DOJ investigating city's denial of mosque proposal
Post Date:07/28/2026 8:17 a.m.On Friday, July 17, 2026, the City of Broken Arrow was informed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that it had opened an investigation into the city’s zoning and land use practices pursuant to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. The letter the city received from the DOJ is available for the public to read.
The focus of the investigation is on how the city’s zoning laws treat religious land use, including the rezoning request for the development of a mosque in south Broken Arrow. The City Council and Administration are fully engaged with the DOJ in its investigation.
25 O.S. § 307 (B)(4) allows for City Council to conduct an executive session to discuss confidential communications between a public body and its attorney concerning a pending investigation, claim, or action if the public body, with the advice of its attorney, determines that disclosure will seriously impair the ability of the public body to process the claim or conduct a pending investigation, litigation, or proceeding in the public interest.
City Council will meet on Aug. 3, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. to discuss this investigation in executive session as authorized by state law. Executive session is not open to the public.
