Laserfiche WebLink
I <br />2 <br />3 <br />4 <br />5 <br />6 <br />7 <br />8 <br />9 <br />10 <br />II <br />12 <br />13 <br />14 <br />15 <br />16 <br />17 <br />18 <br />19 <br />20 <br />21 <br />22 <br />23 <br />24 <br />25 <br />26 <br />27 <br />28 <br />29 <br />30 <br />31 <br />32 <br />33 <br />34 <br />35 <br />36 <br />37 <br />38 <br />39 <br />40 <br />41 <br />42 <br />43 <br />44 <br />45 <br />46 <br />City Council Regular Meeting Minutes <br />June 12,2012 <br />Page 4 <br />food sharing. He stated during the month of Ramadan , there will be activity from sundown until <br />II :00 p.m. or 12:00 midnight and at the end of Ramadan, they have the Eid celebration where <br />people come to pray at 8:00 a.m. with some celebration during that day. <br />Councilmember Roth asked if there will be daily prayer on other days. <br />Mr. Giarushi stated there will be people at the Islamic Center but there will not be other people <br />driving there and there might not be activity on days other than Friday. He expressed <br />appreciation for everything the City has done and stated that a lot of people were worried about <br />parking issues and tax exemption and he wanted to assure the community that there are 349 <br />parking spaces on the entire site and they will own both parcels. He stated the only portion of <br />the building that will be tax exempt will be what the Islamic Center will use and that is what the <br />law allows, and is not even 10-12% of the building. He indicated the location of the building in <br />an industrial park is away from everything and is not in the way of anyone. He stated they <br />welcome comments from the neighbors and indicated this is a house of worship not just for <br />Muslims and is a community project. <br />Councilmember Gray presented a document about the proposed Islamic Center and recited the <br />wording on the document that says the program of Abu-Huraira Islamic Center has been an <br />initiative to establish a center that provides for the needs of Muslims in Minnesota. He stated the <br />arca that the CUP will cover is 12 ,940 square feet and the CUP permit request says the rest of the <br />building will be tenant office space and will remain unchanged. He indicated the document also <br />say s the Abu-Huraira Islamic Center will include a mosque, library, school for all ages, <br />conference hall s, gymnasium for all ages, offices for solving community needs and many other <br />programs to fulfill the needs of the Muslim community. He asked if all this will be done within <br />the 12,940 square feet proposed in the application. <br />Mr. Giarushi stated that the document referenced by Councilmember Gray is not correct. He <br />indicated when the City told them a school was not allowed and that they would have to apply <br />for a zoning change, they took out the school. <br />Councilmember Gray expressed concern that it appears there may be a request later on to expand <br />and change the zoning of this site. <br />Mr. Giarushi stated at this time they are not asking for a zoning change or for a school. He stated <br />if a school was allowed and the City allowed the zoning, they mayor may not have a school. He <br />added they do not know what the future is and they will not use the Islamic Center for other <br />purposes without the City 's permission. <br />Mr. John Murlowski, 2405 39th Avenue, appeared before the City Council and questioned <br />whether a church and an assembly was the same thing. He felt this was the Christian equivalent <br />of a church and he had a problem with that. He stated he does not want to see a mosque in the <br />City . <br />Mr. Rob Lundeen , 3912 Fordham , appeared before the City Council and urged the City Council <br />not to allow this in the LI area. He felt the Islamic Center would not be beneficial to the City and