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Lakeville public comments split over mosques; Hindu community asks for conditional-use permit
Summary
During public comment Karen Miller urged a moratorium on mosque approvals, prompting Mayor Luke Hellyer to caution speakers against disparaging religion. Surya Ganeshan, representing the local Hindu community, requested a conditional-use permit for prayer gatherings at two proposed locations, citing safety and accessibility concerns for seniors and people with disabilities.
At the start of the July 6 meeting, several residents addressed the council about religious facilities and community prayer space. Karen Miller told the council she supports free worship but urged a moratorium on approvals for new mosques or Islamic centers, asserting that "Islam is a political, military, and legal system seeking total conquest" and citing a document she described as an "explanatory memorandum of the Muslim Brotherhood in North America." Her remarks prompted Mayor Luke Hellyer to request that future comments avoid disparaging any religion and to remind speakers to remain within the bounds of city business.
Stephen Buck and other speakers rebutted Miller's framing, with Buck saying "Let people pray the way they wanna pray" and noting that harmful acts have occurred in several faith communities historically. Kevin McCartney, who said he formerly lived in Lakeville, also expressed opposition to additional mosque approvals.
Later in the public-comment period, Surya Ganeshan, who identified himself as a Lakeville resident, asked the council to approve a conditional-use permit for routine Hindu prayer gatherings currently held in a private basement. Ganeshan said the gatherings serve families, seniors and people with disabilities, have grown in size and generated traffic and parking concerns, and that the community has identified two potential locations (on Juniper Path and Cedar Avenue) that would better meet safety, accessibility and occupancy requirements. He said his group is working with city planning staff and is committed to meeting traffic management, parking, occupancy, safety and accessibility standards.
No council action on a moratorium was taken at the meeting. The mayor warned that public comment that disparages religion could lead to ending the comment period. The council did not vote on the requested conditional use permit at this meeting; Ganeshan said he had been working with planning staff and the planning commission on sites and asked for council support going forward.
The city did not record formal rebuttals to the factual claims Miller cited about the memorandum beyond the mayor's admonition and other residents' remarks urging tolerance.
