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 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
• 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

• Election Law Q & A, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, May 2012
• Pending Bill Would Preempt Local Zoning for Equipment Installed on an Existing Tower, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, April 25, 2012
• Change In Municipal Approval Process For Liquor Commission Requests, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, April 2012
• Feds Pass New Law Limiting A Municipality’s Authority to DENY Requests to Collocate or Replace Wireless Tower Equipment, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, April 2012
• HB 5335: A Proposed Change To The OMA To Prohibit Voting By Telephone And Video Conference, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, March 2012
• Update: Local Municipalities Recently Enabled To Prosecute "Super Drunk" Drivers, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, March 2012

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News

• 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
• Law Firm Welcomes New Associate to Practice, January 29, 2010

Events

• 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
• WEBINAR | Open Meetings Act: What Every Municipality Should Know, November 17, 2011
• Top 10 Open Meetings Act Mistakes & How to Avoid Them, Michigan Municipal League Annual Convention, October 5, 2011
• WEBINAR | Social Media: Developing and Implementing an Effective Policy for Your Municipality, August 16, 2011
• WEBINAR | The Medical Marijuana Act - and the Issues It Presents to Municipalities, May 18, 2011