Bernalillo County weighs North Valley mosque plan amid protests, threats
A North Valley mosque plan has turned into a test of county zoning power after protests and threats forced a delay over a 3.9-acre site near Second Street and Alameda.
Bernalillo County is now weighing whether a 3.900-acre parcel at 9600 2nd St. NW can move ahead with a mosque-related land-use change, after a June 3 appeal hearing drew protests, traffic worries and threats aimed at supporters of the project. The site sits about 194 feet north of Second Street and Alameda Boulevard and is currently zoned A-1.
The proposal comes from the Albuquerque Islamic Center, which says it was founded in 2014 as a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit and has outgrown its current worship and school space at 8900 Menaul Blvd. NE, near Menaul Boulevard and Wyoming Boulevard. County records show the appeal, tied to case ZA2026-0024 and Board of Adjustment case ZBA2026-0001, concerns church, day care and K-12 school use at the North Valley property. The county paperwork lists Pat Hauser as the appellant and shows a $100 fee paid.
At the hearing, the dispute stretched well beyond the usual zoning questions. The Maria Diers Neighborhood Association raised objections centered on building height and traffic impacts, while an unexpected group of protesters showed up at a meeting that was supposed to focus on the appeal. Talha Mohamed said the demonstration was not just about land use, but reflected hostility toward Islam and Muslims. He said he received phone calls and text messages telling him to leave the country and saying the mosque was not wanted.
The threats pushed the Islamic Center to ask that the vote be postponed. Even so, Mohamed said the project has also drawn support from other faith communities and local residents, a sign that the fight has split North Valley opinion in ways that go far beyond one parcel of land.
Bernalillo County’s zoning process gives the county several points of control. Under its published rules, decisions by the zoning administrator can be appealed to the Board of Adjustment, then to the Board of County Commissioners, and ultimately to district court. The county Planning Commission is expected to discuss the plans at a July 1 meeting, leaving the issue unresolved for now. What happens next will shape not only one mosque proposal, but how Bernalillo County handles religious freedom, neighborhood concerns and public safety when all three collide at the same time.
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