Breakfast links: Zoning and the Bill of Rights

Zoning & 1st Amendment collide

A rural Virginia woman is suing Grayson County for denying her request to build a spiritual retreat center.  The county initially approved it, but flipped in the face of religious opposition. (Examiner)

Zoning & 2nd Amendment collide

Since DC’s zoning makes opening a gun shop difficult, Phil Mendelson wants the DC government to deal guns itself. His bill would avoid another legal showdown over the 2008 Heller ruling. (Examiner)

Brown v. BOEE

DC’s Board of Elections and Ethics approved Chairman Kwame Brown’s request to refer his alleged campaign irregularities to the U.S. Attorney.  The move delays possible fines the board might levy on Brown. (Post)

Metro offers a sneak peek of the future

Metro unveiled a prototype interior for its new railcars.  Among other design changes, the cars will feature real-time location displays that show neighborhood attractions as the train moves.  (Post)

Many bidders for car share spaces

Four companies have expressed interest in bidding for DC’s car sharing spaces. Besides Zipcar and previously-reported Hertz, there’s Enterprise and Daimler AG. Bids are due next Friday. (TBD)

Walmart waited for its DC debut

A carefully crafted PR effort is paving Walmart’s entry into DC.  An opponent thinks the company has deliberately avoided white neighborhoods to avoid potentially devastating political opposition. (City Paper)

Speed cameras come to PG

The county will install 100 speed cameras in county school zones.  Though the county authorized cameras in 2009, former county executive Jack Johnson refused to install them. (Examiner)

Sheiks shun Shaw

Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds see the value in Washington real estate, but they may only be interested in safe, high-profile development projects downtown. (City Paper)

And…

DC will get $1 million to study the health effects of WWI munitions in Spring Valley. (Examiner) … Virginia’s prisons failed to deduct $65,000 in car-usage fees. (Examiner) … Montgomery County may soon approve its first charter school. (Washington Times) … VDOT closed a bike trail during rush hour. (JDTP)