MONTREAL — The fate of a chassidic sect’s plans to renovate and expand its synagogue is now in the hands of residents of the Plateau Mont Royal borough.

The $400,000 project of the Gate David of Bobov congregation was approved by the borough council on Sept. 2, but the council has decided to open a public registry because of continuing opposition from some residents in the area. The synagogue is located at 5363 Hutchison St., between Fairmount and St. Viateur streets, in an area zoned for residential use only.

If 133 people sign the registry, which will be open on Sept. 29 – Rosh Hashanah eve – at the borough’s headquarters, it could force a referendum on the issue.

The Bobovers want to extend the synagogue by eight feet at the back, as well as renovate the interior and alter the façade. The 60-year-old synagogue, said to be in a rundown condition, was one of the first chassidic shtieblach in Montreal.

The congregation, which numbers just 30 members, has been seeking permission for the work since 2004, and has returned to the drawing table numerous times to make the plans conform to the bylaws.

The most outspoken opponent of the project is Pierre Lacerte, who lives across the street from the Bobover shul. He says the quality of life in the neighbourhood will suffer because of increased traffic and noise.

He also doubts that the congregation would invest so much money in this project if it does not expect its membership to increase.

Moshe Englander, the project’s manager, said the building expansion will not increase congestion because members walk to Shabbat and holiday services, and that the Bobover community, which is based in Brooklyn, N.Y., is not going to grow in Montreal.

He also noted that the work will improve the appearance of the street, and that with a six-decade history on Hutchison, the Bobovers have a stake in the neighbourhood.

Lacerte presented an 80-page brief to the Bouchard-Taylor Commission on reasonable accommodation last year, bearing 158 signatures, which alleged numerous violations of the law by the various Chassidim in the area and neighbouring Outremont, including operating illegal synagogues and schools, parking infractions and running intercity buses on residential streets.

Lacerte also has a website where he blogs about his complaints against the Chassidim.