Lakeville is about to get its second mosque in less than a year, after the City Council unanimously approved a conditional-use permit Monday for a permanent Al-Hadi Masjid. The nearly 3,700-square-foot facility is planned behind Cub Foods, with the group expecting it to open within 10 to 12 months.
As reported by Pioneer Press, the Al-Hadi Association’s project will have a main assembly capacity of 118 people and 59 proposed parking spaces. The city’s calculation called for 39 spaces, giving the plan a cushion as the mosque prepares to host daily prayers, Islamic education, seasonal events and other programming.
A Permanent Home For A Growing Lakeville Muslim Community
Al-Hadi Association says it is an independent nonprofit that has served Lakeville-area Muslims since 2020. The group’s official website describes the future masjid as a community center for worship, learning, family programs and religious education, with construction funded entirely through donations.
The project also reflects the limits of the group’s current arrangement, where worshipers have relied on rented space rather than a dedicated facility. The new building is expected to give Al-Hadi more room to organize prayers and community activities without working around other tenants’ schedules.
Neighbors Raised Traffic And Appearance Concerns
The approval was not without pushback. Pioneer Press reported that Lakeville residents Laurie Olson and Joan Baldwin raised concerns about increased traffic, possible effects on nearby shoppers and residents, and how the building would look next to surrounding homes and senior housing.
The planned site sits south of 175th Street West and east of Kenwood Trail, near Argonne Village shopping center. That commercial area includes Cub Foods, Dollar Tree, Erbert’s and Gerbert’s, and Great Clips, while single-family homes, twin homes and the Argonne Hills senior housing complex sit around the proposed mosque.
City Code Treats Religious Institutions As Conditional Uses
Lakeville’s zoning code lists religious institutions as conditional uses in the RS-2 single-family residential district. The city code says those requests are evaluated for compatibility with nearby land uses, available public services and the traffic capacity of surrounding streets.
The decision follows the council’s approval last winter of Lakeville’s first mosque, a project that FOX 9 said was also approved unanimously despite some concerns about traffic and noise. The Minnesota Star Tribune has described the second mosque as part of Lakeville’s changing religious and demographic landscape, with local Muslims seeking permanent worship spaces closer to home.
For Al-Hadi supporters, Monday’s vote marks the end of years of planning and fundraising and the beginning of a more visible community presence in Lakeville. The group’s stated goal is straightforward: a permanent place where Muslim families can pray, learn and build connections while remaining part of the wider city.
