DETROIT (FOX 2) - A Detroit school is turning to the courts in hopes of stopping the construction of a Chick-fil-A restaurant being built just feet from their playground.
Big picture view:
School leaders and parents are concerned that the restaurant's drive-thru will put their children in danger. The legal battle is between the Montessori School and Chick-fil-A, and they are definitely feeling strongly about this, with "No Chick-fil-A" signs displayed outside the Giving Tree, located on Marseille at Mack on Detroit's east side.
The Chick-fil-A is being built right next door to the Montessori school, and construction is ongoing with a steamroller on site. The restaurant is expected to be completed around October, as they are putting the finishing touches on it.
The backstory:
The legal situation began when a judge denied a temporary restraining order that the school requested to stop the construction and dismissed the suit. The issue is significant because the playground is very close to the Chick-fil-A, and the restaurant is known for its busy drive-thru.
The school's main concern is that this proximity could put children in danger.
"My concern is the noise, the pollution from the exhaust pipes and, most of all, the safety of our children. It’s really not about the community because there’s a lot of Chick-Fil-A’s around. It’s about it being so close to our school," said Renee Chown. "We didn’t think Wayne County would ever approve this, and we were in a total state of shock when they did. And we feel very tricked because we didn’t appeal because we didn’t think they were coming. That’s why all of this has been going on."
What's next:
There is a city ordinance that prohibits opening a fast-food restaurant within 500 feet of a school. However, the Montessori center was not technically classified as a school under zoning rights at the time.
They later changed their status to an official school under zoning, but this occurred two months after construction had already started.