Lilburn mosque hits expansion snag

By Shane Blatt

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Lilburn's Planning Commission on Thursday night recommended rejecting a rezoning request that would have allowed for a large mosque and cemetery in one of the city's neighborhoods.

The 4-0 decision, which still needs approval by the Lilburn City Council, was met with applause by many of the more than 500 people who packed the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center in Lawrenceville.

Residents, many of whom were clad in red, turned out to voice their opposition to a proposal by the local Muslim congregation of Dar-E-Abbas for a 20,000-square-foot mosque, gymnasium and cemetery on about 8 acres at U.S. 29 and Hood Road. Some of that land is currently owned by Lilburn Mayor Diana Preston.

"I just don't see what it does for our community," said resident Steve Wilson, also a land developer. "You have opened the floodgates to what could possibly happen to Lilburn."

Wilson was joined by about a dozen other residents who addressed the panel. Many of them emphasized the issue was about rezoning, not religion. They said the mosque will create traffic, noise, drainage and parking problems.

Members of the congregation, who have worshipped in two 2,000-square-foot buildings on the same property for the past 11 years, said they need the additional space to accommodate Lilburn's growing Muslim community and 90 families who worship there.

"I'm disappointed," congregation member Ailya Zaidi said after the vote. "It's important for us to expand and be part of this community."

Doug Dillard, the attorney representing the congregation, said he was surprised by the commission's decision. The panel cited that the proposal isn't suitable for nearby properties and is not consistent with the city's land-use plan.

The Lilburn City Council is expected to vote Nov. 18. To avoid a conflict of interest, Preston said she will not attend the meeting or vote in the case of a tie.

This isn't the first time residents and religious groups have clashed over land-use matters in metro Atlanta. In Forsyth County, residents in early October raised concerns about traffic, tree razing and the effect on property values with the addition of the county's first mosque. In Sandy Springs, a rezoning request by the Church of Scientology has triggered waves of opposition, with residents citing parking and traffic problems.