Outrage Over Wayne Mosque Prompts Legal Action From Residents

WAYNE, NJ — A number of concerned citizens have hired an attorney to contest the proposed mosque that may be built in a residential Wayne neighborhood.

For months, the Wayne Board of Adjustment has been considering the approval of a 53,300-square-foot mosque that would be built on a 9.7-acre Colfax Road property.

More: New 2-Story Mosque Could Sit On 10-Acre Wayne Plot

During the June 1 Board of Adjustment meeting, Clifton-based attorney Nicholas Palma announced that he was representing four people seeking to contest the mosque’s approval, including at least one resident who lives within 200 feet of the site.

The legal action comes after a neighborhood network known as “Wake Up Wayne NJ” launched a fundraising campaign to cover attorney fees. The organization says the mosque, as the plan stands, could jeopardize Wayne’s “infrastructure, environment, and neighborhood character.”

“Across the neighborhood, the same concerns kept coming up: wetlands that protect us from flooding, traffic on a two-lane road, structural size concerns, and most importantly, the precedent this sets for future town projects,” a campaign reads. “To be heard, we need qualified legal and expert representation in front of the Board… If you live in Wayne — on Colfax, near Pines Lake, Lionshead, Viscaya, Colfax Estates, etc, this is the moment. Whatever you can give buys us precious time in front of the Board with a professional making your case.”

Palma made it clear during the meeting that he was "brand-new into this," meaning he was still familiarizing himself with the case and application.

During the packed June 1 meeting, there was testimony from the structure’s architect, Karen Wenschhof of the Nader Group, who said there was an effort made to minimize the “overall impact from the street to the mosque,” adding that the front of the mosque is smaller than the rear.

The Site Plan

The project, spearheaded by religious nonprofit IPray House, would include a roughly 53,300-square-foot, two-story building featuring worship, community, and support spaces. The structure would occupy approximately 19,963 square feet at ground level and be surrounded by landscaped grounds, pedestrian walkways, a playground, and a circular entrance drive designed to accommodate visitors and event traffic.

Plans call for 251 parking spaces, exceeding the township's minimum parking requirements, and 37 parking-lot style light poles. Much of the parking would be located around the building, with additional parking areas and a covered upper-level parking section at the rear of the site. The proposal also includes electric vehicle charging stations and ADA-accessible parking.

The development would be concentrated on the western portion of the property, while substantial portions of the eastern side would remain undeveloped due to wetlands and environmental constraints. Project engineers state there are no floodplains on the site, though the plans include stormwater infrastructure, erosion-control measures, and wetland buffer protections to minimize environmental impacts.

To accommodate the project, IPray House is seeking several zoning approvals, including relief related to the site's size, parking setbacks near residential properties, and signage. Township regulations generally limit lots for the proposed use to 2.5 acres, while the property encompasses nearly 10 acres. Additional variances are requested because portions of the parking area would be closer to neighboring residential lots than normally permitted.

The proposal would substantially transform the currently wooded parcel. Site plans indicate approximately 67 mature trees would be removed, although the project also includes an extensive landscaping program featuring more than 100 replacement trees, ornamental plantings, shrubs, and screening vegetation around parking areas and property boundaries.

The plans further call for new site lighting, decorative entrance features, monument signage, a water fountain, fencing, retaining walls, and upgraded utility connections. Lighting studies included with the application show illumination designed for parking lots, walkways, and building entrances.

Additionally, there are no plans to install loudspeakers outside of the building for prayer calls, which is common in modern mosques.

The plans also indicate that the roof of the structure will be 35 feet high, with its two minarets, or slender towers, just over 50 feet off the ground.

If approved, the project would create one of the larger religious and community facilities in the area, replacing an undeveloped wooded tract along Colfax Road with a regional worship and community center designed to serve what representatives say is a growing congregation in North Jersey.

According to IPray House, the 9.7 acres of land were purchased for $850,000 using “generous contributions of our donors.”

The next Wayne Board of Adjustment meeting is slated for July 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the municipal courtroom at 475 Valley Road. The project’s civil engineer is expected to testify, followed possibly by a traffic expert, if time allows.

See the entirety of the June 1 meeting here: