Volkswagen Emissions Cheating Scandal Produces Land Use Lawsuit in Michigan

The city of Pontiac has filed a lawsuit over the illegal storage of hundreds of Volkswagen vehicles. The vehicles have mothballed at the Pontiac Silverdome as a result of the buy-back program necessitated by the 2016 emissions cheating scandal.

1 minute read

March 24, 2017, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Pontiac, Michigan

Ken Lund / Wikimedia Commons

"The city of Pontiac has filed litigation against Triple Investment Group, owners of the Silverdome, for violations of the building and safety code, zoning ordinances and municipal code including the storage of used cars on the property," reports Natalie Broda.

The Silverdome land use lawsuit is a strange outcome of the Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal. David Tracy broke the news in January that the Silverdome (the former home of the NFL's Detroit Lions) was housing hundreds of cars bought back by Volkswagen. The buy-back program also resulted in mothball fleets of Volkswagen vehicles at a decommissioned Air Force base in California and at a port in Baltimore.  

Back to the land use controversy at hand: "The motions filed include violations to the city’s zoning ordinance, including one ordinance which states that a site plan review is needed for larger and intensive projects including new developments, major expansions and redevelopment." Another alleged violation of the zoning ordinance was for a lack of the special exemption permit for parking and exterior storage of vehicles.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017 in Oakland Press

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

4 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

6 hours ago - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine