One-year development moratorium halts Muslim-oriented project in Lino Lakes

Council members in the Twin Cities suburb of Lino Lakes on Monday night halted planning work on a Muslim-oriented subdivision. The developers of Madinah Lakes want to build several hundred homes along with businesses and a mosque.

Some residents say that would put too much stress on the city’s infrastructure. But backers of the project say the council’s move is thinly-veiled Islamophobia.

For decades, the flat land near Lino Lakes — about 20 miles north of downtown St. Paul — has been home to more than a half dozen sod farms that grow turf grass and ship it to customers across the region. 

This area — with easy access to Interstate 35W — has also caught the eye of developers including Faraaz Yussuf, the owner of Zikar Holdings. Yussuf said last week that he hopes to construct 434 homes on 156 acres of land that his company has under contract with the owners of Robinson Sod. 

“Madinah Lakes is designed to be a thriving sustainable community that fosters connectivity and environmental stewardship. Our commitment to these principles is unwavering, and we believe that our project would bring significant benefit to the Lino Lakes community,” Yussuf said.

But on Monday night, the Lino Lakes city council voted 4-1 to pause any development in the northwestern quadrant of the city for a year, bringing plans for Madinah Lakes to a halt for now. The vote was the same as two weeks ago when council voted in favor of the moratorium during its first reading. Monday’s vote was the second and final reading, and it will take effect in August.

Patty Miller was among a half dozen people who spoke in support of the moratorium. Miller, a longtime Lino Lakes resident, said she has concerns about the additional traffic that such a large development would bring. 

“Far beyond a pretty picture on paper, we need to ensure the safety of our current residents and the impact to their lives. Let’s do it right, and have well-planned developments, not just well-intended developments,” Miller said.

With every seat in the small council chamber filled, both supporters and opponents of the project watched the meeting on TV monitors in the hallway. Dozens of people wearing shirts and carrying signs that said “slow the grow” unfolded canvas chairs on the city hall lawn and tuned in to a livestream. 

Those who back the project, including some Twin Cities Muslim leaders, spoke in favor of the Madinah Lakes project.

Before the vote, Imam Asad Zaman with the Muslim American Society of Minnesota used his allotted public comment time to urge council members to reject the moratorium. 

“It is not needed. And the reasons that have been advanced for it are fig leaves that will not sustain scrutiny,” Zaman.

While there were few accusations of Islamophobia aired at last night’s meeting, Jaylani Hussein with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said at a news conference last week that anti-Muslim sentiment has been the driving force behind the opposition to Madinah Lakes.

“For the past three months, we have seen hundreds of people showing up to every city council meeting or planning meeting. And in those meetings, people have continuously projected Islamophobic, anti-Muslim statements in why they do not want this project to move forward,” Hussein said.  

Just before the roll call vote, Council Member Chris Lyden said the reason for the moratorium is so the city can create a master plan for the area. Lyden rejected accusations from CAIR and others that the city is trying to keep Muslims out. 

“Because I don’t agree with you does not make me Islamic-phobic. I don’t need an apology. The people of Lino Lakes do,” Lyden said.

With Madinah Lakes on hold for at least a year, its backers said the fight is not over, but it’s too soon to say if they’ll challenge the moratorium in court. 

And the Robinson family, who owns the land, said they’ll continue growing sod on those 156 acres on the north end of town.

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