WEST WINDSOR: Debate on proposed mosque continues

By Allison Musante, Staff Writer
   WEST WINDSOR — Debate over whether to allow a mosque on Old Trenton Road will continue into a fourth meeting, after the Zoning Board ran out of time to conclude testimony on Thursday night.
   The board extended the hearing to June 16.
    During three hours of testimony, the board heard from John McDonough, the planner for the applicant – the Institute of Islamic Studies — who presented new and revised documents requested from prior meetings. The board also heard opinions from the township consultants: planner John Madden, landscape architect Dan Dobromilsky and engineer Jim Ruddiman.About 50 people attended the Thursday night hearing.
   The institute has been appearing before the board since April to obtain a use variance because the property is zoned for research and office uses. If it gets the variance, it would then submit a site plan application with the Planning Board.Before getting started, Chairman John Roeder said the board had received a letter from a group of residents asking that board member Shawki Salem recuse himself from participating or voting on the application on the grounds of bias.
   Zoning Board attorney Ed Schmiere said he believed “there is no basis for him to step down.”
   Mr. Salem said, “It was unfortunate and un-American to do that. I took an oath to do what’s best for the community and for the town.”
    After a few outbursts of applause in response, Chairman Roeder put a stop to either side’s show of support – an issue from previous meetings. “There will be no visible expression from anybody of any nature,” he said.In Mr. McDonough’s testimony, he again defended why the institute wishes to develop on the Old Trenton Road property, which is within a 3-mile radius of the group’s current location in East Windsor. As requested, he submitted a map of mosques near West Windsor and a chart of other township properties, along with the reasons each did not satisfy the group’s needs. “This reinforces that it’s not practical to search beyond the core of membership,” said Mr. McDonough. “(The 3-mile radius) is 27 square miles. From a planning standpoint, that’s a reasonable parameter for the search.” Mr. McDonough also he spoke of eight conditions the institute would accept to ease the concern of Elements residents. The institute agreed to rotate the building by 90 degrees so that the front entrance faces away from the Elements, thereby increasing the buffer between the property lines by an additional 30 feet.
   The mosque would also self-impose a maximum occupancy of 483 people, a number calculated by institute engineer Duane Nelson.
   Joe Costa said he had observed parking at the mosque in East Windsor during a Friday night service and saw many cars parked illegally in fire lanes because of overflow.
   ”I’m assuming what you do to your current neighbors is what you are going to do to your future neighbors,” he said.
    Mr. Madden testified that parking was “more than adequate.” Mr. McDonough added that if the institute wished to expand parking, it would have to apply for another variance with the township.Residents took issue with the addition of a basketball court for use by the Sunday school children.
   The institute had previously testified that no formal recreational activities would take place outside, but Adnan Khan, the institute’s engineer, said the court was considered in the original concept plans.Mr. Dobromilsky responded that the noise impact would be minimal.
   He said the bounce of one basketball produces 75 decibels of noise at one foot away, but with the properties more than 300 feet apart, the noise would be dispersed and well within state regulations. “I don’t think it’s a significant concern, but we should look at it more thoroughly at the site plan level,” he said. Mr. Ruddiman said his issues with the mosque pertained to site plan elements, which would be discussed at the Planning Board stage.
Mr. Madden said he supported the variance because many houses of worship are already located in residential areas in the township, and he said the use would be “more benign” than the zoned office and retail uses.
    “They’ve addressed all the negative criteria I had by the conditions they have offered,” he said.
   Rabbi Eric Wisnia of Beth Chaim in West Windsor said the congregation voted unanimously to support the application because they agreed it would be “inherently beneficial” to the community — a term supported by state case law regarding any house of worship.
   He said the worshipers are “wonderful, upstanding citizens. It is very strange and distressing that a number of people are complaining so much. I am proud (the institute) is looking to join our community and I am pleased the Zoning Board has been correct in its defense of what is right.”