Oyster Bay pays $3.95 million to settle mosque approval disputes
- The Town of Oyster Bay has been involved in legal disputes regarding mosque expansion for over six years.
- The settlement includes financial compensation and approval for building a larger mosque.
- The controversy raises broader concerns about religious discrimination in local zoning laws.
In a significant legal resolution, the Town of Oyster Bay in New York settled a lengthy dispute involving the Masjid Al-Baqi mosque. After years of legal encounters, the town agreed to a payment of $3.95 million to the mosque in damages and legal fees due to claims that it had violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. This act mandates that religious institutions cannot be treated less favorably than secular institutions regarding land use. The mosque, which had been in the town since the 1990s, faced substantial delays in obtaining approval for needed permits and expansions. The controversy escalated following revelations that the town created fictitious testimonies, which they have never done before, leading to public outrage and legal scrutiny. In addition to the financial settlement, the agreement permitted the mosque to demolish two existing one-story buildings and construct a larger house of worship. Furthermore, it addressed an discriminatory parking law that disproportionately affected the mosque compared to similar secular establishments. The entire situation highlighted issues of religious discrimination in planning regulations, which the federal government recognized as unjust. It was a landmark ruling, reflecting the necessity for equitable treatment of all religious groups in community planning processes.