PINEBROOK WARREN, LLC v. CITY OF WARREN

No. 355989, No. 355994, No. 355995, No. 356005, No. 356011, No. 356017, No. 356023, No. 359269, No. 359285.

996 N.W.2d 754 (2022)

343 Mich. App. 127

PINEBROOK WARREN, LLC, Greenhouse Farms Warren, LLC, Happy Trails Group, Inc., Aubrey Ventures, LLC, Blue Spruce Ventures, Emerald Business Park, PC, LLC, DKB2, LLC, MPM-R Warren, LLC, and HRS Retail, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees, and Alternative Rx, LLC, HCM Warren, LLC, JAR Capital of Warren, LLC, Pure Green Warren, LLC, Pure Warren, LLC, Kapp Walled Lake, LLC, and Pure Roots, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees/Cross-Appellants, v. CITY OF WARREN, Cecil St. Pierre, Ronald Papandrea, Steven Warner, Richard Sabaugh, and Ethan Vinson, Defendants/Cross-Defendants-Appellees, and Robert Boccomino and Keith Sadowski, Defendants-Appellees, and City of Warren Medical Marihuana Review Committee, Defendant, and Livwell Michigan, LLC, LE Battle Creek, Inc., Weisberger Ventures II, LLC, VendCo Michigan, Inc., Level Up Garden, LLC, and 8th Street Wellness, PC, LLC, Intervening Defendants/Cross-Plaintiffs, and Sozo Health, Inc., Intervening Defendant/Cross-Plaintiff-Appellant/Cross-Appellee, and 989 Ventures, LLC, doing business as Northern Roots, Intervening Defendant/Cross-Plaintiff-Cross-Appellee, and AE&K, LLC, BDECo I, INC., BDECo II, LLC, DNVK 4, LLC, MDMS Group, LLC, Warren Capital Holdings, LLC, West Fort Holdings, LLC, and Frazho Provisioning, LLC Intervening Defendants. Pinebrook Warren, LLC, Greenhouse Farms Warren, LLC, Happy Trails Group, Inc., Aubrey Ventures, LLC, Blue Spruce Ventures, Emerald Business Park, PC, LLC, DKB2, LLC, MPM-R Warren, LLC, and HRS Retail, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees, and Alternative Rx, LLC, HCM Warren, LLC, JAR Capital of Warren, LLC, Pure Green Warren, LLC, Pure Warren, LLC, Kapp Walled Lake, LLC, and Pure Roots, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees/Cross-Appellants, v. City of Warren, Cecil St. Pierre, Ronald Papandrea, Steven Warner, Richard Sabaugh, and Ethan Vinson, Defendants/Cross-Defendants-Appellees, and Robert Boccomino and Keith Sadowski, Defendants-Appellees, and City of Warren Medical Marihuana Review Committee, Defendant, and Livwell Michigan, LLC, Intervening Defendant/Cross-Plaintiff-Appellant/Cross-Appellee, and Sozo Health, Inc., LE Battle Creek, Inc., Weisberger Ventures II, LLC, VendCo Michigan, Inc., Level Up Garden, LLC, and 8th Street Wellness, PC, LLC, Intervening Defendants/Cross-Plaintiffs, and 989 Ventures, LLC, doing business as Northern Roots, Intervening Defendant/Cross-Plaintiff-Cross-Appellee, and AE&K, LLC, BDECo I, Inc., BDECo II, LLC, DNVK 4, LLC, MDMS Group, LLC, Warren Capital Holdings, LLC, West Fort Holdings, LLC, and Frazho Provisioning, LLC, Intervening Defendants. Pinebrook Warren, LLC, Greenhouse Farms Warren, LLC, Happy Trails Group, Inc., Aubrey Ventures, LLC, Blue Spruce Ventures, Emerald Business Park, PC, LLC, DKB2, LLC, MPM-R Warren, LLC, and HRS Retail, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees, and Alternative Rx, LLC, HCM Warren, LLC, JAR Capital of Warren, LLC, Pure Green Warren, LLC, Pure Warren, LLC, Kapp Walled Lake, LLC, and Pure Roots, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees/Cross-Appellants, v. City of Warren, Cecil St. Pierre, Ronald Papandrea, Steven Warner, Richard Sabaugh, and Ethan Vinson, Defendants/Cross-Defendants-Appellees, and Robert Boccomino and Keith Sadowski, Defendants-Appellees, and City of Warren Medical Marihuana Review Committee, Defendant, and Livwell Michigan, LLC, Sozo Health, Inc., LE Battle Creek, Inc., Weisberger Ventures II, LLC, and VendCo Michigan, Inc., Intervening Defendants/Cross-Plaintiffs, and Level Up Garden, LLC, and 8th Street Wellness, PC, LLC, Intervening