Leaders of a proposed new mosque in Plainfield say they’re moving ahead with their plans after narrowly winning preliminary approval despite some community opposition.
“We’re going to leave all the previous events in the past,” said Zaki Basalath, secretary of the Islamic Foundation of the Southwest Suburbs. “We’re going to move forward.”
Overturning a previous rejection of the proposal, Plainfield trustees voted 4-3 on Monday in favor of advancing the project, meaning a special-use ordinance will be drafted for final approval of the mosque. That vote could come as early as Oct. 2.
Four months ago, the foundation purchased a building off Route 126 in Plainfield that was previously used as a church and also a Montessori school but is zoned for residences. Though village staff recommended approval of a special-use permit for the mosque, trustees initially turned down the request, citing traffic concerns.
Supporters of the mosque — including several congregation members, Plainfield residents and ministers from other faiths — packed Monday’s Village Board meeting, filling the main meeting room and overflowing into the hallway and a second meeting room where the proceedings were live-streamed.
Some supporters suggested that other motivators, such as discrimination, influenced the earlier no votes. Others questioned why the building was acceptable to use as a church and a school but not as a mosque.
Homeowners near the site said they had no ill will toward members of the mosque.
Plainfield trustee Margie Bonuchi, who voted against the proposal, noted the church was built many years ago and closed in 2003, when traffic wasn’t the problem it is today on Route 126.
“People can say (traffic) is an excuse,” said Bonuchi, adding she would have voted against another church or school at that location as well. “It’s not.”
The mosque plans to hold prayer services five times a day and expects an average of eight to 10 people to attend each. The Friday afternoon prayer service would attract as many as 60 people, mosque leaders estimate.
Basalath noted that the Islamic Foundation agreed to lower its building capacity, from 222 people to 114, as requested by the village. At Monday’s meeting, trustees requested additional stipulations before an occupancy permit is granted, including the installation of a fence between the building and neighboring homes, parking restrictions on neighboring streets and extra traffic control measures during heavily attended events.
Foundation members plan to meet with neighbors in the coming days. If final approval is granted by the village, work will start inside the shuttered church to transform it into a mosque, and foundation leaders hope to have the mosque open in November.
“I don’t think any of our neighbors meant anything bad,” said Syed Pasha, foundation treasurer. “I’m positive that very soon we’ll be friends with these neighbors.”
Basalath and other mosque members said they did not share the feeling among some supporters that there was prejudice behind the opposition.
“I don’t think it was discrimination,” Basalath said after Monday’s meeting. “There were valid concerns. If it was discrimination, we would have a different result.”
Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter.
