West Norwalk residents are protesting construction of the town's first official mosque, which they say will create neighborhood parking and traffic problems.

The Al Madany Islamic Center of Norwalk, which now worships in a private residence on Elton Court, has outgrown the space and wants to move to a bigger prayer hall. The congregation purchased a 1.5-acre property at 127 Fillow St. in 2008 and submitted a proposal in June to the Planning and Zoning Commission for construction of a mosque and community center.

Neighbors are concerned that streets are too narrow to accommodate overflow parking from the mosque and that the roads are already busy with the numerous school and city buses. Residents plan to voice their opposition to the proposal at a Wednesday public hearing.

"We are trying to prevent them from building a very large building on the corner here that happens to be a mosque," said Ray Mosser, who lives in the Fillow Ridge Townhouses. "Our biggest concern is the traffic and safety. We all have to pass by here."