On Wednesday, the City of Elgin and The Life Center, Inc., a mobile pregnancy center, entered into a settlement agreement to resolve a lawsuit that was filed last year. The lawsuit arose after zoning restrictions were passed to stop the mobile pregnancy center from operating. In August, 2013, the district court found the zoning restriction in violation of the First Amendment and entered a permanent injunction. The City of Elgin appealed the decision to the Seventh Circuit, but a settlement was reached before the Seventh Circuit issued a decision.
The settlement will allow The Life Center to continue to offer services to the people of Elgin, and the zoning ordinance will be amended to allow charitable mobile services to run without paying for a permit. Additionally, the City will pay The Life Center $280,000 to cover part of the attorneys’ fees occurred as a result of this lawsuit.
According to Vivian Maly, Executive Director of The Life Center:
Our main concern was always having the freedom to park TLC’s ultrasound mobile unit in Elgin where the need is the greatest. … We now look ahead to serving the women and families in our community with the support of the leadership in the city of Elgin.
