If you are one of our many readers following the Walkersville, MD issue involving a zoning change decision that would allow the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to build a convention facility on agricultural land adjacent to the town, here is the latest from the Frederick News Post.
When I attended the session on Tuesday evening I was struck by a couple of things. First, I thought about the whole issue towns must address all the time and that is that increasing population, mostly fueled by immigration, is putting a strain on our quality of life. Walkersville is struggling with traffic, open space, and especially water shortage problems. One way to deal with all that is for the town itself, perhaps with citizens help, purchase the open space around the town.
I also thought about the issue of an entire group of people from another culture moving lock, stock and barrel into a community where they have never had any presence and what a shock that is to the local people whose families have lived there for generations in many cases. And, before readers on a racist witch hunt get all wound up, can you imagine if we started setting colonies of Americans down in the middle of say Saudi Arabia (or even Pakistan where the Ahmadiyya are from), all hell would break lose. They wouldn’t just be discussing peacefully the ins and outs of zoning issues, whether the project was in harmony with the surrounding land use, they would be pulling out the long curved knives.
If you are new to this issue, follow all of our coverage here.
Update: Notice just received:
Tomorrow night (Thursday, 2/7/2008) is a critical night. It is expected that the Walkersville Board of Appeals will make its decision concerning the W-B-07-1 Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC) special exception request. Please plan to attend. Those attending are expected to show respect to the Board of Appeals, Town Officials and staff and others in the audience. Please refrain from outbursts or disruptive behavior. Please remain quiet.
WALKERSVILLE BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING Walkersville Town Hall, 21 W. Frederick Street, WalkersvilleThursday, 2/7/2008 7:00 P.M