DOJ Sues Michigan Township Over Denial of Zoning Approval for Muslim School

The U.S. Department of Justice announced yesterday that it has filed a civil suit under RLUIPA against a township just south of Ann Arbor, Michigan challenging the refusal to rezone a vacant parcel of land to allow construction of a Muslim pre-K through 12 school. The complaint (full text) in United States v. Pittsfield Charter Township, (ED MI, filed 10/26/2015), contends that various findings by the township Planning Commission were unjustified and that the rezoning denial makes it impossible for Michigan Islamic Academy to carry out its religious mission. Detroit News reports on the lawsuit.