Oyster Bay backs out of agreement with local mosque to approve rebuilding plans

Long Island mosque expansion experiencing issues

Congregants of a mosque in Bethpage are growing more frustrated with all of the delays to their expansion. FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg has more.

LONG ISLAND - A mosque in Oyster Bay is struggling to rebuild after the city backed out of a settlement agreement approving the rebuilding plans.

The backstory:

Masjid Al-Baqi has been trying to build a new facility for years. The mosque has stood at the intersection of Stewart and Central avenues since the late '90s. The building was once a Pizza Hut. The main room is used as a classroom, a cafeteria, even an activity room. Next door, a former Japanese restaurant is being used for overflow classes.

Members say the spaces are cramped and that there is little privacy for the imam to meet with families. 

Mujahid Ahmed, a board member at the mosque, said their proposal was for a two-story building with a basement. 

"We want a separate area for eating food, a separate area for kids to play, and a separate area for classes," Ahmed said.

What we know:

They originally submitted their plan to the town in 2018. But the application hit a snag when the city of Oyster Bay passed a new law, changing the parking requirements for houses of worship, which the mosque's plans did not meet. 

The mosque, in turn, sued the town, alleging that officials tried to stall the project, and that the new parking law unfairly targeted religious buildings.

In August, the town of Oyster Bay reached a settlement with the mosque to approve their rebuilding plans, but backed out days later, citing traffic safety at the intersection.

Dig deeper:

In August, the New York Post reported that town officials admitted under oath that one of the key witnesses they used to justify denying the mosque's proposal, a grandmother who allegedly complained of traffic near the mosque, didn't actually exist. Rather, the grandmother was "partially an amalgam of testimony and written submissions," according to the Post.

What they're saying:

The town is now denying any wrongdoing.

Oyster Bay leaders declined an on-camera interview.

In a statement to FOX 5, Town Attorney Frank Scalera said, in part, that "this case between the Town of Oyster Bay and MOLI (Muslims on Long Island) centers on traffic safety and parking—not religion… The Town Board will not compromise when it comes to protecting everyone in the public…"

The other side:

Ahmed said he believes the town "is caving into people's ignorance and racism."

A petition supporting the mosque's rebuilding plan argues that town laws were manipulated "to mask their racism or xenophobia against our Muslim neighbors."

What's next:

The case is now in the hands of a federal judge, with a trial date scheduled in October.