Mosque Scales Down: Sayreville Planning Board Reviews Site Plan Changes

SAYREVILLE, NJ – The Sayreville Planning Board reviewed a scaled down site plan for the Masjid Sadar (Mosque) and Community Center (216 Ernston Road) at its Wednesday, July 17, meeting held at the Sayreville Active Adult Center.

The meeting featured a presentation of this new plan by Lawrence B. Sachs, Attorney for the Masjid Sadar Community Center, and Joseph Javier of JJavier Architect, LLC, head architect for the construction of the mosque.

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The revised site plan featured many changes to the internal structure of the mosque , changes to parking, and a more than 2,000 sq. foot decrease in the overall size of the building, going from 44,841 sq. feet to 42,687 sq. feet. The revised plan also decreases total maximum occupancy from 650 to 454, specifically 340 males and 114 females.

"We certainly heard some comments that were made by the board, certainly by your professionals and by members of the public, particularly relating to parking and possibly the need for additional services," said Sachs. "Over the last number of weeks, we've taken a fresher look at this application, and we realized we could make some revisions to the plans."

Proposed changes include moving the multipurpose room from the second floor to the first floor, which will eliminate the second gentleman’s prayer room on the first floor, and adding a youth lounge and two new classrooms on the second floor.

Total parking for the building has been increased from 64 spots to 121 spots with the addition of a lift parking system . Vehicles entering the below ground parking lot will be lifted to fit one additional vehicle below. The ceiling for the below ground parking lot will have to be increased by two feet to accommodate the new lift parking system.

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Following the presentation, the Planning Board opened up public comment where residents voiced their concerns over the construction of the Mosque, mainly concerns over the size, cost, and added traffic the building will create within the community. Sayreville Planning Board Chairman Thomas Tighe, as well as the Board's Attorneys, made note of these comments with hopes of addressing them at a later meeting.

"These are great questions that you're coming up with, but we're going to have to wait so we can go through this," said Chairman Tighe.

This application will be brought to the Planning Board’s Sept. 18 meeting where additional information will be provided, including an updated traffic report. The meeting will once again take place at the Sayreville Active Adult Center. For more information on Wednesday's meeting, click here .

Related: Sayreville Planning Board Will Review 44,000 sq. ft. Mosque Site Plan on Weds, July 17

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