The Michigan chapter of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced that it has reached a settlement in its case against Lodi Township on behalf of Masjid Al-Farook. The settlement will allow for the establishment of the first Muslim place of worship in the township.
Earlier this year, CAIR-MI filed a lawsuit on behalf of Masjid Al-Farook under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) alleging that Lodi Township’s zoning scheme made it impossible to establish a place of worship within the township.
SEE: Muslim group sues Washtenaw County township over mosque dispute
“CAIR-MI is pleased to announce a settlement with Lodi Township that will allow Muslims in the community to establish a house worship for the first time,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid. “This settlement with the township signals that they are willing to work with the Muslim community to protect and enforce their right to have a place of worship in their own hometown. We are hopeful that it will bring forth a strong partnership between the Muslim community and Lodi township.”
“Gone are the days when a municipality can create and enforce zoning regulations that burden or prohibit religious places of worship within their limits,” said CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure. “Not only did Lodi Township enter into an agreement to allow Masjid Al-Farook to have a place of worship, but they have also revamped their entire zoning scheme to comply with their obligations under federal law and the U.S. Constitution. We welcome these changes and look forward to seeing Masjid Al-Farook open its doors.”
BACKGROUNDER:
In the lawsuit filed earlier this year, CAIR-MI alleges that Lodi Township violated (RLUIPA) when it amended its zoning scheme in 2019 to require new religious communities to acquire a rezoning for their land in order to establish a place of worship.
The lawsuit further alleged that the township permitted only one rezoning for a Christian place of worship that was already in existence to expand, but after more than two years, had refused to make a decision on a 2021 application for rezoning for Masjid Al-Farook, with the Lodi Township Planning Commission eventually making a recommendation to deny the application. Around the time the lawsuit was filed, Lodi Township amended their zoning ordinance to allow religious institutions to develop places of worship as a right in certain districts.
However, according to the lawsuit, when the township amended its zoning ordinance to permit religious institutions, they did so in a way that would have prohibited Masjid Al-Farook from using the land they had purchased that was the subject of the application for rezoning.
In the lawsuit CAIR-MI alleges that a Muslim CBP Officer was denied a religious accommodation by his direct supervisor that was later granted by the national office.
According to the lawsuit, after the Officer received the accommodation, his direct supervisor began retaliating against the Officer by targeting him for unfair discipline and stripped him of his law enforcement credentials. As a result of the unfair discipline, the Muslim Officer suffered lost overtime opportunities and loss of reputation amongst his co-workers.
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CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR-MI Staff Attorney Amy Doukoure, 586-943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com