Charter Township of Delta v. Dinolfo
Michigan Supreme Court
351 N.W.2d 831 (Mich. 1984)
The Township of Delta (plaintiff) enforced a zoning ordinance limiting who could live in a single-family dwelling to people related by blood, adoption, or marriage. The Sierawski and Dinolfo households (defendants), members of a Christian community, each consisted of a married couple, their children, and six unrelated adult members living together in a family-like Christian lifestyle. After Delta cited the households for violating the ordinance and denied their request for a variance, Delta sued to enforce the ordinance.
Whether a zoning ordinance restricting the residents of a single-family dwelling to those related by blood, adoption, or marriage is rationally related to the government's goals of maintaining traditional family values, property values, and controlling population density.