Defendants/Cross-Plaintiffs-Appellants/Cross-Appellees, and 989 Ventures, LLC, doing business as Northern Roots, Intervening Defendant/Cross-Plaintiff-Cross-Appellee, and AE&K, LLC, BDECo I, INC., BDECo II, LLC, DNVK 4, LLC, Warren Capital Holdings, LLC, West Fort Holdings, LLC, and Frazho Provisioning, LLC, Intervening Defendants-Appellants/Cross-Appellees, and MDMS Group, LLC, Intervening Defendant. Pinebrook Warren, LLC, Greenhouse Farms Warren, LLC, Happy Trails Group, Inc., Aubrey Ventures, LLC, Blue Spruce Ventures, Emerald Business Park, PC, LLC, DKB2, LLC, MPM-R Warren, LLC, and HRS Retail, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees, and Alternative Rx, LLC, HCM Warren, LLC, JAR Capital of Warren, LLC, Pure Green Warren, LLC, Pure Warren, LLC, Kapp Walled Lake, LLC, and Pure Roots, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees/Cross-Appellants v. City of Warren, Cecil St. Pierre, Ronald Papandrea, Steven Warner, Richard Sabaugh, and Ethan Vinson, Defendants/Cross-Defendants-Appellees, and Robert Boccomino and Keith Sadowski, Defendants-Appellees, and City of Warren Medical Marihuana Review Committee, Defendant, and Livwell Michigan, LLC, Sozo Health, Inc., LE Battle Creek, Inc., Weisberger Ventures II, LLC, VendCo Michigan, Inc., Level Up Garden, LLC, and 8th Street Wellness, PC, LLC, Intervening Defendants/Cross-Plaintiffs, and 989 Ventures, LLC, doing business as Northern Roots, Intervening Defendant/Cross-Plaintiff-Cross-Appellee, and AE&K, LLC, BDECo I, INC., BDECo II, LLC, DNVK 4, LLC, Warren Capital Holdings, LLC, West Fort Holdings, LLC, and Frazho Provisioning, LLC, Intervening Defendants, and MDMS Group, LLC, Intervening Defendant-Appellant/Cross-Appellee. Pinebrook Warren, LLC, Greenhouse Farms Warren, LLC, Happy Trails Group, Inc., Aubrey Ventures, LLC, Blue Spruce Ventures, Emerald Business Park, PC, LLC, DKB2, LLC, MPM-R Warren, LLC, and HRS Retail, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees, and Alternative Rx, LLC, HCM Warren, LLC, JAR Capital of Warren, LLC, Pure Green Warren, LLC, Pure Warren, LLC, Kapp Walled Lake, LLC, and Pure Roots, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees/Cross-Appellants, v. City of Warren, Cecil St. Pierre, Ronald Papandrea, Steven Warner, Richard Sabaugh, and Ethan Vinson, Defendants/Cross-Defendants-Appellees, and Robert Boccomino and Keith Sadowski, Defendants-Appellees, and City of Warren Medical Marihuana Review Committee, Defendant, and Livwell Michigan, LLC, Sozo Health, Inc., LE Battle Creek, Inc., Weisberger Ventures II, LLC, VendCo Michigan, Inc., Level Up Garden, LLC, and 8th Street Wellness, PC, LLC, Intervening Defendants/Cross-Plaintiffs and 989 Ventures, LLC, doing business as Northern Roots, Intervening Defendant/Cross-Plaintiff-Appellant/Cross-Appellee, and AE&K, LLC, BDECo I, Inc., BDECo II, Inc., DNVK 4, LLC, MDMS Group, LLC, Warren Capital Holdings, LLC, West Fort Holdings, LLC, and Frazho Provisioning, LLC, Intervening Defendants. Pinebrook Warren, LLC, and HRS Retail, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees, and Greenhouse Farms Warren, LLC, Happy Trails Group, Inc., Aubrey Ventures, LLC, Blue Spruce Ventures, Alternative Rx, LLC, HCM Warren, LLC, JAR Capital of Warren, LLC, Pure Green Warren, LLC, Pure Warren, LLC, Emerald Business Park, PC, LLC, DKB2, LLC, MPM-R Warren, LLC, Kapp Walled Lake, LLC, and Pure Roots, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees/Cross-Appellants, v. City of Warren, Cecil St. Pierre, Ronald Papandrea, Steven Warner, Richard Sabaugh, Ethan Vinson, Defendants/Cross-Defendants-Appellants/Cross-Appellees, and Robert Boccomino, Keith Sadowski, and City of Warren Medical Marihuana Review Committee, Defendants-Appellants/Cross-Appellees, and Livwell Michigan, LLC, Sozo Health, Inc., LE Battle Creek, Inc., Weisberger Ventures