The City Council voted to formally oppose House Bill H2347, known as "Yes in God's Backyard," which would allow religious institutions to convert unused religious space to multiunit housing without following local zoning rules. The motion to file a formal objection passed 8-1.

Councilors said they objected to creating a religious carve-out in local zoning, raised concerns about potential abuse of such an exemption, and criticized a lack of outreach from the state House delegation to City Hall and the wider community. The council did not specify a mover or seconder for the motion in the record provided.

The vote places the city on record against the state-level proposal; councilors said the change could bypass local land-use review and community input. The council’s formal opposition is a policy statement and does not, by itself, block state legislation.

Councilors combined these concerns with a request for better communication between the state delegation and municipal officials. The transcript does not record additional formal steps tied to the opposition, such as sending a letter or asking staff to draft formal comments to the state committee.

City officials and councilors did not provide further legal analysis of how H2347 would interact with existing local ordinances during the recorded discussion. The council’s action reflects its position and could be forwarded to state lawmakers or included in advocacy materials if the council chooses to do so.

Provenance: discussion of the bill appears in the meeting transcript at the start of the recorded remarks and concludes within the same early segment.