Land Use

Parsons Law Firm is committed to protecting the character of Traverse City and the surrounding regions. We believe that how a society handles land use shapes a society, especially in a region of such environmental beauty and natural diversity. These cases are examples of some of our past successes:

Proposed Mall on the Bay

In 1985, a group of developers proposed a large retail mall in the parking lot that now houses the Sara Hardy Farmer’s Market. The City of Traverse City was prepared to give the property to the developers as a way to revitalize a struggling downtown. The four-story mall spanning from Cass Street to Union Street would have changed the entire character of Traverse City’s waterfront. Grant Parsons worked with other local advocates to challenge the development, successfully arguing that the disposition of parkland required a vote of the people. In 1986, voters rejected the Bayview Mall, preserving the Boardman and lakefront views we value today.

Acme Township Development

Learn more about this case in the Traverse City Record Eagle: "Big Box Chain Settles Lawsuit" | "Events in the Meijer, Acme Township Saga"

Tall Buildings

When a local developer wanted to build a 10-story building in downtown Traverse City, local environment groups and concerned citizens questioned whether the City had done enough to ensure the proposal wouldn’t negatively impact the character, infrastructure, and financial stability of the city. Parsons Law Firm represented these groups in a challenge filed against the City of Traverse City. The Honorable Philip Rodgers overturned the City’s award of a special land use permit in a significant opinion. Learn more about the ruling in the Traverse City Record Eagle.