Shepherd Montessori Center Milan v. Ann Arbor Charter Township

At issue is whether defendants violated plaintiffs right to equal protection by denying a request for a zoning variance. We hold that defendants’ denial of plaintiffs variance request does not violate equal protection principles because plaintiff has not met the threshold burden of proof for its equal protection challenge by showing disparate treatment of similarly situated entities based on religion. Accordingly, we reverse the Court of Appeals judgment and reinstate the trial court’s order granting defendants’ motion for summary disposition.

I. FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

This case originates from…