STERLING HEIGHTS — Sterling Heights City Council on Tuesday night voted to allow the construction of a mosque that was previously met with controversial opposition from being the community, prompting federal intervention.

Mayor Michael C. Taylor called the decision the “American thing to do.”

The seven-member city council voted unanimously to enter into settlement agreements with the American Islamic Community Center, the group building the 20,500-square-foot mosque at 15 Mile and Mound; and the Department of Justice, stemming from two separate lawsuits filed in response to the city denying permission to build the mosque in 2015.

As part of the settlement, the American Islamic Community Center agreed to reduce the height and size of the mosque, nix the Muslim Call to Prayer over loud speakers and prevent street parking.

The City Council did not reveal how much the American Islamic Community Center will be paid in the settlement, but indicated it will exceed the $350,000 deductible to be paid by the city under its municipal insurance policy.

A large number of residents in attendance Tuesday night spoke adamantly against construction of the mosque and settlement.

Some said it indicated an admission of guilt regarding religious discrimination. Others claimed the presence of a mosque posed a threat to safety.

“Have you ever read the verses in the Koran where they talk about killing all non-Muslims,” one man said before being cut off and told that his comments violated meeting rules.

One woman, who indicated she is Chaldean, a Christian who immigrated from Iraq to escape violence in the Middle East, said the mosque would “cause too much friction” between Christian and Muslim immigrants.

Another resident who lives in a neighborhood near the mosque site said he foresees a “mass exodus.”

“This isn’t the first time this has ever happened in the world; this is the history of humanity,” Councilman Doug Skrzyniarz said. “Religious wars were the first wars we had in society.”

Before Skrzyniarz could finish his thoughts, there were loud outbursts from many in the crowd prompting the mayor to temporarily call for a recess.

“We’re not going to do this,” Taylor said when the meeting resumed. “We’re not going back and for all night with these interruptions. The interruptions are pointless.

” … If you can’t conduct yourselves professionally, were going to remove everybody.”

He then allowed Skrzyniarz to resume his earlier statements.

“My point is that we have a tradition in America since our founding where people come here from all over the world to have their religious liberty protected,” he concluded.

After another outburst, the mayor called for the auditorium to be cleared temporarily while the council voted on the mosque issue. Several members of the audience had to be escorted out by police throughout the night.

The mayor said he’d take to his grave the belief that the Planning Commission’s denial of the mosque construction in 2015 was not based on discrimination, but “legitimate planning and zoning issues” that hadn’t been resolved when revised plans were presented.

He said with the concessions agreed to in the settlement, there is no longer reason to prohibit the mosque’s construction, and further litigation could raise the city’s liability.

When the issue originally came before city council, many residents exhibited fear of a new mosque coming to town.

“What they should do is probably have Homeland Security check these people out, just in case,” said Mike Gretel at a meeting in August 2015. “You don’t know what’s going on. You know, they’re cutting people’s heads off. They killed our soldiers and everything.”

U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade called a press conference at 9 a.m. Wednesday to further discuss the settlement between the DOJ and Sterling Heights.