We’ve discovered a variety of classes at Jalopnik over time. One of many large ones is that sure busy-body native officers hate it when you’ve too many automobiles in your property. Lengthy Lake Township, which occurs to be the township the place I presently stay, has been after Todd Maxon, who I suppose is form of my neighbor, for 16 years over this most “Jalopnik” of points.
In accordance with a report within the Traverse Metropolis Document-Eagle:
Todd Maxon has up to now declined to talk publicly in regards to the case, though info from the Institute for Justice and court docket filings state he spends his free time fixing up automobiles, some for private use and a few to promote.
Maxon additionally purchases automobiles for components and sells scrap steel to recyclers; this isn’t a enterprise, these filings state, however a interest that doesn’t produce a revenue.
That interest, in 2006, attracted the eye of township officers, who accused the Maxons, whose property is zoned residential, of violating the township’s zoning ordinance.
One of many Maxons’ attorneys, David Bieganowski, mentioned, at one level, the township despatched an official to the Maxon dwelling to examine the “junk” automobiles and plenty of began when Todd Maxon turned the ignition key.
The dispute, nonetheless, continued and data present in 2008, the Maxons settled a zoning ordinance violation lawsuit with the township out of court docket.
As a part of that settlement, Maxon agreed to keep up the established order, not including to his assortment of outdated automobiles. However, after neighbors complained that the variety of automobiles had grown, the township employed a drone operator to look the property from above, as soon as in 2017 and as soon as in 2018.
These searches had been performed with no warrant, and can quickly be the topic of a case earlier than the Michigan Supreme Court docket that can goal to find out whether or not Lengthy Lake Township’s use of the drone constitutes an unlawful search.