“This complaint alleges that Pittsfield Township denied the Michigan Islamic Academy's request to build a school in violation of that law. McQuade of the Eastern District of Michigan. “The law prohibits the government from imposing land use regulations that substantially burden religious exercise unless there is a compelling government interest and uses the least restrictive means of doing so,” said U.S. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that all religious groups enjoy the right to practice their faiths freely, and will continue to challenge local land use decisions that substantially burden religious exercise.” “Religious freedom is a cornerstone of our society, and that freedom includes being able to create the institutions and physical spaces needed for worship, religious education and other aspects of religious exercise,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division.

MIA, currently located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, sought to build in Pittsfield Township because it requires additional space for religious and secular educational purposes. District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, alleges that Pittsfield Charter Township imposed a substantial burden on MIA’s exercise of religion when it refused to grant its request for rezoning to allow MIA to build a new school on a vacant parcel of land in the township. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Michigan.

The case was brought by the department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S.

Commercial or Vacant Property Registration Formįorm used to register vacant or commercial propertiesįorm to register a contractor in Pittsfield Township.The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against Pittsfield Charter Township, Michigan, alleging that the township violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) when it denied zoning approval to allow the Michigan Islamic Academy (MIA) to build a school on a vacant parcel of land located in the township.

Can deal with building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, or fire issues Form obtained prior to occupying: any new structure, a new addition or change of habitable space, any structure which had a change of use under the building code.įorm requesting a code inspection for a particular property.

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