Mosque Hearing Pushed Off to November

The Muslim Cultural Center will have to come back to the Zoning Board next month with an updated site plan reflecting its new changes in its request to occupy a not yet constructed, but previously approved, office building on Paramus Road as a mosque and cultural center.

Testimony was set to be heard Thursday, continuing from August, but Zoning Board members decided to push off further discussion as the current site plan did not include the changes the applicant’s attorney James Delia brought forward. It was believed that the lack of visual would not help the board in its decision making.

Approval to construct an office building at this site was granted in 2008 but now approval is being sought to use the building as a house of worship instead therefore requiring a use variance.

Delia told the board members plans would now eliminate the previously proposed worship area on the first floor allowing for the addition of five parking spaces bringing the total amount of spaces to 61. Borough code requires 68 spaces for this use. The new plans also change the parking plans from angle parking to 90-degree, said Delia.

The center would occupy the three floors of the building. The first floor would occupy a lobby area and restrooms while the upper two floors would be for worship. Delia explained that in the Muslim religion men and women pray separately. Therefore the second floor would be devoted to women’s worship and the third for the men.

The congregation consists of about 25 local families who are part of the Muslim Cultural Center of who seek a more local place to worship other than mosques in neighboring towns, according to NorthJersey.com.

The hearing will continue on Thursday, Nov. 29. Testimony from the applicant’s traffic expert is expected.