U.S. District Court Judge Michael Shipp recently ruled the town’s insistence that the mosque have “more parking spaces than churches or synagogues” was an unconstitutional requirement. The proposed mosque has faced intense public opposition and was rejected by the planning board after 39 meetings.
The founders then sued, claiming the parking lot requirement was “a perfect example of religious discrimination.” According to information in the lawsuit, the mosque’s planned 1,954-square-foot prayer hall meets zoning requirements, but was denied nonetheless.