In Miles Christi Religious Order v. Township of Northville, 2010 WL 5151645 (C.A. 6th Cir. 12/21/2010), members of the Miles Christi Order resided in a five-bedroom home and conducted private daily masses in a small eighteen-person chapel in a residential neighborhood.   In response to neighbor complaints about traffic and parking, township planners required that Miles Christi obtain site plan approval establishing sufficient parking and landscaping or seek a variance to the same.  Failing to respond to the township request, an enforcement action was filed.  (more…)

In Third Church of Christ v. The City of New York, (2010 WL 486976, 2nd Cir. 12/1/2010), the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, considered an equal terms challenge to the City’s decision prohibiting the use of a Church facility for private, catered events.  In exchange for paying for capital building improvements and ongoing Church operating expenses, a catering company received the right to hold private functions in the church building.  The neighbors complained and the City revoked a previously granted permit finding that the catering use was not accessory to the religious activities.  (more…)