After nearly a year of tension, legal battles, and even bizarre claims about a fictional grandmother, a Long Island town has finally agreed to let a local mosque expand its space — marking the end of a bitter dispute that had deeply divided the community.
A Heated Battle Over Space and Faith
The Masjid Al-Baqi mosque in Bethpage, Long Island, has been at the center of a heated debate for months.
What began as a simple plan to expand the mosque nearly doubled in size turned into a courtroom showdown between the Town of Oyster Bay and the Muslim community that worships there.
Town officials initially rejected the proposal, citing concerns about traffic congestion and safety.
But what really shocked many was the later revelation that officials had fabricated testimony from a so-called “grandmother” who allegedly couldn’t drive down her street due to mosque traffic.
From Courtroom Showdown to Sudden Approval
Everything changed on October 21, when the Oyster Bay Town Board voted 6–1 in favor of a modified expansion of the mosque — just one day before the town was scheduled to face the Muslim congregation in federal court.
The sudden turnaround spared both sides an expensive trial and brought an end to months of legal wrangling.
“The parties have engaged in extensive mediation and settlement efforts to amicably resolve the litigation,” said Deputy Town Attorney Elizabeth Faughnan in a statement.
The decision closed a case that began back in January when Muslims of Long Island sued the town, arguing that a 2022 local zoning law unfairly targeted religious institutions by changing parking requirements.
The Story of the “Fake Grandma”
One of the most astonishing twists in the saga came when lawyers for the mosque accused town officials of inventing a witness — a supposed grandmother — to support their opposition.
The town had claimed the woman complained that she couldn’t navigate residential streets because of overflow parking from mosque events.
But when attorneys for the mosque checked the records, they found no evidence that such a person ever testified.
Under oath, planning board chairman Angelo Stanco admitted that the grandmother might have been a “composite character” made up from other testimonies.
When pressed if that meant she was fictional, he reluctantly answered, “Yes.”
Mosque lawyers later described her as a figment of the town’s imagination.
Mounting Costs and Damaging Revelations
As the legal fight dragged on, costs ballooned. Oyster Bay reportedly spent nearly $400,000 on legal fees — a figure expected to rise even further after the town hired a second law firm in October.
Then came another embarrassment: the town’s own traffic expert, Jeffrey Buckholz, was fired after admitting that some might consider him a “bigot” for his anti-Muslim comments on social media.
Town Supervisor Joe Saladino said officials were “shocked and outraged” and promptly removed him from the case.
A Compromise Finally Reached
The approved plan allows the mosque to expand to 9,950 square feet, smaller than the original 16,000-square-foot request but nearly double the current size.
It will include extra parking, improved traffic safety measures, and a voluntary maximum occupancy of 295 people instead of the 464 initially proposed.
The mosque also agreed to fund a crossing guard for 18 months after reopening and to help install an upgraded crosswalk and caution light near the site.
“I see that we’ve been able to achieve what the community asked for — something that creates a safer situation,” Saladino said before approving the plan.
A Hopeful New Beginning
For the Muslim community, the outcome was less about victory and more about relief.
After months of scrutiny, accusations, and false narratives, they’re finally free to focus on building — both their mosque and stronger community ties.
“This is a day of new beginnings,” said congregant Imran Makda. “Our doors will always be open to the community.
We hope our mosque will be a place where people come together in friendship and mutual respect.”