Overview

• Oyster Bay will pay $3.95 million, approve Masjid Al-Baqi’s expansion, and repeal its 2022 parking requirement for houses of worship.
• The plan authorizes demolition of two one-story buildings and construction of a larger house of worship on the Bethpage property.
• Depositions revealed a fabricated “grandmother” witness, with Planning Board Chair Angelo Stanco admitting a departure from normal practice.
• The Justice Department told the court the revised parking code treated the mosque less favorably than comparable secular uses under RLUIPA.
• The settlement avoids an October trial, requires Town Board sign-off within days, and includes safety steps such as directing legal parking and aiding street crossings.