A Catholic group will be allowed to post religious displays along a privately owned “prayer trail” depicting the last day of Jesus after a zoning fight with a local government in southeastern Michigan went all the way to a federal appeals court.
The court ruled 3-0 in favour of the group. It issued an injunction Monday, saying Genoa Township in Livingston County was likely violating the rights of Missouri-based Catholic Healthcare International, which controls the 40-acre wooded parcel.
The township had said a special-use permit was needed because the project was the equivalent of a church building. The religious group objected but ultimately responded with a plan for a chapel and trail after spending thousands of dollars on the application. It was rejected.