2 10 29 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/bc9e8736b3acab37ebb7becf710a1024.png df9347e25abffa073037b0da625a739b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Hasan Siddiqui of Tyrone Township addresses residents at the Nov. 14 Tyrone Township Planning Commission meeting. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived https://www.tctimes.com/news/muslim-run-cemetery-plan-revised-noise-traffic-burial-practices-addressed/article_99c21386-2c85-11e8-8a2f-f34ba4315e32.html Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Mi_09 Location The location of the interview Tyrone Township, MI Year Year the case began. 2017 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 7155 Denton Hill Rd, Fenton, MI 48430 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. P77V+CF Fenton, Michigan Proposed Project Development on 10 acres of land; original plan for 3,847 gravesites, later reduced to about 1,500. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://rawdacemetery.com/">Rawda Cemetery</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications On June 19, 2018, the Board voted 5-0 to approve the special land use permit for the proposed 1,500-plot cemetery. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In November 2017, Hasan Siddiqui submitted his initial plan for a ten-acre cemetery with a maximum of 3,847 gravesites on his family-owned property in Tyrone Township, MI, open to everyone, regardless of their faith. On November 14, 34 residents attended the Tyrone Township Planning Commission’s meeting to discuss the proposed cemetery project, voicing their concerns about groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and excessive noise (Jagielo, 2017, Nov 17). Every property in the surrounding area is on a well, and neighbors believed that a traditional Muslim burial in which bodies are wrapped in a shroud and placed directly into the earth with a stone placed on top would negatively affect their water supply (Jagielo, 2018, Mar 20). In response to the residents’ concerns, Tyrone Township planner Brian Keesey stated that there is no definitive evidence of cemeteries' positive or negative effect on property values (Jagielo, 2017, Nov 17). No vote was taken at the Planning Commission meeting. The next month, Livingston County took soil borings and studied the flow and direction of the water to determine the cemetery’s effect on the neighborhood’s groundwater (Controversial “green cemetery” approved, 2018, Jun 22). Afterward, the cemetery was cleared as being safe. County regulations state that burial sites must be at least 75 feet from a residential well, which the site exceeded (Jagielo, 2018, Sep 6). In March 2018, Siddiqui submitted a revised proposal to the Planning Commission, which reduced the size of the cemetery to 1,589 graves, increased the amount of open space, located burial sites farther from the road, and established set hours of operation to ensure that heavy machinery would not be operated in the evening (Jagielo, 2018, Mar 20). The Planning Commission sent the proposal to Livingston County officials to clarify if the revised plan met county requirements. On June 19, the Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the special land use permit for the cemetery (Controversial “green cemetery” approved, 2018, Jun 22). Despite the approval, it was reported that opposition towards the cemetery continued at subsequent board meetings and in the local press (Jagielo, 2018, Sep 6). After obtaining state approval and developing the land, the <a href="https://rawdacemetery.com/">Rawda Cemetery</a> has been built and is fully operational. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Controversial “green” cemetery approved in Tyrone Township. (2018, June 22). Tri-County Times. <a href="https://www.tctimes.com/news/controversial-green-cemetery-approved-in-tyrone-township/article_13b14bd0-763c-11e8-aaed-2bb430c8593f.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Jagielo, T. (2017, November 17). Community debates proposed Muslim-run cemetery. Tri-County Times. <a href="https://www.tctimes.com/news/community-debates-proposed-muslim-run-cemetery-concerned-that-muslims-are-buried-in-shrouds-not-vaults/article_dc88074e-cbc7-11e7-8acf-dbb82a6206c8.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Jagielo, T. (2018, March 20). Muslim-run cemetery plan revised. Tri-County Times. <a href="https://www.tctimes.com/news/muslim-run-cemetery-plan-revised-noise-traffic-burial-practices-addressed/article_99c21386-2c85-11e8-8a2f-f34ba4315e32.