DaytonDailyNews.com

SUGARCREEK TWP., Greene County — The Sugarcreek Twp. Board of Zoning Appeals on Thursday night, Sept. 18, approved the Islamic Society of Greater Dayton's conditional use application to build a mosque on South Alpha-Bellbrook Road.

The 5-0 vote came at a public meeting at Bellbrook Middle School attended by about 50 people, several of whom spoke in opposition to the plan.

The ISGD's original proposal to build a much bigger mosque was rejected in January.

The application approved Thursday is for a mosque roughly half the size (a 19,000 square foot footprint) that will serve half the number of people (500) of the first design.

The approval is contingent on 13 conditions, some of which include:

• Securing Greene County's approval of the final plans;

• Agreeing to limits on lighting, landscaping and hours of outdoor use;

• Securing Ohio Environmental Protection Agency approval of the on-site sewage system.

"It feels good that we were able to compromise," said ISGD President Tarek Sabagh, a Sugarcreek Twp. resident.

"The main thing we heard last time was 'big facility, big facility.' And you had to go back and say, 'Well how can we do this in a way that fits?' "

One key hurdle the ISGD cleared was in overcoming the township's comprehensive development plan, which states that "large public/institutional uses" are inappropriate for the area.

The document does not define the term "large."

Erin Moore, zoning appeals board chairwoman, said during deliberations that she didn't consider the smaller mosque to be a large institutional use.

But several residents spoke in opposition to the mosque, citing the same concerns about traffic and "lack of fit with the neighborhood" that had played a part in the zoning appeals board's rejection of the plans in January.

"These people deserve a place to worship, but it is very clear that this is not the place for it," said Bruce Dawson, who lives across the street from the mosque property.

Craig Freeman, another ISGD neighbor, said he thought the township was afraid of a federal discrimination lawsuit.

"I think (the zoning appeals board) should have turned it down," Freeman said. "At the same time, I think (the ISGD) is a conscientious group and I believe they will try to live up to very high standards. I'm just disappointed they couldn't have found another location."

Sabagh was happy that the ISGD, which now worships on Josie Street in Dayton, had finally reached this step.

"I can tell you, the neighbors will not regret our presence," he said. "It's going to be a good addition to the community."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2278 or jkelley@daytondailynews.com.