Tawi Dawa Center amendment carried to Feb. 19, 2026 after public concerns about traffic and scale

The Franklin Township Zoning Board carried an amended application from the Tawi Dawa Center to Feb. 19, 2026 after trustee testimony and public comment raised questions about attendance, parking, and cumulative traffic impacts.

Attorney Brian Schwarz said the amendment focuses on relief from certain prior conditions, primarily parking. Trustee Anjum Razi (sworn) described intended use as indoor worship and said daily prayers will be held five times per day and that regular attendance at those prayers is currently modest — he said the congregation typically expects about 25–30 people at most daily prayers and roughly 75 on Fridays. Razi said the applicant does not plan outdoor events, music, or facility rentals, and that one on-site house would serve as an imam's residence. He also said special events would be permitted only after filing for special-event approvals and, if needed, hiring off-duty police.

Neighbors and an intervening attorney (Martina Bailey) representing nearby Snyder Farm said the application underestimates potential traffic and that a publicly posted fundraising plan shows larger future ambitions at odds with the hearing testimony. Residents asked how any attendance limit would be enforced and expressed concern about five daily movements at peak commute times on South Middlebush Road.

Board members and applicant counsel agreed the proposal requires more technical testimony: the applicant will present traffic and engineering witnesses at the continued hearing. The board set February 19, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. at 475 Deont Lane for the continuation; the applicant agreed to provide a written extension deadline, and the board chair said the application will be given an early slot on that agenda so public participants will not be kept waiting.