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Jagielo, T. (2018, September 6). Would you live next to a “green” cemetery? Tri-County Times. <a href="https://www.tctimes.com/news/would-you-live-next-to-a-green-cemetery/article_684eadde-b10d-11e8-b5d8-53e1d6f474cf.html">Web</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 12, 2024 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Tyrone Township, MI Description An account of the resource In November 2017, the Tyrone Township Planning Commission held a public meeting at which a Muslim developer’s proposal for a green cemetery was discussed. The proposal drew critique from residents primarily concerned with the potential impact on groundwater. After commissioning an Environmental Impact Report, the developer submitted a revised proposal to the commission in March 2018. The revised plan lowered the number of burial sites, increased open space, located burial sites farther away from the property line, and established limited hours of operation. The Township Board unanimously approved the revised site plan in June 2018, though opposition continued at subsequent board meetings and in the local press. Approved Built Cemetery Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/a0e8e678290bf2926c27d2342dea0e5e.png 7262f628bba1f355c93a70515844ac90 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Ma_04 Location The location of the interview Dudley, MA Year Year the case began. 2016 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. off Corbin Road [across from 176 Corbin Rd] Proposed Project The Islamic Society of Greater Worcester hopes to build a Muslim cemetery with 16,000 burial plots on 55 acres of vacant farmland off Corbin Road. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://isgw.us/">The Islamic Society of Greater Worcester</a> Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 33F7+4QX Dudley, Massachusetts Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Planning and Zoning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications After the Islamic Society of Greater Worcester sued the town of Dudley, MA, and the Department of Justice launched its investigation, an agreement was reached allowing a permit for a 6-acre Muslim cemetery with a 10-year moratorium on expansion. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In January 2016, the Islamic Society of Greater Worcester applied to the Dudley Zoning Board of Appeals for a special use permit to build a cemetery with up to 16,000 burial plots on 55 acres of vacant farmland. The town’s zoning regulations allowed for cemetery use with a special permit in the agricultural zone. In the weeks leading up to the first public hearing, Dudley residents launched an opposition campaign. Opponents cited concerns about groundwater contamination due to Muslim burial practices. At the February 4 hearing, several hundred residents attended to present a public petition opposing the cemetery permit (Boeri, 2016, Feb 5). Over the next months, the Zoning Board of Appeals continued public hearings on the project before finally denying the request during its meeting on June 9, 2016. The board based its unanimous decision on the claim that the property was under special-tax status and that the Islamic Society lacked legal standing to purchase it. According to the board, the property owner had not complied with the requirement to notify the town prior to the sale, thereby failing to give the town the right of first refusal (Laplaca, 2016, Jun 9). The Muslim community appealed the Board’s decision to the Massachusetts Land Court (MacQuarrie, 2016, Jul 5). In August, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it had opened an investigation into the town’s denial of the cemetery project as a potential violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) (Serhan, 2016, Aug 18). In December 2016, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Islamic Society of Greater Worcester settled the case. The town granted the special permit for a six-acre cemetery with several conditions: a ten-year moratorium on any expansion beyond the six acres, the installation of buffer zones, and a maintenance agreement (LaPlaca, 2017, Mar 2). In April 2017, the Islamic Society released a statement that it would not pursue the cemetery project further out of financial considerations. The group announced it was seeking to reserve about 1,500 burial sites at Hope Cemetery, the municipal cemetery of Worcester (Murtishi, 2017, Apr 14). References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Boeri, D. (2016, February 5). Proposal For Muslim Cemetery In Dudley Meets Opposition From Residents. WBUR. <a href="https://www.wbur.org/all-things-considered/2016/02/05/muslim-cemetery-proposal">Web.</a></li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Laplaca, D. (2016, June 9). Zoning board nixes Muslim cemetery. Telegram. <a href="https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/south-west/2016/06/10/dudley-zoning-board-rejects-muslim-cemetery-application/27954817007/">Web.</a></li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Laplaca, D. (2017, March 2). Dudley board approves Muslim cemetery. Telegram. <a href="https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/south-west/2017/03/03/dudley-board-approves-muslim-cemetery/22006573007/">Web.