Palm Beach County Commissioner Maria Sachs had scheduled a community meeting for Oct. 2 at the Dr. André Fladell Civic Center near Delray Beach to discuss the future of the Agricultural Reserve, a 22,000-acre tract of land west of Florida's Turnpike where development is strictly regulated.
But after a flyer promoted the meeting as an opportunity to speak out against an Islamic Center that has been approved for construction on 6 acres in the reserve at the southeast corner of the intersection of Lyons Road and 152nd Place South, hundreds turned out to do just that.
Sachs and county staff members tried to have a conversation about traffic and land use and future growth. Those in attendance wanted to vent their anger about the center.
Here's a Q&A
for those just learning of the issue:
What was the Oct. 2 meeting about?
Palm Beach County Commissioner Maria Sachs, whose district includes the county's Agricultural Reserve, was holding the last of five community meetings to discuss the future of the 22,000-acre tract.
Sachs brought several county staff members to answer resident questions and get their feedback.
What is the Agricultural Reserve?
The reserve is a 22,000-acre tract of land west of Florida's Turnpike in parts of suburban Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.
Agriculture had been the primary purpose of the reserve, which features rich soil and a climate that allows for year-round growing. Development is permitted and has taken place, but county rules typically require developers to set aside some amount of land in exchange for permission to build.
While some area residents appreciate the development and believe it's necessary to support growth, others believe too much development has taken place and that the reserve is losing its primary function as a location of open space and agriculture.
What are the plans for an Islamic Center?
The Islamic Center of West Delray Beach submitted an application in 2021 for a 7,200-square foot Islamic complex built on 6 acres off Lyons Road in the Agricultural Reserve.
The plans call for two buildings — 3,632-square foot sanctuary and a 3,600-square foot multipurpose building that would serve as the site of a school and daycare center.
Plans for the Islamic Center have received an administrative approval from the county staff, and the County Commission gave it a vote of approval in 2023. Sachs opposed the plan, calling for a moratorium on development in the reserve.
Why are some residents opposed to the Islamic Center?
Some area residents cited typical development concerns — traffic congestion and environmental impacts, for example. For others, however, the Islamic Center is a source of fear, which was frequently expressed during the Oct. 2 meeting in terms many considered Islamophobic.
Some residents wondered if the center is affiliated with extremists. Others wondered if it would use loudspeakers for a call to prayer, and one woman said area residents can't be certain the center would not be used to spread hatred of Jews and the United States.
Delray Beach on Oct. 2, 2026. Many residents were there to urge not just preservation but also rejection of a proposed Islamic Center there." id="92054941007">
Southern Palm Beach County is home to a large number of Jews, though the area has a large Muslim population as well.
Islamophobia and antisemitism have spiked in the aftermath of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel and Israel's response, which has razed much of Gaza and dramatically shifted politics in the region.
What's next?
Sachs wants to close what she describes as "the zoning loophole" that allows some projects, including government buildings and places of worship, to be approved by the county staff if they meet the area's land development code. Sachs wants new rules that would require public hearings and full commission vote for Ag Reserve projects.
Area residents told Sachs they want the Islamic Center project to be stopped. She said it would take a vote of the full County Commission to revisit the topic.
Wayne Washington is a journalist covering education and Riviera Beach development for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Islamic Center protest overtakes Ag Reserve meeting. 5 things to know
