Baker Rd. Residents take up Sides on Proposed Mosque

December 11, 2006

Author: Tara Stanley

Source: The Katy Times

http://www.katytimes.com/articles/2006/12/04/news/01news.txt

The Katy Islamic Association (KIA) has come under fire this week as local homeowners in its Baker Rd. neighborhood voice concern over a proposed mosque and community center.

Located in an affluent residential area, the KIA's 11-acre property located at 1800 Baker Rd. has become a hot-button issue for homeowners who live nearby. Residents cite traffic problems, falling property values, potential for flooding and fear of the unknown as reasons that they do not want the Islamic religious center in their area.

Representatives from the KIA say the center will only add to the community and create a family-centered facility in which kids can play and feel safe in a drug-free environment.

“We think that there is a small minority of people who oppose us here and those people are bigoted and close minded,” said Rauf Diab, spokesperson for the KIA.

“The reasons they oppose us, such as property value, are not credible and they are anti-Islam.”

A local business and property owner, Craig Baker, whose property borders the KIA property line, has chosen to display several pigs in a pig pen and is advertising “Friday night pig runs” coming soon.