Plans to pack 120 boys into a new Islamic boarding school and mosque on a quiet Long Island block have ignited a full-scale zoning fight.
Story Highlights
- Neighbors say the proposed boarding school and mosque would overload a residential area with traffic and noise.
- Town officials held a public hearing as the zoning board weighs whether boarding is an allowed accessory use.
- The property spans about 14 acres with a 70,000-plus-square-foot building, signaling a much heavier use.
- Backers argue the plan is lawful and similar to the site’s past religious campus use; no final ruling yet.
What Is Planned For The Bay Shore Campus
United American Muslim Association bought the former Montfort Spiritual Center in Bay Shore and proposed an Islamic boarding school for about 120 middle and high school boys, plus a mosque and community programs. Reports describe a roughly 13 to 14.6-acre site and a building over 70,000 square feet, which points to campus-level activity, not a small chapel. Supporters say the school would include full-time Islamic instruction and related offerings for families. Specific operating hours and staffing counts have not been published in the sources.
News 12 Long Island reported that the Town of Islip scheduled a public hearing, with the zoning board to consider a variance on whether boarding can be treated as an accessory use to a parochial school in a residential district. That means the question is now a code and procedure issue, not only a neighborhood dispute. The coverage does not include the town’s actual code text or a written legal memo, so the exact legal pathway remains unclear in the public record.
Why Neighbors Are Mobilizing
Residents formed a community effort and framed their objection as a land-use and zoning concern, not a religious dispute. Locals told reporters they fear a surge in traffic, late activity, and noise from overnight dorms and daily programs in a quiet area. Signs and social media organizing followed, and turnout swelled for the town hearing. Opponents argue a boarding operation with frequent events would strain streets and services, changing the character of nearby blocks.
Homeowners also contend that overnight dorms are not allowed under codes for South Saxon Avenue, while the buyer’s attorney insists the plan is legal under town rules. That direct clash highlights what is missing: an official, written interpretation that answers whether the dorms, mosque, and school are a single integrated use or separate parts under the code. Without town documents, both sides are debating interpretations rather than pointing to a clear, final standard.
The Site’s History And The Legal Gray Zone
Coverage notes the property’s long religious past. Newsday reports the site once housed a Catholic boarding school for boys, and later served as a retreat house for clergy. Supporters cite that timeline to argue this is a familiar kind of campus. Opponents counter that the proposed plan layers dorms, full-time schooling, and community programs at a scale that is more intense than the prior retreat use. No traffic or emergency-services studies appear in the available reporting to settle those claims.
🏛️ After nearly a century of Catholic presence, the Montfort Spiritual Center in Bay Shore, New York, has been sold to the United American Muslim Association for $5.2 million. Founded in 1926 by the Montfortian Missionaries of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, the former… pic.twitter.com/oHkM5dt41N
— SG News (@SGNews123) July 25, 2026
Here is what we can say with confidence today. The campus is big, the intended headcount is sizable, and the plan includes overnight dorms and a mosque. Those facts alone demand careful code review and strong conditions if approved. Here is what remains unclear. The public record in the articles does not contain the controlling code text, a staff memo, a site plan with hours and parking counts, or a final ruling. Until those appear, both claims of “illegal” and “perfectly legal” are assertions, not settled law.
What Comes Next For Islip — And Why It Matters
Town leaders must decide if boarding is an allowed accessory to a parochial school in that district, and, if so, under what limits to protect neighbors. A transparent process would include the zoning text, the variance criteria, full site and operations plans, and independent reviews for traffic, parking, and emergency access. That record would let the town set enforceable caps on occupancy, hours, events, and parking, or deny the use if it cannot meet basic neighborhood standards without harm.
Conservatives should watch two guardrails. First, keep the debate about code and impacts, not religion. That keeps the focus on equal rules for everyone and shields the town from legal risk. Second, demand hard numbers. Require a traffic study for 120 boarders plus worship events, a fire-safety review for dorms, and a clear parking plan. Facts, limits, and enforcement protect families, property values, and the rule of law without giving government a blank check to override local standards.
Sources:
thegatewaypundit.com, catholicculture.org, newsday.com, longisland.news12.com, facebook.com, nypost.com
