Residents will have the opportunity to comment on the mosque proposed for William Floyd Parkway in Shirley. The Brookhaven Town Board will hold a hearing on the plan on February 13th, 2025, at 3 p.m. at Town Hall in Farmingville.
“Everyone is welcome to attend and can certainly give their views and ask questions about the site plan, parking, traffic, or anything else,” said Supervisor Dan Panico.
“However, the law is clear and those who appear and call for the town board to deny this application based on it being a house of worship for people of the Muslim faith will be rebuffed by a town board who respects the constitutionally protected rights of all people.”
The Islamic Center of Mastic-Shirley plans to build a 35-foot-high, two-story mosque at the corner of Tudor Road.
The building will be approximately 13,000 square feet and feature domed ceilings with two minarets on either side. Residents have expressed concern over off-street parking and the increased traffic the new church could bring.
Supervisor Panico said he was motivated to post his rebuff on Social Media after more than a hundred comments regarding the proposal appeared on Facebook.
Most were supportive of the mosque, while a few crossed the line, Panico noted. “The 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of religion—not just for your particular religion,” he said, adding that a house of worship on the residentially zoned site does not require a zone change or approval by the town board. “I feel the need to make this post because I have read some rather disappointing viewpoints as to the interpretation of the law.”
“This is a parkway—a scenic route designed to take you to the beautiful ocean beach at Smith Point County Park,” Delia Mckernan posted on Shirley and the Mastics. Our Town, Our Community, Our Home!
“Instead, our elected officials have allowed it to become an expressway! I'd like to know what are the allotted parking spaces? Will they also be parking on the parkway, which they do now, and it's NOT allowed? People get out there and attend this meeting...TRAFFIC IS RIDICULOUS AS IT IS... this should never have been approved in this location.”
“Funny how everyone forgot about 911 and all is wonderful now,” Vincent Gentile said. His comment was followed by, “Wow, super racist,” from Amanda Green.
“Shame on you to cast hate on anyone!” said Donato Sangemino. “There are bad people in every race and religion. Our local Muslim community is just like the rest of us regular folks. Business owners, hard workers, retirees, children and more.”
The Islaamic Center, also called Masjid Umar Bin Khattaab, was established in 2001 and has grown to about 400 members.
Its objective is to “establish and maintain a place of worship for the purpose of congregational prayers (five times daily prayers and weekly Salaatul Jumu’ah) as well as Islamic educational programs in charities for the spiritual development of the Muslim Community.”
Muslim leaders are also proposing a 15,000 grave cemetery at the former Spadaro Airport property in East Moriches.