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City Council affirms conditional use permit for mosque at 2460 South Main, 5-0
Summary
The Corona City Council affirmed the Planning & Housing Commission's approval of Conditional Use Permit 2023-0015 to convert a 4,330-square-foot residence at 2460 South Main Street into a Shia Muslim religious facility. Council voted 5-0 after a brief staff report and no public opposition at the hearing.
The Corona City Council on May 21 voted 5-0 to affirm the Planning & Housing Commission's approval of Conditional Use Permit 2023-0015 to allow the Sajada Islamic Society to convert an existing 4,330-square-foot residential dwelling at 2460 South Main Street into a religious facility for the Shia denomination.
The permit allows a prayer hall of about 1,600 square feet, reading rooms, an office and support spaces and requires on-site parking. Joanne Colletta, planning development director, told the council the site plan will provide 68 parking spaces and that the city used the assembly-area parking standard to set the requirement. "The prayer hall actually requires 67 parking spaces," Colletta said, "and the site will be providing 68 parking spaces." She said Friday services were the largest single attendance, with the applicant estimating "anywhere from 50 to 75 people on Fridays."
The applicant currently leases space at a city property in the Corona Mall and told staff the congregation typically holds five daily prayer services whose attendance varies. Colletta said the property is in an R-1 residential zone but that a religious facility is allowed with a conditional use permit. The project will include a new paved parking area around the existing building, Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades and an emergency-only gated access on Nanners Way; the gate will remain closed and used only for emergency access. The applicant also agreed to open a north-side drive aisle to reduce queuing on Main Street.
Council members asked about ingress/egress constraints and whether there would be any audible call to prayer. Colletta said there will be no external audible call to prayer and any audio system would be limited to use inside the building. The applicant said the congregation is Shia (a minority within Islam), described doctrinal differences from Sunni congregations and said its Friday attendance historically is smaller than the larger Corona mosque.
The council made the decision after closing a public hearing; the city clerk's office reported no written correspondence or speaker cards on the item. The motion to affirm the Planning & Housing Commission's action was moved, seconded and passed unanimously 5-0.
The applicant must complete grading and improvement plans, install the on-site parking and meet the city's standard building and fire-safety requirements before the facility opens for public use. The Planning & Housing Commission's conditions of approval remain in effect.
