Municipal Law

Foster Swift has a reputation as one of the premier municipal law firms in Michigan. Our lawyers regularly represent townships, cities, villages, counties and libraries in many different roles. We are actively involved in the Michigan Townships Association and the Michigan Municipal League, and our lawyers have been deeply involved in municipal issues for decades. Some of our municipal practice specialties include:

• Ordinance drafting and enforcement
• Land use, zoning and land division
• Election law issues, millage elections, and ballot language
• Annexation defense and detachment representation
• Property taxes and Tax Tribunal proceedings
• Development and extension of municipal sewer and water systems
• Municipal finance, special assessments, installment purchases, and bond issuer's counsel
• First Amendment questions and privacy issues
• Municipal litigation
• Appeals
• Labor relations and employment law
• Condemnation
• Environmental regulation and compliance
• Utility franchises and telecommunications
• Contracts, licensing issues and operating policies
• Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act issues
• Creation and representation of municipal authorities

Our firm is on the cutting edge of municipal law. Our monthly publications keep our clients up-to-date on new developments in municipal law. Several of our lawyers are acknowledged municipal law experts that are frequently called upon to teach at education programs for municipal officials and other municipal lawyers.

Representative Experience

• Represented Municipality in Suit by Plaintiff Seeking to Develop a Manufactured Housing Community
• Court Rejects Constitutional Challenges to Township’s Rezoning Denial
• Michigan Supreme Court Rejects Exclusionary Zoning Claims Since Developer Did Not Seek Rezoning Or A Variance
• No Exclusionary Zoning Where Township Once Had Land Use But That Use Is Not in the Township Due to City Annexation
• Gained a Security of Approval for a Large Agricultural Entity
• Successfully Defended a Township
• Argued for Variance in Zoning Ordinance to be Awarded by Local Municipality
• Represented Municipality Against Developers Seeking Mobile Home Park and Damages Over $10,000,000
• Successful Defense Against Appeal of Variance from Township Zoning Board
• Special Assessment Appeal: Leelanau Township/Village of Northport
• Developed Contracts for Concession Agreement Regarding Water and Waste Water

Publications & Alerts

• Michigan Library Laws Handbook 2013 edition, May 2013
• Managing Telecommunications Equipment Requests Just Got More Complex, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, May 2013
• Motor Vehicle Exception to Governmental Immunity, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, May 2013
• Road Commission Law Quarterly Review, April 2013
• Dealing with Employment Issues and Complying with the Open Meetings Act, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, March 2013
• 2012 Year in Review: Changes Impacting Michigan County Road Commissions

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News

• Foster Swift Welcomes Lisa J. Hamameh, April 22, 2013
• Foster Swift Announces Lindsey Bosch as New Associate, April 14, 2010
• Foster Swift Announces Election of Michael D. Homier to Serve on Executive Committee, February 12, 2010

Events

• Webinar Series for New Municipal Officials
• WEBINAR | Ten Things to Know Before Your Municipality Borrows Money, Foster Swift Webinar Series for New Municipal Officials, May 9, 2013
• Back to the Basics: OMA & FOIA, Michigan Municipal League, Training Week, April 24, 2013
• WEBINAR | Public Sector Employment Law - The Basics, Foster Swift Webinar Series for New Municipal Officials, April 18, 2013
• WEBINAR | An Update on the 2011 Labor Law Changes and the Impact on Michigan Municipalities, June 6, 2012
• Social Networking and Human Resources Hot Topics, Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association Advanced Institute, May 2, 2012
• WEBINAR | Millages: What You Need to Know About Drafting Proposals and Placing Them on the Ballot, April 19, 2012