Opinion ID: 2977832
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Special Land Use Approval

Text: To establish a property interest in the particular use of its land, the plaintiff “must prove that [the government body] did not have the discretion to deny [the plaintiff’s requested use] if he complied with certain minimum, mandatory requirements.” Silver v. Franklin Twp., Bd. of Zoning Appeals, 966 F.2d 1031, 1036 (6th Cir. 1992). The district court found, and Casco does not dispute, that Rondigo did have a property interest in the use of its land as proposed in the special land use 15 application, because the approval of a special land use application is not a matter of discretion under Michigan law when certain standards have been met. Rondigo argues that the district court erred in finding no question of fact as to whether Casco was arbitrary and capricious in requiring repeated revisions to the site plan. This argument must fail. Casco provided Rondigo with reasons for Casco’s failure to approve the applications at every step of the proceedings, providing specific issues remaining to be addressed. Given the public concern expressed at the hearings, it was reasonable for Casco to scrutinize carefully Rondigo’s applications. Even Rondigo’s own expert recognized that Casco’s concerns were legitimate: I have reviewed [Casco’s independent composting expert’s] review of the proposed “Bethuny Road” [sic] composting facility . . . . At this point, I would not consider it as a negative review. Primarily, [the expert] is recommending that you provide Casco Township with more details about the site and how you plan to operate it and market the product. That does not seem unreasonable to me, looking at it from the Township’s perspective. Most of the details that he is asking for are reasonable. If I were in the Township boards’ collective shoes, I would not accept your composting experience as enough proof that things will go smoothly. They have already heard testimony from your neighbors that maybe it won’t. ROA Vol. I at 655 (Rynk Email 12/1/2004). Aside from the fact that the approval process took a long time, Rondigo provides no evidence that Casco’s requests for further reviews were arbitrary and capricious.