Varnum LLP secured a significant legal victory on behalf of its client, Let’s Open Northville, a nonprofit organization dedicated to opening Main Street and Center Street in downtown Northville, Michigan. In a decisive ruling from a week-long trial, the Wayne County Circuit Court granted permanent injunctive relief, ordering the City of Northville to reopen both streets within seven days.
The City closed one block of Main Street and Center Street during the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing vehicular traffic and allowing for expanded outdoor dining while government restrictions were imposed. In August of 2023, after the government lifted the pandemic restrictions, the City made the street closures permanent (and then permanent each year from May 1 until November 1), installing bollards to restrict vehicle access and parking.
Varnum’s legal team, led by partner Kyle Konwinski and joined by attorney Jordan Valentine, argued that the City’s decision constituted an unlawful taking, violated due process, violated state law, and failed to follow required procedures under the Michigan Land Division Act and the Uniform Condemnation Procedures Act. The Court agreed, finding that the closures lacked legal justification, violated Michigan’s constitution, disregarded the original plat dedication which created the streets, and made what the judge called a “public safety nightmare” and a “constantly recurring grievance.”
The order restores Main and Center Streets to their traditional public use, while allowing for temporary closures during special events such as parades and festivals, as has been the community’s longstanding practice.
