Montessori school in Detroit sues to stop Chick-fil-A development next door
A city ordinance prohibits fast food restaurants from opening within 500 feet of a school

Audio By Carbonatix
[ { "name": "GPT - Leaderboard - Inline - Content", "component": "35519556", "insertPoint": "5th", "startingPoint": "3", "requiredCountToDisplay": "3", "maxInsertions": 100, "adList": [ { "adPreset": "LeaderboardInline" } ] } ]

A Montessori school on Detroit’s east side has filed a lawsuit 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.
Giving Tree Montessori, which serves 116 children from infancy through kindergarten, filed the complaint Friday in Wayne County Circuit Court 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 its 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 and a declaratory judgment that the city’s actions were improper and unlawful. Among its key arguments:
Zoning violation: The project defies Detroit’s zoning code, the lawsuit says, by placing a drive-thru restaurant within prohibited distance of an active school.
Safety risks: The school cites serious concerns about vehicle traffic, exhaust emissions, noise, and disruptions adjacent to an outdoor play area for toddlers and kindergartners.
Irreparable harm: The suit warns the restaurant could lead to declining enrollment and force the school to close due to unsafe and unsuitable learning conditions.
The development has drawn opposition from parents, educators, and neighbors, including at public meetings where dozens spoke out against the plan. 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 says that’s a technicality meant to justify a decision that favors developers over children’s safety.
Demolition began in May without notice or fencing, prompting the city to temporarily halt the work. A sign went up days later, reading, “Chick-fil-A Coming Soon.”
“There’s no way I can expose these kids to what’s going to go on there — the exhaust fumes, the cigarette smoke, the swearing, and the rodents,” Giving Tree owner Renee Chown told Metro Times last month.
Metro Times couldn’t reach Verus Development Group or Chick-fil-A for comment.