Mosque permit appeal<\/p>\n
The West Valley Muslim Association is challenging multiple conditions of approval of its use permit imposed by the Los Gatos Planning Commission, garnering support from a Muslim civil rights group on Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cApproving a mosque\u2019s permit while attaching uniquely burdensome conditions is not equal treatment,\u201d said Zahra Billoo, San Francisco Bay Area office director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, in a statement. \u201cThe Town Council should grant the appeal and ensure that any conditions are neutral, evidence-based and consistent with federal religious freedom protections.\u201d<\/p>\n
On May 21, the commission approved WVMA\u2019s application to amend its conditional use permit, which included a limit on morning services and extended hours for nighttime services. The association runs the only mosque in Los Gatos. According to the appeal submitted on Monday by WVMA founder Razi Mohiuddin, they are appealing certain conditions on grounds of abuse of discretion and lack of substantial evidence.<\/p>\n
WVMA argued that the challenged conditions \u201csubstantially burden WVMA\u2019s religious exercise\u201d and are based on subjective complaints, thus violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, a federal law protecting religious organizations from discrimination in land use cases.<\/p>\n
Mohiuddin\u2019s appeal challenges 19 of the 33 conditions of approval, including annual compliance reviews, restrictions on the use of the Farley Road facility, attendance caps and capital improvement conditions for parking expansion, landscaping and screening. Mohiuddin is asking the town to preserve the permit approved by the Planning Commission on May 21 and remove or revise the 19 conditions in question.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo church or synagogue in Los Gatos faces anything close to the burdensome conditions imposed on our community,\u201d said Mohiuddin in a statement. \u201cThe disparity is documented, it is stark, and we believe it is a clear federal civil rights violation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Local government app<\/p>\n
The Town of Los Gatos is putting \u201cthe power of local government in the palm of your hand\u201d with a mobile app to help residents conveniently report non-emergency issues.<\/p>\n
MyLosGatos311 is a new mobile community engagement app designed to make it easier for residents and community members to connect with town staff on menial issues like potholes and graffiti. The app allows community members to report and track service requests and keeps them informed throughout the resolution process.<\/p>\n