A farmer who co-owns Soil Friends Hard Cider Co. is suing Comstock Township alleging constitutional and civil rights violations after local officials shut down a new barn “instrumental” to its business. The local government shut down the 22-acre farm during peak season for selling Christmas trees, pumpkins, squash and hard cider “with no warning and no chance for correction,” co-owner Ben Martin told The Center Square in a phone interview. The 12-count complaint filed in the United States Western District of Michigan against Comstock Township alleges First Amendment retaliation, violation of due process, regulatory takings, civil conspiracy, defamation, violation of Michigan’s Open Meetings Act, violations of due process, unconstitutional conditions, conspiracy to interfere with civil rights, tortious interference with a business relationship, intentional infliction of emotional distress under state law, state law preemption by Michigan Liquor Control code and state law preemption by Michigan Right to Farm Act.
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michigan-in-focus/support
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
