The Broken Arrow City Council denied a zoning request Monday that would have paved the way for a new Islamic center along Olive Street south of the Creek Turnpike. Plans for the mosque had been in the works for years as the Islamic Society of Tulsa complained of overcrowding at its existing building in midtown.
The Broken Arrow Planning Commission recommended approval of the zoning variance in December, but public outcry from residents gained traction just before the city council’s hours-long Monday night meeting. Hundreds lined up to attend, which had to be relocated to Northeastern State University’s Broken Arrow campus to accommodate the influx of interest. Police presence was heavy, with officers overlooking the incoming crowd on roofs and a specialized SWAT vehicle parked nearby.
The decision ostensibly came down to concerns about existing infrastructure, including a possible surge in traffic, unresolved questions about sewage and adherence to Broken Arrow’s Comprehensive Plan passed in 2019…