A proposed mosque and community center in Indian Land, South Carolina, was blocked this week after local officials voted against a permit application following a packed public hearing that drew heavy opposition from residents.
The Lancaster County Council voted to deny the request tied to a nearly five-acre property on Harrisburg Road, where property owner Arafath Mohammad had planned to build a mosque and gathering space. County planning staff had recommended approval, but council members ultimately sided against the project.
Officials said the decision was based on land use concerns, traffic issues, and compatibility with the surrounding residential area.
“This body cannot consider opinions about religious beliefs, the identity of the applicant or generalized support or opposition unrelated to land use impacts,” Council Chairman Brian Carnes said during the meeting.
Despite that warning, much of the public comment centered on Islam and concerns about Sharia law, alongside complaints about worsening traffic in the fast-growing area.
One resident told council members, “We do not want Sharia law in this area,” before slamming Islamic violent teachings and urging rejection of the application.
The proposed development included a roughly 3,400-square-foot building identified in county plans as both residential space and a mosque, a smaller secondary structure, and a 28-space parking lot.
Residents living near the site repeatedly argued Harrisburg Road is already overburdened.
“Congestion is the issue here,” said Donna McCrorie, who lives next to the proposed site. “We do not need to add to it with any place of assembly.”
McCrorie told officials emergency responders once took about 15 minutes to reach her home during a family emergency because of traffic delays in the area.
Another resident, Josh Pangle, said he had seen a nearby Islamic center grow significantly over time and warned officials the same thing could happen with the proposed site.
“I watched it begin as a single family home in a residential area, similar to how this one is proposed,” Pangle said.
Supporters of the mosque said some of the rhetoric at the hearing was troubling and argued the project would serve Muslim families already living nearby.
“What truly shapes a community is how people come together, how they support one another, raise their families and contribute to the place they call home,” resident Salman Mahmood told council members.
Mohammad said the mosque was intended only for a limited local congregation.
“This is for a small community,” Mohammad said. “Mostly we are engineers, doctors and professionals. We live in the south Charlotte and Indian Land area.”
He also pushed back on concerns over major traffic disruptions, saying only Friday prayer services would draw larger crowds.
“It’s a rounding error,” Mohammad argued.
The Lancaster County Planning Commission had previously voted unanimously against the proposal before the matter reached county council.
