The McKinney City Council approved site plans late Tuesday for a new mosque proposed by the McKinney Islamic Association, voting 7-0 after years of debate over the project.
The decision came at about 11:30 p.m., following hours of comments from dozens of residents who addressed council members in support and opposition. The new campus is planned where Virginia Parkway meets Crutcher Crossing. The group's existing site is roughly three miles away.
The approved plan includes a sanctuary, a classroom building and a gymnasium. Association leaders said the expansion is needed because the congregation has outgrown the facility it currently uses.
Traffic was one of the issues raised by opponents, with some saying the surrounding area already has congestion concerns. Some speakers also discussed worries about Sharia law. Supporters said opposition to the plan reflected fear and anti-Muslim sentiment, and they noted that the association has been part of the community for nearly 30 years.
During public comment, one speaker told council members, "Sharia is about practice, not enforcement. Our mosque will be a place of peace, and we respectfully ask your approval tonight." Another resident argued that the location was not appropriate for a large center tied to that ideology, citing neighborhood traffic and nearby churches and Christian households.
