Husayniah Islamic Center
The applicant is proposing to change the existing use of the property to a religious facility.
Description of the Proposal / Conditional Use Permit Process
- The applicant has applied for a conditional use permit to convert an existing horse arena to a religious facility on a 5-acre site.
- The zoning of the site is R-5 and Churches (religious facilities) are allowed as conditional uses in the R-5 zone.
- Conditional use permits are a Type 2 permit which require a public hearing and decision by the Hearing Examiner.
- Under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), an environmental review is required for this project.
- Public notice will be sent to all parties of record and taxpayers of record within 1,000 feet of the project site when the public hearing is scheduled.
- The County considers all comments received from the public prior to making a recommendation or issuing a decision.
- The Hearing Examiner’s decision may be appealed to the County Council.
Where we are in the process
- The application was submitted, and public notice was provided.
- The application is currently under review by technical reviewers. This includes reviews for land use, parking, landscaping, critical areas, drainage, traffic impacts and road improvements, on-site septic, water availability, fire code, building code and SEPA.
| Upcoming Step | Estimated Date* |
|---|---|
| After review is completed, PDS may request additional information and or corrections from the applicant. | Early 2021 |
Applicant submits additional information to PDS. | Early 2021 |
Issue a threshold determination under SEPA, schedule public hearing and provide notice. | Mid 2021 |
Complete staff recommendation and forward to Hearing Examiner along with exhibits. | Mid 2021 |
Hearing Examiner issues decision. | Late 2021 |
*Note: The timeframes listed here are approximations at how long this process might take based on experience with past projects. These dates are subject to change and can vary widely from project to project due to a variety of factors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a summary of themes that have arisen from questions and comments received related to this project.
| Topic | |
|---|---|
| Adequate on-site parking | On-site parking will be evaluated under Chapter 30.26 SCC, the County’s parking standards. |
| Adequate septic system | On-site septic designs are reviewed by the Snohomish Health District. |
| Effects on property values | Any evidence submitted related to decreased property values will be evaluated. |
| Should this facility be located in a commercial area rather than a rural setting? | Churches are allowed in the R-5 zone after obtaining a conditional use permit and must meet the approval criteria under SCC 30.42C.100(1). |
| Traffic / Roads | Comments have been received voicing concern with potential inadequate road conditions, impacts from increased traffic, lack of sidewalks/pedestrian safety, and traffic safety in general. |
| Types of Development – Depending on the development the county evaluates the number of peak hour trips the development will generate for potential impacts to county roads, and improvements to mitigate those impacts. | |
| Access – The county reviews the location where the development is taking access off of public roads to determine if the location meets design and safety standards, including adequate/safe stopping sight distance per Snohomish County Engineering Design and Development Standard (EDDS) and adequate intersection sight distance for safe entry and exit from the development under EDDS. | |
| Development Frontage – Under county code, development will require road improvements along the subject parcel’s frontage. | |
| Traffic Safety – The County has a process to review roadway conditions for existing or potential safety issues and to declare it to inadequate road conditions (IRC). [LJ1] |
Additional Information
- Applicant had a meeting with the neighbors and the community describing the goals and intentions of the project. The following link is an article about this meeting which was published in the Herald on August 12, 2019: https://www.heraldnet.com/news/new-mosque-and-interfaith-center-will-focus-on-community/
- PDS has received approximately 160 emails related to the project. Approximately 100 in support of the project, and approximately 60 with concerns or not in support of the project.
Site Plan
Project Status
Application is scheduled for a public hearing on October 13, 2022.
Response to Public Comments
Application Documents
Project File Number
20-114230-CUP
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How to Get Involved
To submit comments or become a Party of Record for this project, please send a letter or email to Haleh Ghazanfarpour and include the project file number, project name, and your name and address. Read more about what it means to be a Party of Record.
PDS Project Contact
Haleh Ghazanfarpour, Project Manager
425-262-2938