Some Lilburn residents were rebuffed in their attempt Monday night to protest the expansion of a mosque when the City Council adjourned without taking public comments.
Several opponents of the mosque showed up at the council's regular monthly meeting, hoping to renew their call for Lilburn officials to deny an application from local Muslim congregation Dar-E-Abbas.
But Mayor Diana Preston and council members brought the meeting to a close after about 40 minutes without setting aside time for residents to address them.
Preston and other city officials declined to comment following the meeting.
Regardless, one of the residents' most vocal leaders approached the podium at the end of the meeting and implored the council to respond to their concerns.
"This is a violation of our rights," said Angel Alonso, who encouraged residents to show up to the meeting in an email sent over the weekend. "Who's going to protect our rights?"
The residents came to make their plea at City Hall Monday even though the council will not reconsider the application until next week. That meeting will include a public hearing, according to an agenda posted by the city.
Last year, the Dar-E-Abbas congregation, which owns and worships on 1.4 acres, sought to buy an additional 6.5 acres for an expanded mosque, gymnasium and cemetery to accommodate the area's growing Muslim population.
Lilburn officials denied the application, prompting a federal religious discrimination lawsuit against the city.
On Thursday, Lilburn City Manager Bill Johnsa said in a press release, "Based upon recent developments in the federal litigation with Dar-E-Abbas, and upon advice of legal counsel, the City of Lilburn has determined to reconsider the zoning application of Dar-E-Abbas, as was generally proposed in December of 2010.”
Hasan Mirza, one of the Dar-E-Abbas' founding members, said he believes the congregation has addressed all of the city's concerns, including increased traffic and noise and potential drainage problems.
"I'm hoping that we're nearing the end," Mirza said. "We've wasted time and money to fight this case and we didn't have to."
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