</a></li> <li style="font-weight:400;">MacQuarrie, B. (2016, July 5). Islamic group accuses Dudley of blocking Muslim cemetery. The Boston Globe. <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/07/05/islamic-group-files-suit-accusing-dudley-illegally-blocking-muslim-cemetery-plans/9TpLhOUWs8S3z2QoGmHPbM/story.html">Web.</a></li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Murtishi, A. (2017, April 14). Dead deal: Islamic Society abandons plan for Dudley cemetery. MassLive Media. <a href="https://www.masslive.com/news/worcester/2017/04/dead_deal_islamic_society_aban.html">Web.</a></li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Serhan, Y. (2016, August 18). One Massachusetts Town's Rejection of a Muslim Cemetery. The Atlantic. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/08/muslim-cemetery-rejection-investigation/496520/">Web.</a></li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource In June 2016, the Dudley, MA Zoning Board denied the Islamic Society of Greater Worcester's request for a cemetery permit on 55 acres of farmland, citing special-tax status and legal standing issues. According to the Board, the property owner had not notified the town before the sale, violating the right of first refusal. The Islamic Society sued Dudley, alleging "prejudicial treatment," prompting a Department of Justice investigation. The case drew national attention. In December 2016, an agreement allowed a 6-acre cemetery with a 10-year expansion moratorium. In April 2017, the Islamic Society withdrew the project due to financial issues and sought burial sites at Worcester’s Hope Cemetery. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sofia Fonti Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Dudley, MA Approved (initial denial) Built Cemetery DOJ Relocated Withdrawn https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/52c1346a599bfdfc34e902d20af01731.png 22e5c0f5dff0a6be8baf90696ec92907 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived https://www.isgl.org/funeral-services/ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Ma_03 Location The location of the interview Walpole, MA Year Year the case began. 2014 Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In the summer of 2014, Al-Marhama Islamic Burial Services proposed the construction of a cemetery with 3,700 burial plots on three acres of open land in Walpole, MA. The Muslim group is part of the Islamic Society of Greater Lowell, which operates a mosque in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. In response to the Walpole Conservation Commission’s concerns about the use of wetlands located at the property, Al-Marhama reduced the size of its project to 3,400 grave sites (Seltz, 2014, Sep 3). After receiving clearance from the Conservation Commission, the project went before the Planning Board, which determined that Al-Marhama needed permission from the State Department of Environmental Protection and the local Board of Health (ibid.). Public opposition to the cemetery project was organized in an online group, Walpole for Clean Water, which circulated a petition with more than 350 signatures against the project. Adjacent property owners commissioned independent reviews of Al-Marhama’s site plan and hired legal counsel. In response, representatives of the Muslim community stressed that three professional studies had been conducted showing that groundwater contamination was unlikely, assured the residents that they would have protocols in place to avoid burials involving contagious diseases or radiation, and offered to use concrete encasements for all burials (Stuhlman, 2015, May 14). In a series of public meetings in early 2015, the Walpole Board of Health discussed the cemetery project. On May 12, the board had its final public hearing on the project at the local high school, where officers were present to keep the peace (Ferguson, 2015, May 14). Although the analysis from the Department of Environmental Protection found the cemetery did not pose a significant threat to the water supply and that contamination was very unlikely, the local Board of Health voted 4-0, with one abstention, to reject the project because it could contaminate the aquifer. Health Board member Carol Johnson summarized the Board’s decision by stating, "I am not totally convinced that this green cemetery would be responsible for any contamination, however, in good conscience, if there's the slightest, slightest possibility that this cemetery could result in the closing of this well, I need to vote accordingly" (ibid.). However, abstaining Health Board member Mona Bissany explained that chemicals from projects other than cemeteries were more likely to endanger the water supply and noted other burial grounds on aquifers that had been approved in the past (ibid.). Al-Marhama did not choose to appeal the Board of Health’s decision. The community continues to use a section of The Gardens at Gethsemane Cemetery in West Roxbury, MA, to bury deceased members. