Opponents of two proposed Islamic developments in Blue Ridge packed Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, hoping to convince officials to reject the Muslim-owned projects.
A standing-room-only crowd spilled out the doors as more than 40 residents of Blue Ridge and surrounding areas spoke against the controversial developments.
“This isn’t going to die down. It’s only going to grow and grow,” Blue Ridge resident Roger Little told council members during public comments.
The proposed communities, Baladeyah and Qariyah of Princeton, are designed to include about 100 single-family homes, apartments, townhomes, businesses, and a “place of worship/community center.”
Council members had planned to vote on development agreements for the communities during a March 10 meeting.
Instead, they tabled discussion of the projects after hearing various concerns from the public—in particular, about irregularities in documents related to the city’s annexation and zoning of the property.
During Tuesday night’s meeting, citizens again raised concerns about the developments—even though they were not listed on the meeting agenda.
Blue Ridge resident Jessica Casey said she had collected enough signatures on a petition to force the city to get voters’ approval before annexing the properties into the city.
Lifelong resident Ethan Redden asked what the city stands to benefit by approving the developments and how they would affect the nature of Blue Ridge.
“What happens in 5 years, in 10 years?” asked Redden. “I ask each one of you to really consider: is it worth it for us as a community to do this?”
Several citizens stated that the city’s infrastructure and services like water, utilities, and public safety aren’t prepared for the strain of so much new development.
One Blue Ridge resident told council members that her electric service goes out regularly and her water pressure is low—a complaint repeated by other residents, who asked how the city would handle serving so many new customers.
Josephine City Councilwoman Pam Sardo noted that Blue Ridge does not have a police force and relies on county deputies, who will be in higher demand if the developments are approved. She asked the city council to assess the added costs and relay that information to residents.
Sardo also asked city officials to research the “tangled mesh of non-profit entities and for-profit corporations and real estate vehicles” behind the developments.
She raised similar concerns on Monday during a public hearing held by Collin County Commissioners Court on another proposed Islamic development called EPIC City planned for property near Josephine, which is about 20 miles south of Blue Ridge.
“Will you please research and consider these red flags and legal concerns about the LLCs and the partners,” Sardo asked Blue Ridge officials.
Sardo and others also expressed concerns that the developments would become religiously segregated communities and could violate state prohibitions on Sharia law and/or anti-Israel policies—allegations that state officials are already investigating in connection with the EPIC City development.
“Everyone here is opposed to this issue,” said Sam Hall with Patriots for America.
Hall pointed to the UK as an example of how Islam “infiltrates communities” and takes over local government.
He told council members, “If you do this, those seats will be filled with Islam. Do y’all really want that?”
The crowd shouted, “NO!”
When advised that his speaking time was up, Hall responded, “Your time is up soon too if you make this decision.”
Roger Little echoed Hall’s concerns that people who move into the proposed communities could “outvote” current city voters.
He asked council members to “postpone everything for 60 days” and “support the community that has voted you all into office.”
Little was among many speakers who asked council members to delay consideration of the Islamic developments until after May 3, when Blue Ridge will elect two or three new people to its six-member council.
“Why are we even having this debate?” asked Blue Ridge resident and school board trustee Gary Lillard. “Can we not just say ‘Let’s postpone this thing’ and evaluate it with the new city council?”
Councilmen Colby Collinsworth and David Sturgeon are not running for re-election. Incumbent Tammy Crosswhite is on the ballot, along with Linda Braly, Dennis Davis, Wendy Mattingly, and Trenton Sissom. The top three vote-getters will win the seats.
Tuesday’s agenda did not mention the Baladeyah and Qariyah of Princeton developments but did include a discussion of annexation and zoning procedures during a closed executive session near the end of the meeting.
Dozens of people stayed until 10:30 p.m. to hear what council members would say afterward.
Council members made no mention of the Islamic developments or the questions raised about them on Tuesday or during the March meeting. They did table the consideration of appointing a new city administrator—another controversial issue on the agenda.
Regular Blue Ridge City Council meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month at the Blue Ridge Community Center. Agendas are available by 5 p.m. on the Friday before each meeting.
