BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — The Islamic Society of Tulsa is pursuing legal action after the City of Broken Arrow denied a zoning request for a proposed mosque.
Members of the Broken Arrow City Council denied the request Monday evening, with a 4-1 vote. The Islamic Society of Tulsa already owns the land, and the Broken Arrow Planning Commission approved the zoning change at its December meeting.
Despite city officials' approval, community members expressed disappointment about the proposed mosque on social media. In a statement, the Islamic Society of Tulsa claims that social media discourse influenced the City Council's vote. You can read IST's full statement below.
"The Islamic Society of Tulsa (IST) is disappointed that the City Council of Broken Arrow voted on January 12, 2026, to deny its application to build a multiuse Islamic Center adjacent to the Creek Turnpike and Olive Avenue. In rejecting the IST application, the Council not only rejected the recommendation of its Planning Commission, but also the determination of City staff that the proposal met all requirements of the Zoning Variance and Special Use Permit. What makes the denial incomprehensible is that the Council ignored the scaled down version of the scope that was presented on the day of the hearing. Both the earlier ‘aspirational’ and the scaled-down versions were developed through substantive meetings with the staff of the City of Broken Arrow.
IST appreciates the professionalism of City Staff, the venue offered by NSU Broken Arrow, and the goodwill shown by clergy members, civic leaders, and residents who spoke in favor of our proposal. We recognize that democratic participation can lead to disagreement; however, we are disappointed that fearmongering and misinformation dominated the discourse and that Islamophobic rhetoric on social media may have influenced the Council's decision to deny our application.
IST intends to pursue all options to challenge and reverse this myopic and discriminatory decision through legal avenues, including a challenge brought under RLUIPA (Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act), which prohibits government entities and municipalities from imposing discriminatory or substantially burdensome land use regulations on religious institutions. We are also considering complaints against the City of Broken Arrow with other relevant state and federal regulatory bodies which govern anti-discrimination in city zoning decisions.
We sincerely hope that through further dialogue and advocacy, the City of Broken Arrow will not only reverse its decision but will take actions to combat the spread of Islamophobia and to welcome diverse residents into the community, ensuring that all residents are welcome in this beautiful city."
The City of Broken Arrow sent this statement in response to the press release issued by Islamic Society of Tulsa:
"The City of Broken Arrow appreciates the Islamic Society of Tulsa (IST) for sharing its perspective on the City Council's January 12, 2026, decision regarding the proposed multiuse Islamic Center. We recognize the disappointment expressed in its statement. The City’s zoning and permitting processes are designed to be fair, transparent, and in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including those protecting religious freedoms. The City Council carefully considered the application, including input from the Planning Commission, City staff, and public comments, before reaching its decision based on the facts presented.
The City of Broken Arrow takes issue with IST’s statement that it had “substantive meetings with the staff of the City of Broken Arrow” about a scaled-down version of its development proposal. On Thursday, January 8, 2026, City staff met with a delegation representing IST for a meeting that lasted approximately one hour. At no time during that meeting was a scaled-down version or revised plan of the proposal discussed or presented to staff. In fact, the first mention of a scaled-down version of the proposal was when it was provided to City staff via email at 3:58 p.m. on Monday, January 12, 2026, only two hours prior to the special meeting.
At one point during the meeting on January 8, 2026, the applicant’s engineer, who joined the delegation for the first time in the development proposal process, brought up the idea of a planned unit development (PUD) for possible consideration to develop the property. City staff advised the delegation that if it wanted to pursue a PUD, it would reset the process and need to go before the Planning Commission for review. The delegation decided against the option to pursue a PUD and advised staff it was proceeding as planned. Other than the discussion about the PUD, the content of the meeting on January 8, 2026, focused on the logistics and safety measures being considered for the upcoming special meeting.
The City of Broken Arrow emphatically rejects IST’s supposition that “Islamophobic frenzy on social media” factored into the City Council’s decision. That is simply not true. It is irresponsible conjecture stated by IST to satisfy its interpretation of the City Council’s decision. In a press release and video published on Friday, January 9, 2026, Mayor Debra Wimpee stated, without ambiguity, what she and the City Council set as the goal for the discussion during the special meeting when she said, “we look forward to seeing many of you there for what we hope is a professional, productive, and resolute conversation focused on the facts of the proposed development.”
The Broken Arrow City Council was abundantly clear in its decision to deny the application request for a rezoning and conditional use permit. The application was not approved due to the infrastructure needs surrounding the property. While we do not comment on the potential of threatened litigation, we remain open to ongoing productive dialogue with IST about the decision."
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