Temecula approves mosque after contentious 8-hour hearing

The Temecula City Council early Wednesday morning unanimously approved a proposed mosque after a marathon eight-hour hearing that seesawed from vitriolic rants from residents castigating Muslims as terrorists to interfaith leaders praising the peaceful virtues of Islam.

 

In the end, the council’s decision was made solely based on mundane issues such as traffic, parking and environmental impacts, with the council agreeing that the project exceeded all legal requirements for approval.

The vote came at 3:34 a.m. after the council sat patiently into the wee morning hours listening to  testimony from residents, largely a replay of the months of debate over the mosque. More than 110 people signed up to testify, though some drifted away after sitting through six hours of speakers.

“This was a democratic republic at its best," said Councilwoman Maryann Edwards. Plans by the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley to build a 24,943-square-foot mosque on a vacant 4-acre plot in northeastern  Temecula, next to a Baptist church, have been attacked by opponents who have said the mosque will attract Islamic extremists and overwhelm the neighborhood with traffic congestion and noise.

The city’s Planning Commission unanimously approved the project in early December, and opponents appealed that ruling to the City Council, which held a packed public hearing on the project starting about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

“This is a great day for all of Temecula, really," said Imam Mohamoud Harmoush of the Islamic Center. “Now I think we must again devote ourselves to reaching out to the community."

Dozens of residents, and speakers from as far away as Los Angeles and Hesperia, voiced their opposition to the center. Most of the criticism focused on the potential traffic congestion that the mosque may create on neighborhood streets, although city planners said an independent traffic study showed the center would have minimal effects.

Other speakers hurled visceral attacks against Islam, warning that the mosque would serve as a strategic foothold for extremists bent on undercutting America’s values and laws.

"If you want to come here and not abide by our laws, you can just turn around and find another place to live," said Amy Pina, 42, of Temecula. Just as many residents, including dozens of Muslims living in the Temecula Valley, condemned those attacks as bigoted vitriol born of an ignorance of Islamic beliefs.

“We are not terrorists. We are victims of terrorists … we are victims of fear," Suhail Fares told the council.

Early in the hearing, City Atty. Peter Thorson told council members that they could only consider land-use issues when reviewing the project and that to base any decision on religious, political or social factors would violate freedom of religion under the 1st Amendment.

The mosque and center reflect a Mediterranean design seen in many Temecula neighborhoods, though the building will have traditional domes topped with crescent moons. The facility will be built in two stages, with the first limited to a 4,100-square-foot mosque to serve about 150 Muslim families living in Temecula, Murrieta and surrounding communities.

The Islamic Center, which has existed for years in a warehouse in one of Temecula’s industrial areas, bought the property for the proposed mosque 10 years ago and has been raising money to build the facility ever since. The Planning Commission’s approval of the mosque was appealed to the City Council by Temecula resident George Rombach, president of a group called Concerned American Citizens.

Rombach during the hearing accused city officials of giving the Islamic Center preferential treatment and said the proposed mosque violated restrictions on parking, environmental impacts and generating traffic. City planning officials dismissed those allegations, saying the city acted properly and the proposed mosque met all legal requirements.

Rombach said he hadn’t decided whether to file a legal challenge to the city’s decision.

"I’m still weighing my options," he said.

RELATED:

Temecula residents square off over proposed mosque

Temecula City Council set to vote on proposed mosque

Proposed Temecula mosque wins planning commission approval

-- Phil Willon in Temecula

Comments

[beverly sexton]

Temecula City councils bank accounts should be check for BIG deposits. You will see a lot of people moving away from Temecula and business failing now.
Temecula has always gone way over board on building to much and the roads
can not handle the traffic flow. How many on the council are muslims?

[pitung]

I agree with the decision to build the mosque in Temecula as long as they will not spread hatred towards Christians and other religions but I totally disagreed building a mosque in Lower Manhattan due to the 9/11 incident.

[Religious Freedom USA]

This article was posted on the Religious Freedom USA blog. To read more click here:
http://www .religious freedomusa .org

[bob]

Mitchell, if Temecula were to become a "muslim stronghold" doesn't that benefit you and your ilk? You know, now we know where they live brothers. For isn't that a bugaboo for American anti-muslim extremists the lament that Islamic types are sneaking around in the proverbial woodwork of the US maliciously unraveling the fabric of our nation? Your fear needs a hat. A big heavy one.

[Sam]

Re: Lee B. | January 26, 2011 at 08:43 AM
"Federal law always supersedes local law on religious matters. This fact is on, among other things, the citizenship test. I presume the regular attendees of the mosque have passed it."

- I agree with your point, but I want to point out that you're wrong about the "citizenship test" - everyone physically in the country is entitled to the same protections. The 14th amendment first defines what makes a person into a citizen, but then in the very next sentence goes back to using the word 'person' (not 'citizen') to say that "No State shall. . . deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

[rene]

how stupid - wern't we founded on freedom of religon?
we';ve lost our colective mind...

[Rick]

I have the (dubious) distinction of having lived in Temecula during my youth and also currently living in San Diego, literally across the street from a brand new "Muslim Community Center" (MCC) that was built in a mostly zoned-for-residential area -- right smack-dab next to a nursery school, of all places (if we're to give in to terrorism fears and concerns).

From my experience, the MCC that I walk by daily has caused none of the environmental impact problems I feared when I first heard about the project. (I have to admit, I even had to fight away my own initial reptillian, irrational fears about sleeper terrorism cells and radical imams). But other than an uptick in traffic on Fridays during the afternoon prayers, one would be hard-pressed to know that the building is even there. The nearby elementary school causes more traffic and parking problems than this mosque. Hell, the MCC even held an open-house for us nearby residents.

