Proposed Mosque Back Before Planning Board on Tuesday Night

The application for a proposed 4,200-square-foot mosque on Church Street in Liberty Corner is back on the agenda for a continued public hearing before the Bernards Township Planning Board at 7:30 p.m. this Tuesday night.

The applicant, the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge, approached the planning board more than a year ago, with the expressed optimism that all zoning requirements for the project could be met.

That same expectation is being expressed a year later, even following prolonged discussions on parking requirements, the maximum capacity for worship services, scheduling of services and events and more.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Bridgewater Township, the local planning board's meeting's agenda includes an executive session to discuss last week's reversal of the board's decision to deny approval to the Al Falah Center for a mosque on Mountain Top Road that was overturned last week in federal court.

The proposed new 4,250-square-foot mosque in Basking Ridge would replace an existing single-family home at 124 Church St. in the Liberty Corner section of Bernards Township. The mosque is being designed with room for 142 worshippers, Adnan Khan, an engineer testifying on behalf of the ISBR, told the Planning Board in August.

Khan at that time presented plans for 70 parking spaces to initially serve members and worshippers at the proposed mosque, along with drawings for another 37 "banked" spots that would be built if the township feels are necessary to accommodate future growth.

Although the Planning Board's members and professionals questioned the applicant, the public has yet to have an opportunity to query the engineer on his testimony.