The Historic Review Commission today heard more wrangling over wording regarding both a current law and a proposal to give religious organizations more strength to keep properties they own from being nominated for historic status.

City Councilman Ricky Burgess, who also is a minister, submitted a proposal to more broadly define religious organizations.

Under his proposal, if the main purpose of an organization is religious worship or religious education, the building it is using for that purpose -- whether a former school, a storefront, or a house -- could be protected from historic nomination.

Historic status protects buildings from being demolished unless they become safety hazards.

Mr. Burgess said he is sensitive to the economic burden on so many congregations that are stuck with dwindling congregations and old buildings that are hard to sell.

Larry Bonmiller of the city's legal department said courts have not been allowing the argument that keeping buildings for historical reasons creates a financial hardship. The reason for a federal law that grants churches some land-use protection is to protect them from discrimination against practicing their beliefs, he said.

"Financial hardship has not been a substantial burden" in Pennsylvania courts, he said.

He said the law department will work with Mr. Burgess to refine the language of his proposal and that another payoff may be to "clean up the code a little bit."

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.