II, LLC, VendCo Michigan, Inc., Level Up Garden, LLC, 8th Street Wellness, PC, LLC, Intervening Defendants/Cross-Plaintiffs, and 989 Ventures, LLC, doing business as Northern Roots, Intervening Defendant/Cross-Plaintiff-Cross-Appellee, and AE&K, LLC, BDECo I, Inc., BDECo II, LLC, DNVK 4, LLC, MDMS Group, LLC, Warren Capital Holdings, LLC, West Fort Holdings, LLC, and Frazho Provisioning, LLC, Intervening Defendants, and John Layton. Pinebrook Warren, LLC, Alternative Rx, LLC, HCM Warren, LLC, JAR Capital of Warren, LLC, Pure Green Warren, LLC, Pure Warren, LLC, Kapp Walled Lake, LLC, and Pure Roots, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees/Cross-Appellants, and Greenhouse Farms Warren, LLC, Happy Trails Group, Inc., Aubrey Ventures, LLC, Blue Spruce Ventures, Emerald Business Park, PC, LLC, DKB2, LLC, MPM-R Warren, LLC, and HRS Retail, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. City of Warren, Cecil St. Pierre, Ronald Papandrea, Steven Warner, Richard Sabaugh, and Ethan Vinson, Defendants/Cross Defendants-Appellees, and Robert Boccomino and Keith Sadowski, Defendants-Appellees, and City of Warren Medical Marihuana Review Committee, Defendant, and Livwell Michigan, LLC, Sozo Health, Inc., Level Up Garden, LLC, and 8th Street Wellness, PC, LLC, Intervening Defendants/Cross-Plaintiffs, and LE Battle Creek, Inc., Weisberger Ventures II, LLC, and VendCo Michigan, Inc., Intervening Defendants/Cross-Plaintiffs-Appellants/Cross-Appellees, and 989 Ventures, LLC, doing business as Northern Roots, Intervening Defendant/Cross-Plaintiff-Cross-Appellee, and AE&K, LLC, BDECo I, Inc., BDECo II, LLC, DNVK 4, LLC, MDMS Group, LLC, Warren Capital Holdings, LLC, West Fort Holdings, LLC, and Frazho Provisioning, LLC, Intervening Defendants. Pinebrook Warren, LLC, Greenhouse Farms Warren, LLC, Happy Trails Group, Inc., Aubrey Ventures, LLC, Blue Spruce Ventures, Alternative Rx, LLC, HCM Warren, LLC, JAR Capital of Warren, LLC, Pure Green Warren, LLC, Pure Warren, LLC, Emerald Business Park, PC, LLC, DKB2, LLC, MPM-R Warren, LLC, Kapp Walled Lake, LLC, Pure Roots, LLC, and HRS Retail, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. City of Warren, Cecil St. Pierre, Ronald Papandrea, Steven Warner, Richard Sabaugh, Ethan Vinson, Robert Boccomino, and Keith Sadowski, Defendants-Appellees, and City of Warren Medical Marihuana Review Committee, Defendant, and Livwell Michigan, LLC, Sozo Health, Inc., LE Battle Creek, Inc., Weisberger Ventures II, LLC, VendCo Michigan, Inc., Level Up Garden, LLC, 8th Street Wellness, PC, LLC, 989 Ventures, LLC, doing business as Northern Roots, AE&K, LLC, BDECo I, Inc., DNVK 4, LLC, MDMS Group, LLC, Warren Capital Holdings, LLC, West Fort Holdings, LLC, and Frazho Provisioning, LLC, Intervening Defendants-Appellants, and BDECo II, LLC, Intervening Defendant. Pinebrook Warren, LLC, Greenhouse Farms Warren, LLC, Happy Trails Group, Inc., Aubrey Ventures, LLC, Blue Spruce Ventures, Alternative Rx, LLC, HCM Warren, LLC, JAR Capital of Warren, LLC, Pure Green Warren, LLC, Pure Warren, LLC, Emerald Business Park, PC, LLC, DKB2, LLC, MPM-R Warren, LLC, Kapp Walled Lake, LLC, Pure Roots, LLC, and HRS Retail, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. City of Warren, Cecil St. Pierre, Ronald Papandrea, Steven Warner, Richard Sabaugh, Ethan Vinson, Robert Boccomino, Keith Sadowski, and City of Warren Medical Marihuana Review Committee, Defendants-Appellants, and Livwell Michigan, LLC, Sozo Health, Inc., LE Battle Creek, Inc., Weisberger Ventures II, LLC, VendCo Michigan, Inc., Level Up Garden, LLC, 8th Street Wellness, PC, LLC, 989 Ventures, LLC, doing business as Northern Roots, AE&K, LLC, BDECo I, Inc., BDECo II, LLC, DNVK 4, LLC, MDMS Group, LLC, Warren Capital Holdings, LLC, West Fort Holdings, LLC, and Frazho Provisioning, LLC, Intervening Defendants.

