Update on legal battles

What has Save the Rookery been up to?

Save the Rookery continues pursing all legal options for protecting our environmental resources while holding locally elected officials accountable. After the recent Rochester Township 3-2 vote approval of the Preliminary Plat for Pavilion Estates, Save the Rookery appealed. The appeal was filed in Olmsted District Court and will likely proceed to trial in 2023. Interestingly, this is the second time in recent decisions that the Rochester Township Board voted against the recommendation of their own Planning and Zoning Commission.

This summer, Save the Rookery appealed the Rochester Township Board’s approval of the developer’s General Development Plan (GDP). The Township Planning and Zoning Commission also recommended denial of the GDP. While a district court judge recent ruled not to overturn the GDP, Save the Rookery is examining all legal options available, including appealing to the appellate court.

There is one more step in the applicants process of Pavilion Estates, the Final Plat Approval. Save the Rookery continues to monitor all steps in the process, with a goal of holding locally elected officials accountable for their decisions and allowing the herons to return and rebuild at the remaining rookery site.

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Great Blue Heron photo by Lynn Cornell