A hearing examiner has dismissed an appeal by a neighborhood group to allow a 44-space parking lot for the Sammamish Muslim Association’s prayer center in the 22000 block of Southeast 20th Street.

The appellants, “Friends of SE 20th,” voiced a variety of concerns at a mid-February hearing, noting they don’t believe it’s compatible with the surrounding vicinity.

“The thing that brings concern to me is the intensity, it’s five times a day, it’s 365 days a year, there is no day of rest for me from that scenario,” said Don Allaire, president of the neighborhood group.

Examiner John Galt, ruled there was not enough evidence to back many of the environmental and traffic concerns voiced by “Friends of SE 20th.

Galt did ask the Sammamish Muslim Assocication create a 3-foot tall berm to the north and east of the parking lot, and build a 6-foot fence along the east side of the lot to limit sound and noise to the adjacent neighbor, Allaire.

The organization agreed.

“Friends of SE 20th” have been openly opposed to the parking lot since the SMA first applied for permits in March 2011.

The city of Sammamish gave its conditional approval of the parking lot in September 2012.

Galt’s decision is subject to the right of reconsideration and to the right of judicial appeal in superior court if “Friends of SE 20th” chooses to continue its opposition.