The McKinney City Council voted unanimously to allow a proposed mosque expansion. The marathon meeting was packed, with people on both sides of the issue showing up to speak.

Expansion Plans

The McKinney Islamic Association plans to build a campus on Virginia Parkway that would include three buildings: a main sanctuary, a classroom, and a gym. The gym could have multiple uses.

People who were opposed said they were concerned about traffic, parking, safety, and property value. Some residents flatly stated they are opposed because it is a Muslim establishment.

Supporters say the project reflects the city and North Texas’ growing Muslim population, adding that it is constitutionally within their rights, saying they are a part of that community.

The congregation has grown since it began meeting at its current mosque in 2014 and since the association was established in 1997, according to past leadership.

In 2024, the association asked the city to rezone more than five acres of land to allow for a larger building, but those plans were abandoned after public opposition. The request was withdrawn.

McKinney resident Mousa Abu Daabes spoke in support of the mosque’s expansion at a 2024 planning and zoning meeting. He said he remembers when there were just five Muslim families in McKinney in the 1990s. He helped start the foundation for the McKinney Islamic Association.

The City Council voted in favor of this proposal 7 to 0, allowing this proposal to move forward.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.