Last Wednesday, the pews were packed with Muslims and Jewish folks—alongside people of varying levels of other beliefs—as Planning Commission considered whether to grant permit modifications for a local mosque.
The West Valley Muslim Association was asking that indoor prayers be allowed to occur as early as 1.5 hours before sunrise, for night prayers to go until 10:30pm (but only during the summer months), and for 30 days of extended hours during Ramadan (2-2.5 hours each night as they work their way through the Quran).
“A mosque cannot be a mosque if it cannot offer congressional prayers,” said WVMA founder Razi Mohiuddin. “This is fundamental. And they have to be offered at the time. These times cannot be changed by individuals or institutions.”
Mohiuddin displayed paperwork from 1990 that the faith group received in 2018 when they purchased the facility.
“They clearly show that this facility was approved in 1990, 36 years ago, to have three auditoriums that can…simultaneously hold about 700 attendees, and with about 200+ vehicles driving down Farley Road—on this street, in this neighborhood, and in this R-1:8 zone,” he said, noting these permissions were what lead the organization to purchase the property for $11 million+ in the first place.
They haven’t added a single square foot of space since then, he added.
“The only thing that has changed is the religion—from Jehovah’s Witness to the Muslim religion,” he said. “And the only question before you today is whether extending hours creates new impacts.”
(Courtesy of Kim Ratcliff)
And Mohiuddin laid-out specific approaches to dealing with noise, traffic and safety issues.
One woman referred, during verbal communications, to the 2020 Land Use Element in Los Gatos’ General Plan to throw shade on WVMA’s statement, pointing out that it “includes Goal LU-6: To preserve and enhance the existing character and sense of place in residential neighborhoods.” She suggested that the conditions in the permit modification might “adversely impact the residential character of a residential neighborhood.”
Other neighbors described “a cacophony noise” due to increased traffic in the neighborhood and fears of being “trapped” in their own homes by vehicles blocking them in.
Monte Sereno Mayor Lon Allen spoke in support of the mosque permit mod.
“I also should point out that, while I think a lot of people speaking in favor of this are of the Muslim faith, I’m Jewish. My grandfather was a rabbi. I really don’t think it has anything to do with anyone’s particular faith. But we’re all Americans. And we facilitate the free exercise of religion,” he said. “I don’t think that having this mosque in a residential neighborhood is a problem. In Monte Sereno, where I live, we’ve had the Baptist church on Daves Avenue. It’s 100% residential. We have an elementary school across the street. The traffic in and out of the church hasn’t been a danger to the students. And Mary and I have lived there for 47 years just off of Dave’s Avenue. It hasn’t been a problem…As the Supreme Court said, we really have to go out of our way to allow what is necessary for the mosque to operate the way the mosque is supposed to. I’ve read the conditional use permit. I think they’ve bent over backwards to be accommodating.”
Musa Tariq, a representative from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said this is about preserving religious freedoms for all Los Gatans.
“The right to gather and worship should be applied equally and consistently,” he said. “This project is not introducing something new. It accommodates a growing community to access necessary religious services, just as other faith groups in Los Gatos do.”
Hibah Hammoudeh, a member of CAIR’s civil rights team, said WVMA is the reason that there was a speed radar placed on Farley Road.
“They consistently checked in on their neighbors throughout Ramadan for feedback and received an extremely positive response. This just goes to show that they have been operating in good faith and in collaboration with their community,” she said. “By denying their request for the modification you would be placing an extreme burden on your Los Gatos Muslim community…The Muslim community in Los Gatos deserves to be supported and nurtured. We should not have to fight for the right to pray and worship. Also, Muslims—and the practice of our religion—do not deteriorate the integrity, or quality, of your neighborhoods. These worshipers…are the neighborhood.”
Diane Fisher, who holds the faith seat on the Town’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission (but spoke on her own behalf), also urged Planning Commission to approve the CUP refresh.
“I’m also a congregant at Congregation Shir Hadash, a Jewish synagogue here in Los Gatos, where I serve on the board of directors—and have been a member for over 30 years,” she said. “The Religious Land Use Act states that local governments must accommodate religious practice in good faith, and are specifically prohibited from imposing a substantial burden or restriction on the land use of religious institutions.”
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 protects the rights of minority groups like this one, she added.
“As a member of another minority faith community which has faced significant discrimination, I’ve had the good fortune of being supported by Muslim allies, especially from West Valley Muslim Association—and likewise, our Jewish community here has stood with our Muslim brothers and sisters at the West Valley Muslim Association.”
Fisher said she previously ran a teen interfaith group with Jewish students from Congregation Shir Hadash and Muslim students from WVMA.
“This Star of David necklace I’m wearing was a gift from a Muslim student’s parents to me to demonstrate our mutual appreciation,” she said, holding up the jewelry around her neck. “We know that Los Gatos is culturally enriched by its minority communities.”
She said WVMA is “a vital incubator for democracy” given that it operates as an important third space that can mobilize members for social good, like other faith communities.
“Los Gatos has the opportunity, with this request, to provide for appropriate prayer opportunities for the Muslim community, and thereby reducing negative stereotypes and building bridges and social capital—increasing the wellbeing for us all,” she said.
Rabbi David Kunin, of Congregation Beth David, said their synagogue values its close connection with the West Valley Muslim Association.
“They actually use our parking lot when they have services nearby, and we are actually thrilled when the parking lot is filled on Ramadan, and the like,” he said. “We share with them that obligation and that sense that they need to be able to fulfill their religious obligations…we think it goes to the essential aspect of American democracy.”
Rabbi Rafi Ellenson, of Congregation Shir Hadash, also offered strong words of support for WVMA’s permit modification.
“I’m here tonight to share my unequivocal, fullhearted support in favor of the West Valley Muslim Association’s pursuit of a modification to their conditional use permit,” he said, referencing a passage in Leviticus. “Our Muslim siblings deserve a home to practice and celebrate Islam fully—to fulfill their obligations as people of faith.”
At midnight, Planning Commission decided to end the meeting and voted (except Emily Thomas who was recused) to continue the public comment on March 31 at 6pm.
A future article will address that special meeting.
