Northwestern University v. City of Evanston

Plaintiff, Northwestern University, brought suit against the city of Evanston in the circuit court of Cook County seeking a declaration that a city zoning ordinance forbidding commercial activity, including professional sports, in the university district was unconstitutional. The circuit court dismissed the complaint for failure to exhaust local and administrative remedies. The appellate court reversed (55 Ill. App. 3d 609), finding that, in light of the history of dispute over the ordinance, Northwestern “has fully exhausted its remedies before the Evanston zoning authorities and *** further…