A storm is brewing in a Long Island community as residents rally against the establishment of a new Muslim boarding school. The school, intended to accommodate 120 teenage boys, has sparked concerns that it could disrupt the tranquil ambiance of the suburban area.
Bay Shore homeowners are challenging the legitimacy of the plans, arguing that the proposed facility violates the zoning regulations for Saxon Avenue. The 13-acre site previously served as a Catholic seminary but now faces transformation into an overnight dormitory.
Kevin Colgan, a resident of Islip and leading voice of the “Saxon Says No” group, has vocalized the neighborhood’s concerns. “The proposed use by the new property owner far exceeds what is suitable for a quiet residential neighborhood,” Colgan stated, emphasizing the community’s fear of an inappropriate intensification of land use.
Colgan clarified that the battle is not against any person or faith, but a stand for the preservation of zoning integrity. “Zoning laws are crucial to maintaining the character, integrity, and quality of life in our neighborhoods, ensuring that land uses fit harmoniously with their surroundings,” he asserted.
The opposition is urging Islip’s Zoning Board of Appeals to reject the development plans for the property, which changed hands in June. Residents hope the board will heed their plea and keep the neighborhood’s peace intact.
The United American Muslim Association, a group partly based out of the Suleymaniye mosque in Dix Hills, scooped up the sprawling property from the Roman Catholic Montfort Missionaries for $5 million.
At Tuesday’s zoning board meeting, several members of the board signaled that they think the proposed dorm is legal under town law. The meeting lasted more than five hours as hundreds of angry residents packed Town Hall.
“When my family chose to purchase this home 10 years ago — we relied on the zoning protections when making one of the largest investments of our lives — a community of single-family homes where the zoning was intended to preserve its residential character,” said Anna Chan, who lives across the street from the proposed school.
Locals speaking at the meeting said they felt the school’s opening would hurt the integrity of the neighborhood, and that their residential area is no place for a school of this scale.
Most complaints centered around their belief that a boarding school, regardless of any religious affiliation, shouldn’t be opened in a residential neighborhood as it would cause an increase in noise and create traffic jams, as other residents had unanswered questions regarding a daycare center for small children that would be opening with the proposed school.
“A boarding school with the noise that 120 teenage boys can generate in a recreational area — would you want that in your backyard?” asked Isla Belkitis, who lives near the site.
Supporters of the school, along with attorney Samuel L. Bifulco, who represents The United American Muslim Association, said the proposal under town code is perfectly legal, and that strict rules on the students would keep them from causing a nuisance.
The nonprofit’s goal, he said, is to open a school on the shuttered property to provide a “comprehensive spiritual and academic training of its students,” including full-time Islamic-centered schooling, early childhood education and community programs.