It would seem that the City Attorney has it right -- you can't deny the place simply because of its religion. At least this Temecula mosque looks as if it belongs in this particular area, it's right next to a church, for god's sake! The people of Temecula who resisted this development don't seem to have a leg to stand on -- other than their own primevel, lizard-like fears, that is.

[Manny]

As an Atheist I see it this way: all religion is just foolishness. It never surprises me to see the hypocracy from a religion who practices tolerance, love and understanding towards all children of God, except when it come to other religions. Every religion; EVERY religion is guilty of war and destruction be it the Crusades, The Armenian Genocide, Bosnia or the Holocaust. To pick on Islam in this case is just plain stupid.

[Rick]

Mr. Campbell,

Please know that the U. S. Supreme Court, as far back as the 1860s, has incorporated the Bill of Rights, of which the First Amendment is one, to state and local governments through the 14th Amendment. Don't be so on-the-nose. Please!

[kgoddess]

YES! A step in the direction of tolerance.

[Ancient Drive]

There is a thing called freedom of religion in this country and it is not exclusive to just one kind. besides we can keep an eye on them here.

[Don Garrettson]

I would like to know if there are any muslims in the military fighting for the freedom that they along with us have, If there sre than i am for the mosque because it is there right too. If not than get out of our country.............

[West Coast]

Look at the bright side, Temecula: once the mosque is built, you'll have an effective undercover FBI presence.

[Chris]

It's a complex issue. If Muslims don't honor our freedoms, they'll only exploit us. Sad, but every mosque can be expected to have radical elements. We naively think/want to believe that most just want to get along, but that's not what Islam teaches. We may have our freedom of religion, but we're going to have to learn the hard way that Islam and freedom can't coexist.

[Papason]

It seems fear is behind many people's thoughts expressed, due to past activities. I have not witnessed though, the kind of cumminity activiies from new mosque members in outreach other than conversions. A metric for new construction might well include service to the poor, funds donated to women in crisis, food given away to the hungry, and services freely to prisons.

[Samuel . D]

The people who predicted that America would one day become a Muslim nation -- may not be wrong after all. Presently they are estimated to be 5 million. Since their breeding process is in resemblance of mathematical- geometric-sequence -- by 2025 their population would be in the neighborhood of 15 million. In the year 2050, they would have attain the figure 50 million. In the year 2075 which is about 64 years from now America shall be having 120-150 million Muslims. And by 2085, six out of every ten American would be Muslims. The by-product of this development would be : a change in American foreign policy, the first amendment shall become irrelevant or re-peeled; good allies shall become enemies -- (ie, Israel ); Western values shall be put aback; tyranny as practiced by today's Muslim state shall be installed; so called moderate Muslims will disappear; minorities such as gays, Buddhist, Jews, Agnostic, lesbians shall go into hidden; Atheist, secularist shall be silenced; agitation for an Islamic state would be on the increase etc, etc. It is still within the competence of this generation to save America from the danger that might befall; her future generation. Minaret mosques are simply conquest Ideology.

[Redondo Beach]

Growing up that area its amazing to me that people fail to see the bigger issue at hand here... No one ever complains if they want to open up another gas station, fast food restaurant or other horrible chain restaurant. If this convoluted theory of "if you build it, they will come" has any truth to it, the Temecula Valley would be filled with overweight people.

I love the fact that people come out of the woodwork to try and stomp anything that goes against the largely Christian and Mormon status quo in the area. Hell, did anyone complain when Cornerstone built that monstrosity of a church off the 15 Fwy? I mean, the letters are so big you can see them from space.

Live and let live...

[enar]

the shame of these comments is the anti-moslem thought that is expressed. I was in Iran in October. I was warmly welcomed everywhere i went and many came up to me on the street and told me that they loved "America." i was told by several well-educated persians that they consider the rule of the clerics to be akin to an invasion and, as with other invaders in the history of iran, "this too shall pass."

for me, the highlight was attending a service in a synagogue in isfahan.

it is what it is, not what the haters of islam want you to believe.

[Paul Ortega]

Please Mr. Rombach, put it to rest, move on and start working on something contructive for your community. The City Council has spoken and it is time for the good people of Temecula to work together in addressing real issues, and not waste time focused on your load of made-up nonsense.

[The Answer]

Americans always have to learn the hard way. Look around this world people !!! Look at Europe for an example. London and Paris are being destroyed by Muslim people. If you are not Muslim they will not be tollerent toward you. That is simply a fact. They want to rule the world, and whatever it takes to do so, they will do. There is no rush in their minds. They will smile at you and at the same time stab you in the back. Better wake up America before it's beyond repair. Just remember one thing, THEY HATE YOU IF YOU ARE NOT ONE OF THEM!!!!!

[Swami]

Welcome to our Temecula Community.

[AJM]

Marcus,

I'm an atheist and you are hearing from me so I guess you are wrong. Not sure what you meant by that statement but atheists also practice the freedom of not subscribing to a religion which is also protected by the 1st Amendment. We are all protected from the bigots and revisionists who think that America should be a Christian theocracy.

[jas]

if temecula residents are smart they would start a recall efforts against every city council member who voted for this garbage

[Travis Y]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Interesting set of events. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-border-cleric-20110127,0,4849638.story

[Osservatore]

And how about a nice Aztec Temple with human sacrifices, all in the name of "freedom of religion"? Let's not be intolerant and judgmental now of non-White people and their barbaric religions. Come on, folks, don't be bigoted and hateful now, but show you us how open minded and tolerant you are, eager to welcome Aztec temples all over America, never mind the bloodshed, never mind the victims...