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Ferguson, K. (2015, May 14). Aquifer risk kills cemetery plan. Wicked Local. <a href="https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/times-advocate/2015/05/14/aquifer-risk-kills-cemetery-plan/34556488007/">Web</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Seltz, J. (2014, September 3). Walpole aquifer complicates bid for Muslim cemetery. The Boston Globe. <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/south/2014/09/03/islamic-burial-service-proposes-build-muslim-cemetery-walpole/HMJeC51bEIc4fvYwRhfAPM/story.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Stuhlman, A. (2015, May 14). New concrete liner plan would come with size concerns. Walpole Times. Available through <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/15554614B2179BC0">NewsBank</a>.</li> </ul> Address Enter the full address, if it is available. At the corner of Rte. 1 and Foxhill Drive between the Hilltop Drive apartment complex and old driving range. Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 4Q42+F8 Walpole, Massachusetts, USA Proposed Project The project plan included converting three acres of forest area into a Muslim cemetery with 3,400 burial plots. The property was in a zoning district where cemeteries were allowed by right. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.isgl.org/funeral-services">Al Marhama Islamic Burial Services</a> Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications In May 2015, after acknowledging the property assessment by the Department of Environmental Protection, the Walpole Board of Health rejected the cemetery proposal in a 4-0 decision, citing fears that green burial practices would pollute the water supply since the site was on the town aquifer. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource In May 2015, the Walpole Board of Health denied Al-Marhama Islamic Burial Services a special permit to construct a cemetery on three acres of land. The board justified its decision by citing potential groundwater contamination because the property sits atop the town’s aquifer. Al-Marhama conducted several environmental studies and offered interment in concrete caskets but did not appeal the board’s decision. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sofia Fonti Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Walpole, MA Cemetery Denied Planning and Zoning Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/f231b64280ee5e3dac77c28a3090c314.png bde96bedb45b1a3a040c90ddc701e22d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Ms_03 Location The location of the interview Horn Lake, MS Year Year the case began. 2021 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 4600 Church Rd, Horn Lake, MS 38637 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. WWMH+9R Horn Lake, Mississippi Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Administrative Denial Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications In February 2021, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to deny the permit for the proposed mosque. The Board of Aldermen voted 5-1 in April to uphold this decision, citing insufficient water mains for fire sprinklers, potential violations of noise ordinances, and increased traffic. Following a lawsuit filed on behalf of the Muslim community, a consent decree from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi ordered the approval of construction of the mosque. In September 2022, the Planning Commission voted 4-3 to allow the construction of the cemetery on the same property as the mosque. Despite concerns about soil contamination and discrimination against women, the Board of Aldermen unanimously voted in October to approve the conditional use permit for the cemetery with restrictions. Proposed Project The Muslim community proposed subdividing the 80-acre property for residential development (Turkey Creek Subdivision) and for a cemetery/mosque project. The mosque's site plan envisioned a 10,000-square-foot building with 44 parking spaces for 156 worshipers. The 1.2-acre cemetery would accommodate up to 520 burials. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.abrahamhouseofgod.com/">Abraham House of God</a> Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In 2019, DeSoto County resident Ray Elk met with the mayor of Horn Lake, MS, and the Board of Aldermen to propose the construction of the Abraham House of God, a 10,000-square-foot mosque on 80 acres of land with a 156-person worship room and 44 parking spaces. Northern Mississippi did not have a mosque, which meant the approximately 15 Muslim families living in DeSoto County needed to travel more than 30 minutes to the nearest mosque, located in Tennessee. (Weaver, 2021, Nov 3). In August 2020, local residents expressed anti-Muslim sentiments at a meeting of the city’s Planning Commission (Randall, 2022, Jan 4). Their opposition towards the proposed mosque continued at another Planning Commission meeting in February 2021, where they voiced their concerns about increased traffic and potential violations of noise