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NORWALK, Conn. – An attorney repeated his point several times to the Norwalk Zoning Commission on Wednesday night: There is no legal reason to turn down an application to build a mosque in a residential Norwalk neighborhood.
"The opponents, respectfully, would have you deny this application based on a finding (I guess) that it's too big, when it meets and complies with all the zoning requirements you have established for the size and structure on this parcel, in this zone," said attorney John Fallon. He represents the Al Madany Islamic Center in its quest to build a mosque at 127 Fillow St.
Commissioners looked down from the stage of Concert Hall, hearing only from Fallon and Michael Galante, because all public comment was closed. At the conclusion of the presentation, an attorney representing the Fillow Ridge and Stonegate Condominium complexes asked to address the points that had been made. Joe Santo, chairman of the commission, denied the request.
Fallon presented two case studies to support the idea that turning down the application would be illegal. He and Galante also called into question the accuracy of a traffic study presented by opponents, saying that David Spear, a traffic engineer hired by neighbors, left out many key facts.
The commissioners "have seen dozens and dozens of traffic studies," Santo said, and were aware that studies would favor the person or group that paid for them. "We are allowed under statutes to pick and choose what we believe," he said. "I think that's where we'll begin our deliberations."
The proposed mosque is a 27,000-square-foot facility that would include six classrooms, a library, a community room and a gymnasium/multipurpose room in addition to the prayer hall, which is under a dome. It would feature a 90-foot-tall minaret and would be on 1.56 acres.
"What we propose is consistent with the precedent that has always been followed in this community by this commission and its predecessors," Fallon said. "... Obviously, I'm the advocate. But I say this sincerely, I cannot see one compelling public basis or one basis under your own promulgated regulations to warrant your denial of this congregation's right to finally have a home, a place of worship, in their city."
Comments (5)
Legal or not...at what point does one listen to plain old common sense?
HOW ridiculous that this is even being considered, or this spot even chosen in the first place, when there are SO many more areas that make more sense?
Amazing...just...amazing.
ANY building in this residential area is ludicrous...thus the term RESIDENTIAL.
I wonder if he (or other supporters for that matter) would be willing to give up his/their house/street/area or wherever to provide space for this building?
At what point do the taxpayers who live in this area AND PAY THE TAXES TO LIVE IN THIS AREA have a say??
****sigh****
It's an ugly and silly proposal with too many flaws to have gotten this far. Ridiculous.
If the building and the necessary parking, and the existing little red house won't all fit on that property without a considerable occasional overflow of parking on the street, the board must refuse a special permit, until more land is acquired, or the building redesigned to include parking underneath.
27000 sq ft is room for a lot of parking.
All the other houses of worship in residential neighborhoods were designed to look more like other buildings in their neighborhood. The need for towers visible from far away, is a throwback to a time when most people did not own watches and the church bells were a call to worship services for a congregation that had no other way to know the exact time worship services/ceremony started. We would hope these people are building for the future, not for the distant past.
I still cant understand why they would allow a building THAT BIG on such a small piece of property? It will encroach on the houses next to it, not to mention all the regulations that are being ignored...I'm curious as to if it is going to be built? And, if so...how long until they tear the little red house down?
If it dosen`t fit you must not permit. To all the people that are involved in the prosses here, please think of all the people that live in the neighbohood first and how this applacation will change there lives. For several hunderd people this is a quality of life issue. There are other places in Norwalk were this applaction is more suted not in this residential neighborhood once again ( if it dosen`t fit you must not permit )