Plans for Islamic center in Northville meets outcry

Mohammad Usman wants Muslims in Novi and the Northville communities to have a convenient place to pray.

Many Muslims in the area travel to Canton or Farmington Hills if they want to attend daily prayers.

"We would like to have a place to worship like anyone else so we can fulfill our obligated prayers," Usman said.

But the location of the Meadowbrook Islamic Center, at 41885 Eight Mile in Northville Township, has some neighbors complaining. The center, which is not yet in use, is in a residential area and occupies a single-family home. Some neighbors also are opposed to the center's plans to create a parking lot on the front lawn.

"We're being invaded," said Bent Boving, 89, from his home next door. "I'm vigorously opposed to this."

Boving and his wife, Renee Boving, 81, said their opposition isn't based on religion. Instead, the couple say they foresee problems from traffic, vehicle pollution and noise.

"We have no problems with diversity," Renee Boving said.

Neighbor Steve McGuirk, 53, agreed. "The biggest thing is they want to take the whole front yard up with a parking lot."

Jennifer Frey, community development director for Northville Township, said about 150 residents attended a Nov. 18 meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals on the issue.

At the meeting, the center, which bought the home in June, was requesting two variances. One would allow it to build a 42-space parking lot; the other deals with the house's proximity to the road.

Normally, such a parking lot would have to be behind the building, but township officials said there is not enough room. The zoning board, which asked that the center consider a smaller parking lot, tabled action until Dec. 16.

Usman said some days prayers could draw as many as 100 people. Usman, a township resident since 1996 who chairs the center's Board of Trustees, said the impact on the lives of those nearby would be minimal.

"We are very peaceful people," he said. "We will not do anything to do harm to the community."
He dismissed concerns from neighbors that the center would institute the Muslim call to prayer, a public broadcast of which had been a contentious issue at mosques in Hamtramck and elsewhere.

BY ERIC D. LAWRENCE
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER