Ryder
12-02-2006, 02:44 PM
Seems we've been invaded!
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4373941.html
Dec. 2, 2006, 8:12AM
Pig race plan leads to dirty argument
Upset by moves of a Katy Islamic group, shop owner nearby will hold weekly contests
By ALLAN TURNER
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
KATY — All snout and tail, the pink and brown pigs contentedly rooting in the wire pen behind Craig Baker's stone shop seem piggishly comic. They're racing pigs, after all, and that's got to be funny.
But few in the sprawling subdivisions along Baker Road are laughing.
These pigs are subtle weapons, here to show the new neighbors — the Katy Islamic Association — they aren't entirely welcome. Tension has been growing in this west Harris County community since September when the Muslim group announced it had purchased 11 acres south of Interstate 10 to build a mosque, school, community center and athletic facilities.
Hard feelings started when Baker met association officials, who, he said, advised him he should move his stone shop.
"They told me it was time for my family to pack up," said Baker, whose family has occupied its land since the early 1800s. "They said a mosque and a marble shop didn't go too good together."
Angered by the perceived insult and aware of Islamic dietary laws banning pork consumption, Baker responded by announcing he would stage weekly pig races on his Muslim neighbors' holiest day of prayer.
Since then, the conflict has escalated as residents called a town hall meeting to discuss the planned complex and an anti-mosque page featuring a cartoon pig and a running tally of terrorism victims was posted on the Internet. Numerous complaint calls have been made to county officials.
Claims and counterclaims have flown. Critics raise concerns about traffic congestion, flooding, possible adverse impact on property values and the "unknown."
"One of our concerns is what the mosque will look like," said Karen Olson, president of the 120-family Windsor Park Estates Neighborhood Association. " ... We look at mosques in other parts of town and they have gold domes. They're big white structures that stand out. We're concerned about what we can do as a community to get a development that fits in and doesn't ruin things."
Spokesmen for the Islamic group said the fears are unfounded, noting that they intend to comply with county building codes "110 percent" and that attendance at the largest services will probably not exceed 30 worshippers. Their Baker Road neighbors will be welcome to look at plans for the complex, they said, as the project is developed.
Traffic concerns, Olson said, top her group's list of worries.
Baker Road, she said, is a narrow, two-lane country thoroughfare, and she is concerned that frequent prayer services at the mosque could paralyze traffic in an area that already is home to four large subdivisions. She also worried that heavy traffic might increase maintenance costs for her association, which owns a stretch of a street connecting Fry and Baker roads.
Discounting traffic worries
Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack, whose precinct includes the neighborhood, discounted such concerns, and he added that large churches deal with the potential problems by hiring off-duty police officers to direct traffic.
"This is not different than having sports, musical or other special events," he said. "They create traffic problems, that's why you see someone out there working the traffic lights manually. ... That happens all over Houston and Harris County all the time."
Baker said he bears no malice toward Muslims, and does not object to construction of the mosque and other buildings if they comply with county codes. He charged, however, that mosque workers illegally started building a parking lot whose impermeable surface would contribute to area flooding.
County permits manager Raymond Anderson confirmed that the parking lot had been started without a permit. He said that the Islamic group has since applied for one.
Anderson said his officers have advised the Muslims about permit requirements before other construction is begun. Detention ponds to control flooding likely will be required, he said.
Baker and others have raised fire hazard concerns about religious meetings now taking place in a private residence on the 11-acre tract. But Anderson said the line separating private residences from commercial buildings is somewhat subjective.
Radack sounded a similar theme, as he noted that "there are some people under the impression that local government can tell somebody how they can or cannot develop their property, and that is not the case."
Baker and others have offered to buy the property from the Islamic association for more than the group paid.
"But they are just offering us pennies more," said association board member Ahmer Feroze. Still, speaking as an individual director, Feroze said he would be willing to consider a buyout offer, providing enough money was gained to buy suitable property elsewhere.
Intensity surprising
Feroze said Muslims expected some backlash when they purchased the site, but were surprised at its intensity. He denied that his group's officers had asked Baker to move.
Feroze said the complex will be built to serve 150 to 200 Muslim families in western Harris County. The mosque will be the first structure to be built, but the entire complex, including athletic facilities, should be finished in about five years.
"Right now," he said, "we're just trying to pay the property off."
Feroze said Baker's planned pig racing "makes me mad, but I'm bigger than that."
Association spokesman Yousof Allam said mosque members are puzzled by the opposition they have met.
"We came in with open arms ... ," he said. "There are so many good people in this area, we don't understand why we've gotten this treatment."
He added, "We're not about violence and terrorism. I can understand why people might be nervous. But come meet us. Let's put this petty pig business aside."
