Pittsfield Charter Township, Zoning Violation, Michigan 2024

Pittsfield Charter Township, a suburb of Ann Arbor, Michigan, is facing a lawsuit from the U.S. government over its denial of zoning approval for the Michigan Islamic Academy (MIA) to build a new school.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. 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.

According to the complaint, MIA sought to build a new school in Pittsfield Township because it requires additional space for religious and secular educational purposes.

“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.

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.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Michigan is leading the case, with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Pittsfield Charter Township Complaint: The defendant/respondent is Pittsfield Charter Township. The criminal charges are zoning violation. The city and state are Pittsfield Charter Township, Michigan. The exact date is not specified, but the case was filed in 2024. The current status of the case is pending.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta stated that the Justice Department is committed to ensuring that all religious groups enjoy the right to practice their faiths freely.

MIA, currently located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, sought to build in Pittsfield Township because it requires additional space for religious and secular educational purposes.

RLUIPA, enacted in 2000, contains multiple provisions prohibiting religious discrimination and protecting against unjustified burdens on religious exercise.

Persons who believe that they have been subjected to religious discrimination in land use or zoning may contact the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743 or the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Michigan’s Civil Rights Hotline at (313) 226-9151 or usamie.civilrights@usdoj.gov.

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