Mosque gets OK for center

MIDDLETOWN — The Islamic Society of Monmouth County has been given the green light to build a community center on its Red Hill Road property, but its attorney says there are no plans in the near future to begin construction.

Instead, the mosque plans to begin work on a parking lot to better accommodate its congregation, said the attorney, Patrick Healy.

The mosque had applied to the township Planning Board for permission to add parking for 104 vehicles and build a two-story community center on its 7½-acre property at 496 Red Hill Road.

The board on Wednesday night approved the application 7-0.

While the additional parking is needed now, the mosque has not yet raised any money to build the community center, Healy said.

“That’s a future project,” he said. “It would take a couple of years of raising funds to build that.”

He said work on the parking lot is expected to begin sometime next month. (...)