Angelica Ramos
Contributing Writer
MONTGOMERY COUNTY- The Islamic Center of Blacksburg sought renewal for their tax exemption from 2021 on their property as they move forward with developing the land, which the Board of Supervisors denied.
The Islamic Center of Blacksburg was granted a three-year tax exemption regarding their property in October of 2021. This means their exemption ends at the end of December of this year. In preparation for 2025, the Islamic Center of Blacksburg filed for renewal of their exemption during the Nov. 25, 2024 Board of Supervisors meeting.
Angela Hill, County Administrator, presented this renewal to the board, explaining the length of the original tax exemption and that the parcel is currently undeveloped. According to the United States Constitution, when there is a place of worship built, that place of worship is granted tax exemptions regardless of faith or creed. With the current parcel being undeveloped, it is not granted constitutional tax exemption and thus they have to file for that exemption through the county.
Hill said a site development plan has been submitted to the Town of Blacksburg but has not been approved yet and there are more forms that need to be filed and approved through the town before the town and the Islamic Center are able to move forward with development. Hill explained the Board of Supervisors could either approve the renewal for an additional three years or deny it with the filers ability to re-apply in 2025.
The applicant explained that phase one of the development and construction will depend on approval of permits and payment of bonds with the Town of Blacksburg, but they have not yet signed a contract with a contractor in order to move forward with development. This fact was concerning for the members of the board. The applicant explained the organization has had the land since 2010 and had signed a contract with a contractor in 2018, but then Covid hit and that fell through. So, before the 2021 exemption, they were paying roughly $6,000 to the county and the Town of Blacksburg. Although the board understood that fundraising takes time and Covid set many residents as well as organizations back in terms of planning, there was still no building on the property nor a contract signed as of the Nov. 25, 2024 Board of Supervisors meeting.
“I think I actually brought up the scenario,” Vice Chair Steve Fijalkowski said to the board and the applicant, “that we could be granting this to an organization and then they never build anything. And that has happened; the only other applicant that has applied and we granted the exemption, has decided not to build. So, this is something we need to correct and if this can be put into the information or the application process, it needs to be done that states there has to be a building or a facility there that will conduct the business that they’re looking for the exemption for. So, I am definitely against it, not because of the organization–they’ve done everything they can–and it appears that when your building is finished you won’t even have to come to us. You [the applicant] will be exempt, so it just seems to me this is our opportunity to correct it [the exemption].”
The board voted to deny the renewal with encouragement from Chair Mary Biggs to come back in 2025.
