Long-Planned South Bay Islamic Center Up For Planning Commission Vote

SAN MARTIN (KPIX 5) -- A Santa Clara County Islamic group's long fight to build a mosque and cemetery in San Martin might be finally coming to an end.

The Santa Clara County planning commission is scheduled to vote on the project known as the Cordoba Center. It would be built on rural land on Monterey Road.

"We have just under 16 acres here, and three buildings planned, a caretakers home, a mosque and a community center," said Noshaba Afzal, a member of the South Valley Islamic Community.

Currently, poles and streamers mark out where the group would build their worship center, which has been planned since 2006, ever since the group purchased the land.

But the plans have faced fierce opposition from neighbors.

The group has spent years and a lot of money defending the plans over environmental concerns. "The environmental impact report shows that there is no negative impact to any of the areas," Afzal said.

She also said the group has battled bigotry.

"Is there a group of other individuals who are fearful of Muslims in America? Absolutely, it's on county record," she said.

One neighbor, who did not want to give her name, said the 9,000 square-foot mosque and 3,000 square foot community center are too big for the community, and the Mediterranean architecture is out of character for the rural area.

"We just want them to conform to our way of living, like a barn or country building of some sort," the neighbor said.

Ironically, the group has been worshipping inside a barn for the last several years. It's on the private property of one of the members, Mohammed Hussain, who also a Vietnam vet.

Hussain, who served in the U.S. Army, said the group is welcome to stay at his place but he wants the members to finally have a place of their own.

"I donned the uniform of this country, to defend their rights to say whatever they want. But what about my rights? They don't think of that," he said.

Thursday night's vote was set to be held at the County Government Center in San Jose.