A chief concern of residents speaking out against a Shirley mosque at a zoning hearing last week is the building is too large for the proposed site, while supporters, many from the Islaamic Center of Mastic-Shirley, said they welcome the 13,500-square-foot facility as an asset to the community.
The center is planning the new church on William Floyd Parkway at the corner of Tudor Road, a facility town officials said they have a right to build under the current residential zoning. As designed, the project requires variances from the Brookhaven Board of Zoning Appeals for signage, fencing, and distance from neighboring properties.
“We welcome the church to our community, but this property is too small for what they want to build,” said Clara Scocozzo, who told the board she was speaking for her father and other residents who live near the site. “They didn’t do their due diligence in finding the right location. This is too close to the houses behind it.”
The center is seeking to reduce the backyard setback from the required 60 feet under town code to 25, a buffer that doesn’t sit well with the adjoining property owners. “The neighborhood will be greatly affected by this,” said a resident who didn’t want their name used. “The long-standing property owners have a right to enjoy their homes that they worked hard for.” Residents also expressed concerns over the amount of parking spaces in the plan. “There’s not enough parking. The side street is not the right place to put cars. There are homes nearby, kids playing; it’s just not right,” another homeowner said.
“The mosque will be a resource to the community at large,” said Imam Abdul-Lateef Poulos, who also serves as vice president and trustee of the church, which has a smaller facility across the street from the proposed site. “The mosque will not just be for worship but also a community center. We want to help solve problems in the community today and 100 years from now.”
“The mosque has always been there for me,” said Abdullah Saad, a Stony Brook student from Shirley. “They are good for our community, our society.” The William Floyd High School graduate said he’s been involved in food and coat drives through the church and other activities, including college prep work, working out, and studying. “It’s a place for young people to hang out instead of being with the wrong crowd.” According to Saad, his friends are looking forward to playing in the indoor basketball court planned for the center.
Zoning Board Chairman Howard Bergson noted a willingness of the mosque officials to work with the community. During the hearing, they agreed to extend a vinyl fence along the entire back of the property and continue to fill in landscaping, which they said was stolen twice already after they put in plantings. They also agreed to lower the height of the signage to eliminate the need for a variance.
Board member Kevin Casey suggested decreasing the width of the building and changing the parking configuration to increase the setback distance from the adjoining homes. Project engineer Tahir Qureshi said that would be difficult given the shape of the nearly two-acre lot and the size of the structure, particularly the space for the basketball court. He also suggested that leaving the buffer zone directly behind the building free of parking would be a preferable option for the neighbors. Still, the backyards of three homes would butt up against the side parking lot, according to the site plan.
“Knowing the benefits this project will bring to the community, l can’t help but support it,” said Shirley resident C.J., a mosque member. “I foresee the benefits of helping our youth come together, as well as health fairs, helping neighbors in need, educational opportunities—many activities to benefit the entire community.”
Ghulam Sarwar, owner of a gas station near the site, said he welcomes the mosque. “The vacant lot is an eyesore, a dumping ground,” he said. “I fully support this project. We have all religions here living in peace.”
Sign-off by the zoning board is the first step for the mosque. Next, they will need site plan approval from the town Planning Board. BZA Chairman Bergson noted that the site plan decision could come from the Brookhaven Town Board as Supervisor Dan Panico is looking to shift responsibilities to the elected members of the town to help streamline projects and increase accountability.
The Islaamic Center, also known as Masjid Umar Bin Khattaab, was established in 2001 and has grown to IMG_3379.jpgabout 400 members. Its objective is to “establish and maintain a place of worship for congregational prayers (5 times daily prayers and weekly Salaatul Jumu’ah) as well as Islamic educational programs in charities for the spiritual development of the Muslim Community,” according to its website.