HENDRICKS COUNTY, Ind. — Hendricks County has agreed to pay $300,000 to an Islamic educational organization after being sued for violating the Fair Housing Act by unlawfully denying zoning approval twice for a developmental project that sought to create an Islamic seminary, school and residential housing. “Discrimination on the basis of religion has no place in the Crossroads of America,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana. Proposed bobcat hunting season sets quota at 250 bobcats, limits trapping to 40 counties The proposal for resolving the lawsuit not only includes Hendricks County paying $300,000 but also requires the county to train its officials and employees on the requirements of the Fair Housing Act and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. “Federal law prohibits local governments from making zoning decisions about housing or religious land use on the basis of the religion of the developer or those whom they perceive might live at or worship at the development," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. "The Department of Justice will use its authority to stop discriminatory anti-Islamic conduct and hold local governments accountable," Clarke continued. The lawsuit was originally filed by Al Hussnain Seminary after submitting multiple zoning applications with the county to develop a mixed-use community containing a residential neighborhood, community center, K-12 religious school, Islamic seminary and dormitories for seminary students at two different locations in Hendricks County. Hendricks County is accused of not only denying these applications based on religious discrimination but of purposely burdening the applicant to a much more severe degree than other applicants and treating the applicant on unequal terms to others. “Animus directed towards the Muslim community masked under the guise of an ordinary zoning restrictions violates the law and runs contrary to the principles of fairness and tolerance that are core in our democracy," Clarke said. While the county has agreed to these terms to resolve the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, the proposal still must be approved by the court. Hendricks County has not responded to a request for comment.