More mosque parking OK'd, but city asks for extra effort

A Des Plaines mosque earned final approval of plans to expand its parking lot - but not before city aldermen encouraged the congregation's leadership to do everything they can to find even more off-street parking for worshippers.

The city council Monday unanimously approved a conditional use permit that will allow the Islamic Community of Des Plaines, 480 Potter Road, to add 81 parking spaces to four adjoining vacant parcels of land. But one of the conditions of approval is that mosque leaders will "pursue" agreements with nearby businesses and institutions in a continued effort to alleviate crowded streets in the neighborhood.

Some aldermen suggested the city should have mandated mosque officials to do that; others said the city can't make that requirement when it's ultimately up to third parties to allow the mosque to use their parking lots.

"Why would you put in that word 'pursue' if you feel it's a necessity?" said 4th Ward Alderman Dick Sayad. "I think there should be stronger teeth there. If you think it should be there, say it should be there."

Fazal Mahmood, the mosque's board president, said he's talked with members of the nearby Chicago Mar Thoma Church, located north of the mosque on Potter, in hopes of putting together a parking agreement. He said the church's leaders told him they'll have a vote of their congregation and then let mosque officials know.

Some neighbors of the mosque came to the council meeting to continue to express concerns about neighborhood congestion and the growing size of the mosque.

Mahmood said mosque leaders have already split Friday afternoon prayers into two sessions to accommodate bigger attendance, and they plan to allow for tandem-style parking to accommodate more cars when it's especially crowded. "We're not going anywhere, guys," Mahmood said. "Help us here. We want to get the cars out of the street and into the lot."