Gaea Retreat Center
The Leavenworth (Kansas) County Commission has voted not to renew a special-use permit for the Gaea Retreat Center, whose spiritual retreats sometimes involve nudism and paganism. At a public hearing last week, some opponents complained about traffic and noise; some claimed that accidental sightings of nudists were responsible for numerous wrecks nearby; and some claimed that nudist events would inevitably lead to orgies, pedophilia and sodomy. Operators of the Gaea Center denied the sex claims and offered to address the traffic, noise and accidental-nudist-sightings concerns. But they argue that opponents' real motivation is intolerance of the center's spiritual beliefs, and they plan to fight the ruling in court.
Kansas City Star
The Gaea Retreat Center has put together a site chronicling its battle with the Leavenworth (Kansas) County Commission, which denied renewal of its special-use permit in October. The Gaea Center hosts spiritual retreats that often feature nudism and non-Christian religious ceremonies, but the loss of the permit effectively shuts them down. The commission's decision was clearly based on moral disapproval of Gaea's activities and beliefs by local conservative Christians, and Gaea is taking legal action to overturn the decision. The site includes news articles, editorials and updates on the legal battle.
Gaea Retreat Center
Reason also has a short rundown of the Gaea Retreat Center zoning battle in Kansas.
Reason (Feb 2002)
Last fall we followed a zoning battle in Leavenworth County, Kansas. Local conservatives had campaigned to shut down the Gaea Retreat Center, whose events often feature nudism and paganism. The county commission voted in October not to renew the Center's special-use permit, and Gaea's owners took legal action to fight the ruling. More background here. The Gaea Center website now reports that they've reached an agreement with the county commission which grants them a perpetual Special Use Permit. Congratulations to Gaea, and three cheers for the First Amendment! (Jun 2002)
More news from Leavenworth County: "A public nudity resolution signed into law by a former Leavenworth County Commissioner has come back to haunt him. Former commissioner Wayne Eldridge Sr., pleaded no contest Thursday to violating the public nudity resolution he and two other commissioners signed into law two years ago. Eldridge pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting public nudity at Whispers Cabaret, a topless club he operated near Basehor." (Jun 2002)
