neighborhood,” according to the suit.

“This nuisance condition causes odors, noise, interferes with residential traffic circulation . . . and removes residential parking spaces for the neighborhood,” said the suit, which asks for an injunction preventing future use of Nguyen’s home as a temple.

“I don’t know that it’s a catastrophic problem, but we do get periodic complaints,” said City Atty. John R. Shaw, who filed the lawsuit Friday in Orange County Superior Court.

Earlier this month, the city filed a lawsuit against Thanh Tung Duong, owner of a two-story stucco home on Magnolia Street, alleging similar activities on the same day. The suit is pending.

In 1994, city officials filed a lawsuit against the Bat Nha Temple on West Street that eventually resulted in a court order prohibiting gatherings of more than 12 people at the house at one time.