Written by Don Byrd
The City Council of Mobile, Alabama cited traffic and parking concerns in denying an Islamic Center’s request for expansion. Echoing controversies in Murfreesboro, TN and New York, this dispute pitting religious freedom against zoning regulations may be headed to court as well.
Shafik Hammami, president of the Islamic Center of Mobile, said the Mobile City Council’s vote against plans for the work was a “travesty of justice” prompted by bias.
Hammami, a retired engineer with the Alabama Department of Transportation, said he would seek legal assistance following the refusal, which occurred during a meeting Tuesday.
“I have been in this country for 41 years,” Hammami told reporters after the meeting. “I have never experienced any discrimination whatsoever as I did this morning.”
The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) requires local governments to demonstrate a compelling government interest to restrict such expansion requests. Whether traffic and parking concerns in the area of the University of South Alabama qualifies remains to be seen.
