Despite some heated opposition from two neighbors, the Lewiston Planning Board on Monday approved a request from the Masijudu Salaam Mosque on Bartlett Street to more than double the number of parking spots as well as the building’s occupancy, using existing space.

In a 6-1 vote, the board approved plans to add about 35 parking spaces to the 25 there and increase the mosque’s total occupancy to from 94 to 192.

According to the mosque’s application, the building wouldn’t be expanded. Rather existing space would be used to allow for more worship, including adding a women’s worship area in the northwest section of the building.

The property at 240 Bartlett St. was purchased for the mosque in 2011. The following year, the planning board approved the building for an occupancy of 94 people and 25 parking spaces.

On Monday night, board member Michael Marcotte, who cast the dissenting vote, called the matter a “life-safety issue” and said the proposal was “over intensifying the property.” He said the expansion would cause an “adverse impact on the neighborhood.”

During public comment, Dennis Theriault, who owns multiple proprieties along Bartlett Street, voiced his displeasure with the expansion to the point where board Chair Shanna Cox threatened to have him removed by Lewiston police.

Matthew Theriault, general manager of Leonard Heavy Rescue and owner of Mid Valley Motors, also spoke against the application. Both businesses are across the street from the mosque.

Theriault said approving the higher occupancy for the building will make an already bad parking situation worse.

“Cars block my front entrance,” Theriault told board members. “They park in the middle of the entrance and we’re told to call police. We’re an emergency response company. We need to be able to access and leave our property. The fact that you guys are adding to this without clarifying or fixing anything is plain ignorant.”

Theriault went on to say that Leonard Heavy Rescue once lost $30,000 because a blocked business entrance prevented it from taking a job.

He told the board he will do whatever is needed for his business to survive. “I can absolutely destroy vehicles and start stacking them, and that’s what I’ll do if I have to,” he said.

With conditions, the board approved the application. Once mosque leaders meet those conditions, the appropriate permits can be obtained.

The architect overseeing the project presented the application before the board. Efforts to reach mosque officials were unsuccessful.