The Collin County commissioners鈥� court heard hours of public testimony mostly opposing a proposed Muslim community development at a recent meeting.
The East Plano Islamic Center, one the largest mosques in North Texas, is planning a development to accommodate the area鈥檚 growing Muslim community. The project, known as EPIC City, would be located 40 miles northeast of Dallas in unincorporated Collin and Hunt counties near the city of Josephine.
It would include a new mosque, more than 1,000 single and multi-family homes, a K-12 faith-based school, senior housing, an outreach center, commercial developments, sports facilities, and a community college.
Public Controversy
EPIC City has faced considerable controversy. Abbott recently directed the Texas Rangers to open a criminal investigation into the development. Abbott didn鈥檛 specify what criminal activity may have occurred. His office hasn鈥檛 responded to repeated requests for comment on EPIC City the past week.
The proposed development is still in the early stages. The county hasn鈥檛 received any applications from the project developer yet.
鈥淣othing has been approved because we haven鈥檛 even received an application at this stage,鈥� Commissioner Sheryl Williams said.
Darrel Evans, the former Democratic candidate for Texas House District 89 in Collin County, said at Monday鈥檚 commissioners鈥� court meeting the numerous state investigations into EPIC City are unfair.
鈥淔rom what I've heard today, Epic City is still in the idea phase of planning,鈥� Evans said. 鈥淎nd to have the Texas Rangers and the Attorney General's office and others already investigating an idea, in America, are we now spending tax dollars investigating ideas? Is that where we are?鈥�
Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating the developer, Community Capital Partners, for potential . Paxton said in a the development raised a number of concerns.
"Under my watch, there will be zero tolerance for any person or entity that breaks Texas law,鈥� he said.
The press release didn鈥檛 mention what consumer protection laws the development is accused of violating.
Imran Chaudhary, President of Community Capital Partners said in a statement to 四虎影院 the company will work with Paxton as the investigation is ongoing.
鈥淲e understand that there has been a lot of rumor-milling and misinformation circulated by many who are uninformed," Chaudhary said. "We look forward to working with the Attorney General to ensure that we are in legal compliance every step of the way and educating the broader community about our project.鈥�
Representatives from the development company in charge, Community Capital Partners, told the county commissioners they鈥檙e still in the due diligence process for the project.
Collin County Judge Chris Hill said he doesn鈥檛 support EPIC City because of the state鈥檚 investigations into the development. Abbott said in a post on X 鈥渁 dozen state agencies are looking into鈥� the East Plano Islamic Center鈥檚 proposed 402-acre development, which he alleged had 鈥渟erious legal issues.鈥� saying its vision is to build a diverse community open to all ethnic and religious backgrounds.
鈥淚t should go without saying that our community, like any other in this great state, will follow all local, state and federal laws,鈥� the post read. 鈥淲e would love for you to see the site and learn about our project over some Hutchins BBQ.鈥�
Several Collin County residents said they were concerned the project would implement Sharia Law, echoing Gov. Greg Abbott and other conservative legislators, including Plano state. Leach said that could violate House Bill 45, a law passed in 2017 that prohibits the use of any foreign law in the state鈥檚 courts.
David Jackson, a commercial real estate broker from Frisco, said at Monday鈥檚 commissioners鈥� court meeting following Islamic law violates the constitution.
鈥淭his Sharia law is so far away from our constitution of protecting our inalienable rights and our freedom of speech that it is totally incongruent with anything that we can allow in the state of Texas,鈥� Jackson said.
Jackson and several other public commenters repeated stereotypes about the Muslim community. Samar Waqar, a Muslim woman who lives in Collin County, said those comments don鈥檛 represent her faith.
鈥淢y faith values are based on compassion and kindness, in welcoming everyone,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here is no discrimination within our faith.鈥�
Waqar said it isn鈥檛 fair to generalize about the Muslim community based on stereotypes.
Housing Concerns
Jane Ridgeway, who lives in Josephine, said she lives less than two miles from the proposed development. Ridgeway said she鈥檚 concerned how EPIC City will impact water availability and traffic conditions in her area.
鈥淚'm already experiencing issues from the development,鈥� she said.
Brandon Burton, a Realtor from Frisco, told the county commissioners the EPIC City development violates fair housing laws at the state and federal level.
鈥淭his prohibition against discriminatory advertising applies to all housing, including single-family and owner-occupied housing that is otherwise exempt from the Texas Fair Housing Act,鈥� Burton said.
The Texas Rangers investigation one of many state-led inquiries into the faith-based development. The Texas State Securities Board is looking into potential financial harm.
And the Texas Funeral Service Commission sent a cease-and-desist directing the East Plano Islamic Center to stop all funeral services last week. The letter accuses the Plano mosque of operating a funeral home without an establishment license, violating .
The mosque had a funeral home license that expired in 2022. But to provide funeral services 鈥� which is licensed and has been since 2004,
Abbott said in a recent the Texas Workforce Commission is investigating potential violations of the , which prohibits discrimination based on religion. Abbott has accused the development of creating a 鈥渘o-go zone鈥� that bans non-Muslims from entering.
Yasir Qadhi, a resident scholar at the East Plano Islamic Center and one of the people involved in the project planning, told 四虎影院 in an interview last year EPIC City is not exclusive to Muslim residents.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an open community,鈥� Qadhi said. 鈥淎nybody can come in. We're welcoming people of all backgrounds and diversity and we're offering them facilities that we think would be very, very useful.鈥�
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Caroline Love is a corps member for 四虎影院.
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