190. Zoning, Wineries and Rural Change: What Old Mission Teaches Us_PX
About this episode
The episode discusses the Old Mission case in Michigan and its implications for rural land-use planning.
In this episode of PlanningxChange, Jess and Peter speak with Mary Reilly, a planner and educator with deep experience in rural land-use issues. Mary helps us unpack the widely discussed Old Mission case from Michigan - a dispute between wineries and a township over land-use controls that resulted in a major federal damages award (approx $50m US). The discussion does not explore the legal merits or the ongoing appeal; instead, it uses the case to illuminate broader lessons for planners everywhere. Mary reflects on how agricultural areas are changing, how councils manage risk, and how planning systems can better balance rural preservation with economic adaptation. She also draws on her teaching experience to explain how real cases help future planners understand complexity, conflict, and the value of clear decision-making. Five Key Themes We Explore 1. What the Old Mission case reveals about zoning and regulation Mary outlines how restrictive controls can create tension when agricultural enterprises diversify into tastings, events, weddings and food service — activities that increasingly blur the line between “farm” and “commercial.” 2. Balancing preservation with economic…
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