Islip zoning board blocks dormitory for new all-boys Muslim school

The Islip Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3-1 to overturn a prior interpretation that allowed a boarding facility at the United American Muslim Association’s new all-boys Islamic school in Bay Shore. The board concluded that the proposed dormitory for 120 teens does not qualify as an accessory use under the town’s zoning code, so the school must operate without on-site housing. While the 13-acre waterfront campus will still host grades 7-12 and early-childhood programs, students will have to leave the premises each evening.

The reversal followed an intense July meeting where dozens of local residents voiced concerns about noise and the impact on a nearby senior-living community, with some comments reflecting Islamophobic sentiment. The property, formerly a Catholic boarding school until 1972, was purchased in June and plans to charge tuition between $750 and $1,250 per month. The United American Muslim Association did not comment on the board’s decision.