Collin County residents concerned about a proposed Muslim community known as EPIC City 2.0 have a chance to learn facts and share opinions about the new development, which so far exists mainly in marketing materials.
During Monday’s Collin County Commissioners Court meeting, County Judge Chris Hill will hold a public hearing to discuss the EPIC City plans, such as they are.
The proposed development would be an extension of the East Plano Islamic Center, also known as EPIC Masjid.
EPIC was established in Plano in 2003 and is among dozens of mosques and Islamic centers in Collin County and the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
According to Community Capital Partners, an entity created by EPIC to manage the new project, EPIC City 2.0 would be located on 402 acres north of Josephine, on the eastern edge of Collin County extending into Hunt County.
But the listing agent’s website indicates that the property is still “under contract,” meaning the sale has not been finalized.
The property, about 25 miles northeast of the current mosque, is empty farmland surrounded by rough, narrow roads—nothing like the amenity-filled community envisioned in the EPIC City promotions.
Hill told Texas Scorecard that CCP has not yet submitted any plat or permit requests, so there is nothing for the county to review or vote on at this time.
County staff will give a presentation about the project, and CCP has been invited to make a presentation as well.
The Commissioners Court meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 31, at 1:30 p.m., at the County Administration Building in McKinney.
EPIC City 2.0 is one of several proposed new Muslim developments in Collin County.
Two Muslim-owned residential developments within the city of Blue Ridge are awaiting rezoning approval from the city council. Together, the neighborhoods would include about 130 homes on 175 acres.
The Islamic Center of Aubrey recently closed on 25 acres of land for an expansion that will include a new mosque, 130 homes, and other community facilities.
The McKinney Islamic Association sought permission last year to rezone 5.5 acres on Virginia Parkway for a new, larger mosque, but its application was denied, and MIA put its plans on hold.
The EPIC City project has drawn scrutiny from those who say the development could function as a religious enclave operating outside the bounds of American law.
Gov. Greg Abbott has declared that Sharia law and Sharia cities are not allowed in Texas.
In 2017, after three previous tries, the Texas Legislature passed a measure limiting the application of foreign laws in family court cases involving marriage or parent-child relationships.
Though not specifically anti-Sharia, the law was modeled after American Laws for American Courts legislation written primarily to stop Sharia. A dozen other states also adopted variations of ALAC.
Texans’ concerns were sparked by Islamic threats worldwide as well as activity closer to home.
The Holy Land Foundation—a huge Islamic charity headquartered in Richardson (located in Collin and Dallas counties) and run by Palestinian-Americans—was designated a terrorist organization in 2001, and its leaders were convicted in 2008 for funneling millions to Hamas.
Abbott has stated that a dozen state agencies are investigating EPIC and CCP for possible illegal activity, including fair housing and securities violations.
On Monday morning, Abbott announced that he’d directed the Texas Rangers to “open an investigation into the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) and any affiliated entities for potential criminal activities.”
“We are uncovering legal violations by EPIC City that go far beyond what people realize,” he posted. “The proposed community will never see the light of day.”
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