Planning Commission Recommends ADAMS Greater Gainesville Mosque without Sewer

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Image of proposed Gainesville Community Center and Mosque in Nokesville on ADAMS' website. Image of proposed ADAMS' Greater Gainesville mosque in Nokesville from the ADAMS website, 2014.

The Prince William County Planning Commission approved to recommend the ADAMS of Greater Gainesville Mosque’ Special Use Permit, Dec. 7, with some conditions.

The  most important condition is that the applicant accept septic, rather than sewer, as per the comprehensive plan.

The second is that the applicant adhere to staff’s Nov. 23 recommendations concerning noise, lights and traffic, and further work with staff to consider some minor changes as put forth by Brentsville Planning Commissioner Patti McKay.

The Planning Commission ruling is only a recommendation to the supervisors concerning land use. The Board of County Supervisors has final word on whether to approve or deny the permit.

The ADAMS Mosque and community center is a 22,400 square foot building to be housed on 15 acres at the intersection of Vint Hill Road and Schaeffer Lane in Nokesville within the Rural Crescent.

The mosque/community center has faced fierce opposition by neighbors since the application was announced in 2014. Members of the ADAMS Mosque argued the opposition was prejudicial; residents have maintained their opposition stemmed from concerns about traffic and sewer hook up.

Several public schools have created slow traffic times around school openings and dismissal, creating traffic concerns. Additionally, the sewer hookup that ADAMS requested could set a precedent for more sewer within the Rural Crescent that could lead to further development.

A well attended public hearing for the Nokesville mosque was held Nov. 2. During that hearing, ADAMS members argued for a house of worship, and neighbors argued it is the wrong land use for their rural, residential community.

Despite being advised against it, the applicant included a request for sewer in its revised SUP.

Dec, 7, the Planning Commission ruled on the Special Use Permit (SUP) application. The conditional application- with septic rather than sewer- passed 6-2.

Commissioner Patti McKay of Brentsville told the ADAMS community that she believes they are wonderful people, but she will be ruling on it only as a land use issue.

Along with septic and the staff’s most recent recommendations, Commissioner McKay requested the applicant consider four additional conditions:

  • disallowing field use after dark, rather than just prohibiting lights;
  • not allowing outside speakers, rather than limiting noise to the edge of the parking lot;
  • eliminating Friday evening special events beyond services that would bring in additional vehicle traffic;
  • and making sure that service hours do not coincide with school dismissal times, rather than naming those times between 2 and 3.

Chairman* Rene Fry of the Potomac District cautioned that they not overstep their boundaries as it would be better that the applicant work with staff to refer to county laws such as noise ordinances, and cautioned that they not be prejudicial.

McKay said her requests were based precedents set within other SUPs.

The ADAMS' attorney said in some of the restriction went beyond what had been required of other religious institutions, but she was not opposed to reviewing it with the county staff.

Despite helping to craft the motion, Commissioner McKay voted against it. Chairman Fry cast the only other vote against the conditional application.

“Now, everyone is wondering why Patti and I voted no,” said Fry. “I voted no because the courts are going to rule against it.”

McKay did not say provide a reason for voting against it. The religious building raised other concerns with her constituents beyond sewer such as traffic, noise, concern of overflow parking and the size of the structure.

The conditional with septic approval passed only after a previous motion to deny the application with sewer passed with a 4-4 vote.

Commissioners Richard Berry of Gainesville and Edgar Bruce Holley of Neabsco, Don Taylor, at large, and McKay, supported the motion to deny that application. Berry and Holley expressed they did not want to open the Rural Crescent to sewer.

Other commissioners felt it was time every home and business and the county gained access to sewer.

Commissioner Russel Bryant of Woodbridge advocated for sewer saying, “What goes in the ground eventually ends up in the water.”

Commissioner Alex Venegas of the Coles District said sewer is generally preferable, but did not believe their board should change the land use designation of the Rural Crescent.

Fry voted to approve the applicant with sewer.** He said he believes sewer should be a right for every citizens. He said in two previous instances a judge ruled that county officials had been “capricious” and as a result had to pay the applicant a large sum of money.

“ you are flawed in your decision because it is arbitrary and capricious and the church will prevail,” said Fry. “I just know the way the decision is going to be, so I am not going to make an uninformed decision tonight, or just claim ignorance and vote my passion.”

Fry said he should not have allowed sewer access for Victory’s Crossing Church even though a gas pipeline would have made septic impossible for that property.

“Technically, as a commission my job isn’t to find a use for you. I should have voted no, because your use can’t fit the land that you’re on,” he said.

Other conditions within the approved SUP state that the mosque may have a religious school, such as Sunday school type classes, but not a parochial school. That would require another SUP.

As the applicant had wanted sewer, the ADAMS board can either rescind its request for sewer, or wait to receive a ruling from the supervisors.

Correction: *Rene Fry is the Chairman. In a previous draft we attributed his quotes to Don Taylor, who is the member at large on the commission. **Don Taylor voted in favor of denying sewer access. Fry voted in favor of sewer for the property. 

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