Ohio: Hilliard Faces Legal Action Over Rejection of Islamic Center's Building Plans
Britton Parkway Holding Inc., an entity of Noor Islamic Cultural Center leadership, has filed an administrative appeal against Hilliard City Council, City Manager Michelle Crandall, and the city itself, The Columbus Dispatch reported on Thursday.
The notice of appeal, filed on December 6 with the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, follows the council's unanimous rejection of proposed changes to the building’s plans on November 12. Noor’s attorneys warned the Council that voting against the plans could lead to legal action.
Noor’s original plans for the 220,000-square-foot former office building included a school, event center, day care, and community center for religious use, with 53% of the building remaining as office space.
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David Ball, a spokesperson for the city, declined to comment on the pending litigation, referring to a media statement from November 19. The statement indicated that the city followed existing land use regulations and that staff had “worked hard to accommodate their evolving plans" for the office building. "Noor has the opportunity to submit a new development plan for the site that aligns with the community plan,” the statement added.
The office building, previously home to BMW Financial Services, was purchased by a Noor-affiliated entity in February after foreclosure.
Hilliard staff have argued that the building is in a viable area for the city to earn income tax revenue and that using part of it for religious purposes is inconsistent with the surrounding office use.
Noor leadership claims city officials have been unwilling to negotiate in good faith, contending that the building is unlikely to find a lucrative office lessee in the current market.
Some council members, including Cynthia Vermillion, attempted to introduce amendments to align the application with concessions from Noor’s leadership, but the amendment narrowly failed.
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The main center for Noor mosque, located between Dublin and Hilliard, has been growing and lacks sufficient space to expand. Noor leadership, congregants, and community supporters have expressed significant pushback, attending the council’s November meeting en masse and holding a press conference outside city hall.
“We can’t help but feel that we were treated unfairly — that it wasn’t just what was being asked, but who was asking. We’re not happy with this decision, we’re not accepting it,” said Ronney Abaza, chairman of the Noor board, on November 25.
He emphasized their persistence, stating, “We are not giving up and we are not going away.”
A court date is scheduled for March 7, 2025.
Source: Agencies
