Islamic group wins council OK to open center in Costa Mesa
An Islamic group won permission from the Costa Mesa City Council this week to open a new gathering center in a business park near John Wayne Airport, despite an earlier denial from the city Planning Commission and concerns from neighboring businesses and a church that its entry would put further stress on parking.
The council’s 3-2 decision Tuesday, with Mayor Steve Mensinger and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer dissenting, allows the Ismailis, a branch of Shia Islam, to open a 6,000-square-foot jamatkhana — used for religious, cultural and educational purposes — at 3184 Airway Ave., Suite J. The group currently meets about a mile away on Skypark Circle in Irvine, where it has been since 1988.
The Ismailis, who count 140 to 210 members, wanted a larger Costa Mesa location, particularly for classrooms.
The Planning Commission ruled in February that the Ismaili facility would exacerbate the area’s parking woes.
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Parking, or lack thereof, was again the central issue Tuesday, with tenants in the Airway Avenue complex urging the council to deny the Ismailis’ application.
Pastor Mark Lim of Berean Community Church, a Christian group, said his church, which has about 320 members, uses two suites at 3184 Airway and already has parking problems. Having the jamatkhana so close, Lin argued, would be “too much in one isolated location.”
Others at the complex agreed, with Mike Howard, who owns suites K and L, saying he felt the Ismailis would decrease the market value of his buildings.
John Lotz, who owns suites G and H, accused the Ismailis of downplaying the parking problem, saying it’s not “rainbows and unicorns.”
Ismaili leaders, however, pointed to a parking study that concluded that nearly 500 spaces in the immediate area would be sufficient for all, including the Berean church.
They also adjusted their parking plan to not use many spaces near their suite but instead use spots a little farther away.
Ismaili representative Salim Rahemtulla said other Airway Avenue businesses have consented to the plan, which includes volunteers to steer drivers in the right direction.
“We will self-enforce our plan,” Rahemtulla said.
Lin said the Berean church is looking to move to a building it recently purchased in Irvine. But he said that may not happen for at least a year and that he doesn’t want the parking situation to get worse in that time.
Councilman Gary Monahan credited the Ismailis’ parking study and said he had issues with dissenters’ sentiment of “I’ve got mine, you can’t have yours.”
Monahan said he foresees few conflicts and, despite parking woes, believes the two religious groups will get along.
“It’s not like it’s going to be the Middle East and they’re going to be taking shots at each other,” he said. “It’s not going to be an issue.”
Righeimer, who wanted to uphold the Planning Commission’s denial, said the parking issues should have been decided by the association that governs the Airway Avenue complex.
Righeimer said he felt the Ismailis would be a good addition to Costa Mesa but that their plans just “don’t fit in the space over here.”
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Bradley Zint, bradley.zint@latimes.com
Twitter: @BradleyZint
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