Court of Appeals of Michigan.

Decided August 25, 2022, at 9:25 a.m.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

O'Reilly Rancilio PC (by Lawrence M. Scott , Sterling Heights, and Brian C. Grant ) for Pinebrook Warren, LLC.

Dykema Gossett PLLC (by Alan M. Greene , Bloomfield Hills, Jill M. Wheaton , Ann Arbor, and Christyn M. Scott , Bloomfield Hills) for Happy Trails Group Inc. and Blue Spruce Ventures, LLC.

Frank & Frank Law (by Jonathan B. Frank , Richmond, and Janette E. Frank , Rochester) for Aubrey Ventures LLC.

Williams, Williams, Rattner & Plunkett, PC (by Brian E. Etzel and William C. DiSessa ) for Emerald Business Park PC, LLC, and MPM-R Warren LLC.

Fischer, Garon, Hoyumpa, Mt. Clemens (by Daniel N. Garon and Grace J. Crivello ) for DKB2, LLC.

Fleming Yatooma & Borowicz (by Gavin J. Fleming and Frank M. DeLuca ) for Pure Green Warren, LLC; HCM Warren, LLC; JAR Capital of Warren, LLC; Pure Warren, LLC; and Alternative RX, LLC.

Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, PC (by James W. Rose and R. Christopher Cataldo ) for Pure Roots LLC.

The Mike Cox Law Firm, PLLC (by Kimberly M. Moehle and Michael A. Cox ) for Kapp Walled Lake LLC.

Berry Moorman PC (by Mark E. Straemans , David M. Foy , Detroit, and Sandro D. DiMercurio , Detroit) for the city of Warren, Cecil St. Pierre, Ronald Papandrea, Steven Warner, Richard Sabaugh, Ethan Vinson, Robert Boccomino, Keith Sadowski, and the city of Warren Medical Marihuana Review Committee.

Rosati Schultz Joppich & Amtsbuechler PC (by Andrea M. Pike , Detroit) for the city of Warren.

Robert Charles Davis for Sozo Health Inc.

Waelchli Law, PLLC (by Thomas R. Waelchli ) for LivWell Michigan, LLC.

Altior Law, PC (by Kenneth F. Neuman , Birmingham and Matthew D. Smith ) for West Fort Holdings, LLC; BDECo I, Inc.; Frazho Provisioning, LLC; Warren Capital Holdings LLC; DNVK 4 LLC; AE&K, LLC; Level Up Garden LLC; and 8th Street Wellness PC, LLC.

Anthony J. Bologna for BDECo I, Inc; DNVK 4, LLC.; and Warren CapitalHoldings LLC.

Reese Serra for AE&K, LLC.

David R. Draper for Level Up Garden, LLC; and 8th Street Wellness PC, LLC.

Lennon Law PLLC (by Edward G. Lennon ) for MDMS Group, LLC.

Pollicella, PLLC (by Jacqueline Langwith ) for 989 Ventures, LLC.

Geyer) for LE Battle Creek, Inc.; Weisberger Ventures II, LLC; and Vendco Michigan, Inc.

Senawi for Frazho Provisioning, LLC.

Before: Sawyer, P.J., and Shapiro and Redford, JJ.


These consolidated appeals and cross-appeals arise from a dispute over the city of Warren's selection of the entities it licensed to sell medical marijuana.1 The trial court ultimately determined that defendants, the city of Warren (the City) and the members of...

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