Baker said his pig races will begin before year's end.
allan.turner@chron.com
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4373941.html
Dec. 2, 2006, 8:12AM
Pig race plan leads to dirty argument
Upset by moves of a Katy Islamic group, shop owner nearby will hold weekly contests
By ALLAN TURNER
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
KATY — All snout and tail, the pink and brown pigs contentedly rooting in the wire pen behind Craig Baker's stone shop seem piggishly comic. They're racing pigs, after all, and that's got to be funny.
But few in the sprawling subdivisions along Baker Road are laughing.
These pigs are subtle weapons, here to show the new neighbors — the Katy Islamic Association — they aren't entirely welcome. Tension has been growing in this west Harris County community since September when the Muslim group announced it had purchased 11 acres south of Interstate 10 to build a mosque, school, community center and athletic facilities.
Hard feelings started when Baker met association officials, who, he said, advised him he should move his stone shop.
"They told me it was time for my family to pack up," said Baker, whose family has occupied its land since the early 1800s. "They said a mosque and a marble shop didn't go too good together."
Angered by the perceived insult and aware of Islamic dietary laws banning pork consumption, Baker responded by announcing he would stage weekly pig races on his Muslim neighbors' holiest day of prayer.
Since then, the conflict has escalated as residents called a town hall meeting to discuss the planned complex and an anti-mosque page featuring a cartoon pig and a running tally of terrorism victims was posted on the Internet. Numerous complaint calls have been made to county officials.
Claims and counterclaims have flown. Critics raise concerns about traffic congestion, flooding, possible adverse impact on property values and the "unknown."
"One of our concerns is what the mosque will look like," said Karen Olson, president of the 120-family Windsor Park Estates Neighborhood Association. " ... We look at mosques in other parts of town and they have gold domes. They're big white structures that stand out. We're concerned about what we can do as a community to get a development that fits in and doesn't ruin things."
Spokesmen for the Islamic group said the fears are unfounded, noting that they intend to comply with county building codes "110 percent" and that attendance at the largest services will probably not exceed 30 worshippers. Their Baker Road neighbors will be welcome to look at plans for the complex, they said, as the project is developed.
Traffic concerns, Olson said, top her group's list of worries.
Baker Road, she said, is a narrow, two-lane country thoroughfare, and she is concerned that frequent prayer services at the mosque could paralyze traffic in an area that already is home to four large subdivisions. She also worried that heavy traffic might increase maintenance costs for her association, which owns a stretch of a street connecting Fry and Baker roads.
Discounting traffic worries
Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack, whose precinct includes the neighborhood, discounted such concerns, and he added that large churches deal with the potential problems by hiring off-duty police officers to direct traffic.
"This is not different than having sports, musical or other special events," he said. "They create traffic problems, that's why you see someone out there working the traffic lights manually. ... That happens all over Houston and Harris County all the time."
Baker said he bears no malice toward Muslims, and does not object to construction of the mosque and other buildings if they comply with county codes. He charged, however, that mosque workers illegally started building a parking lot whose impermeable surface would contribute to area flooding.
County permits manager Raymond Anderson confirmed that the parking lot had been started without a permit. He said that the Islamic group has since applied for one.
Anderson said his officers have advised the Muslims about permit requirements before other construction is begun. Detention ponds to control flooding likely will be required, he said.
Baker and others have raised fire hazard concerns about religious meetings now taking place in a private residence on the 11-acre tract. But Anderson said the line separating private residences from commercial buildings is somewhat subjective.
Radack sounded a similar theme, as he noted that "there are some people under the impression that local government can tell somebody how they can or cannot develop their property, and that is not the case."
Baker and others have offered to buy the property from the Islamic association for more than the group paid.
"But they are just offering us pennies more," said association board member Ahmer Feroze. Still, speaking as an individual director, Feroze said he would be willing to consider a buyout offer, providing enough money was gained to buy suitable property elsewhere.
Intensity surprising
Feroze said Muslims expected some backlash when they purchased the site, but were surprised at its intensity. He denied that his group's officers had asked Baker to move.
Feroze said the complex will be built to serve 150 to 200 Muslim families in western Harris County. The mosque will be the first structure to be built, but the entire complex, including athletic facilities, should be finished in about five years.
"Right now," he said, "we're just trying to pay the property off."
Feroze said Baker's planned pig racing "makes me mad, but I'm bigger than that."
Association spokesman Yousof Allam said mosque members are puzzled by the opposition they have met.
"We came in with open arms ... ," he said. "There are so many good people in this area, we don't understand why we've gotten this treatment."
He added, "We're not about violence and terrorism. I can understand why people might be nervous. But come meet us. Let's put this petty pig business aside."
Baker said his pig races will begin before year's end.
allan.turner@chron.com