Yet another quiet victim of the ongoing economic downturn is the
South Valley Islamic Community’s plan to build a mosque in San
Martin.
Yet another quiet victim of the ongoing economic downturn is the South Valley Islamic Community’s plan to build a mosque in San Martin.
Submitted to the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development more than two years ago, the builder’s applications for land-use and subdivision permits have expired. Applications to build a place of worship, community center, school, and other facilities on 15 acres near Monterey Road and California Avenue were submitted in May 2007.
Santa Clara County Principal Planner Bill Shoe said the applications were incomplete, and the SVIC, a nonprofit religious organization, did not update them before they expired several months ago.
The economic climate slowed down the SVIC’s plans.
“We are still pursuing our mosque and community center project with the county,” said SVIC spokesman Sal Akhter. “However, due to the adverse economic conditions we have encountered some delays and we hope to get back on track in the near future.”
The three parcels in San Martin where the SVIC had planned to build its project are just west of California Avenue. The property is adjacent to Llagas Creek, and would have required the approval of the Santa Clara Valley Water District if plans had moved forward.
Members of South County’s Muslim population now travel to mosques in northern parts of the county to worship. In the past, they have used rented office space and a member’s barn for worship services.
The SVIC serves both South County and northern San Benito County.
Local officials welcomed the new religious complex when it was announced, as a sign of the area’s growing diversity. Congregation Emeth, South County’s oldest and largest Jewish organization, opened a temple in Morgan Hill in September 2009 after about three years of planning and fundraising.
The two groups have organized events together in recent years, promoting tolerance and understanding and a discussion of global issues.
Currently about 300,000 Muslims live in the Bay Area. As Silicon Valley has grown and offered more opportunities in high-technology and other fields that attracted more Islamic people, the membership in the SVIC grew, Akhter explained in 2007. That growth prompted the plans to build a mosque in San Martin.
The county planning offices occasionally receive phone calls from local residents asking for the status of the San Martin mosque plans submitted in 2007, Shoe said.
