A Montessori school on Detroit’s east side is suing to stop construction of a Chick-fil-A restaurant next door, alleging the drive-thru project violates zoning laws, threatens public safety, and could force the school to shut down.
Detroit Metro Times reports that Giving Tree Montessori, which serves 116 children from infancy through kindergarten, has filed the complaint against Verus Development Group and Chick-fil-A.
The school contends that the 3,000-square-foot, drive-thru-only restaurant, which would operate feet from the Giving Tree playground, violates a city ordinance prohibiting fast food restaurants within 500 feet of a school.
“The development threatens the school’s ability to operate safely, which could lead to a loss of enrollment and potentially force the school to close,” the lawsuit states.
The school is seeking a court order to stop construction.
The development has drawn opposition from parents, educators and neighbors. The city initially rejected the project in October 2023 over traffic concerns, but the Detroit Board of Zoning Appeals overturned that decision in March.
City officials have argued the 500-foot restriction doesn’t apply because Giving Tree wasn’t officially recognized as a school under zoning rules until June 2024, two months after the zoning was approved. But the lawsuit argues that that is a technicality meant to justify a decision that favors developers over children’s safety.
