Time line
Events in the Meijer,
Acme Township saga
August 2004 -- Township board swept from office in Republican primary by candidates opposed to the Village at Grand Traverse, a 2.4-million-square-foot commercial and mixed-use development that was to include a Meijer store.
Lame duck board, however, approved permit for Village at Grand Traverse, restricting incoming board's ability to review site plan.
October 2004 -- Concerned Citizens of Acme Township filed suit against the township to stop the Village at Grand Traverse.
November 2004 -- New board takes office.
January 2005 -- Meijer and Village at Grand Traverse developers intervened in lawsuit, counter-sued new township board.
Meijer submitted permit application for Lautner Commons, a Meijer development adjacent to proposed Village at Grand Traverse.
July 2005 -- Circuit court judge overturned prior board's approval of Village at Grand Traverse; developers and Meijer appealed.
August 2005 -- Voters rejected 907-900 a temporary moratorium on big box stores.
February 2006 -- Township planning commission approved Lautner Commons.
May 2006 -- Meijer's attorney signed contract with public relations firm Seyferth, Spaulding, Tennyson.
Seyferth, Spaulding, Tennyson began work to recall the elected township board.
Meijer filed personal lawsuits against township board members.
Township board approved special-use permit for Lautner Commons, with conditions.
June 2006 -- Meijer filed suit in circuit court, stating the conditions were illegal and unconstitutional.
November 2006 -- Recall petition signatures submitted.
December 2006 -- Township board dropped restrictions on hours of operation and requirement of brick facade in permit. Meijer declines to drop suit.
January 2007 -- Circuit court judge ruled township board's remaining conditions on Lautner Commons legal. Meijer appealed.
February 2007 -- Circuit court judge threw out personal lawsuits against township officials.
Township board captured 58 percent of vote to fend off recall.
April 2007 -- Acme Township Treasurer William Boltres sued Meijer for harassment.
August 2007 -- Township supervisor Bill Kurtz resigned, cited stress from Meijer lawsuits.
September 2007 -- Michigan Court of Appeals overturns circuit court, ruled lame duck board's approval of Village at Grand Traverse project legal, but restrictions on current board's site plan review illegal. Personal lawsuits against township board members reinstated.
October 2007 -- Michigan Court of Appeals found board's conditions for Lautner Commons legal but did not rule on constitutionality question.
November 2007 -- Mediation panel recommends Meijer pay Boltres $3 million to settle his suit.
December 2007 -- Meijer withdraws last of personal lawsuits against township officials.
Boltres attorney Grant Parsons releases subpoenaed documents indicating Meijer's financial involvement in recall election.
Meijer settles Boltres lawsuit.
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