ordinances, despite repeated assertions that the mosque would not contain loudspeakers issuing calls to prayer (Burgess, 2021, Apr 22). The Planning Commission unanimously denied Elk’s application for permits to construct the mosque. Though houses of worship are permitted by right on land zoned Agricultural Residential (AR) in Horn Lake, they still require site plan approval from the Planning Commission. In April 2021, the Board of Aldermen voted 5-1 to uphold the Planning Commission’s decision to deny approval of the site plan, citing concerns over insufficient water mains for fire sprinklers, potential violations of noise ordinances, and increased traffic (Burgess, 2021, Apr 22). Elk announced that he planned to sue the city over its decision, stating that “this is what my country was built on, freedom of religion. I am just practicing my right. This is my right to have any faith I want” (ibid.). The next month, Horn Lake Mayor Allen Latimer held an executive session behind closed doors with the Board of Aldermen to discuss the proposed mosque and impending lawsuit (Masse, 2021, May 5). Alderman Charlie Roberts changed his mind, expressing support for the mosque. “If we can have Baptist churches, Methodist churches, Pentecostal churches on every corner and have the freedom to religion, we also should be able to allow our Islamic Muslim friends to have the same worship,” Roberts said at the meeting. “I support the freedom of religion, and I will stand behind the freedom of religion for everybody” (Marion, 2021, May 19). In November 2021, the ACLU of Mississippi and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Horn Lake, claiming that their denial of the proposed mosque violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) and the First Amendment (Weaver, 2021, Nov 3). On November 18, it was reported that the city and Elk were working to settle the lawsuit (Dees, 2021, Nov 18). On January 3, 2022, Judge Michael P. Mills of the Northern District of Mississippi issued a consent decree ordering Horn Lake officials to approve the mosque (Chaney, 2022, Jan 4). Mills found that the denial of the proposed mosque violated RLUIPA and the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause, stating that the case “presents very serious, and if proven factually accurate, strong allegations of religious discrimination” (Randall, 2022, Jan 4). It was reported that both parties agreed to the consent decree “in the interest of avoiding costly and protracted litigation” (ibid.). The city was ordered to approve a plan for the mosque’s construction within 14 days, act quickly in the future to address building-related matters like permitting, and pay $25,000 for expenses related to appealing the denial. City officials, employees, and insurers were released from any further monetary claims for damages, and the federal district court maintained jurisdiction over the case for five years to ensure the consent decree was enforced (ibid.). In April 2022, Elk met with the city’s Planning Commission to propose the construction of a 1.2-acre Muslim cemetery on the same property as the mosque. The plan was tabled until September 26, when the Planning Commission voted 4-3 to grant a conditional use permit (CUP) with restrictions (Randall, 2022, Oct 14). Members of the Planning Commission stated that Horn Lake had never approved a cemetery in its history and shared their concerns regarding soil contamination and discrimination against women, as comparisons were made to the Dar ar-Rahma Cemetery in Tennessee, which does not allow women to attend burial services (ibid.). In response, Elk stated that he was unfamiliar with that rule. One of the conditions attached to the permit was that no discrimination would be allowed against women, in addition to other restrictions regarding the cemetery’s rules and guidelines, timeline of its construction, and future expansion process (ibid.). Addressing a query from Planning Commissioner Little regarding the cemetery's public or private nature, Elk offered to dedicate an area for non-Muslims to be buried, similar to how Christian cemeteries have sections for Muslim burials, highlighting inclusivity and accommodation within the community cemetery project (ibid.). In October 2022, the Board of Aldermen met to discuss the cemetery’s conditional use request (Bakken, 2022, Oct 18). They voted unanimously, 7-0, to approve the CUP with five conditions: planting a mix of trees and plants along the perimeter to absorb any microorganisms, constructing the cemetery in the approved soil types identified in the state soil report, following the city’s subdivision regulations if the property is subdivided at a later date, ensuring there is at least one yard of subsoil at the bottom of all burial sites to protect against groundwater contamination, and going through the approval process if the site is expanded (ibid.). Additional Planning Commission conditions were not included, as they related to the cemetery's operation and not its actual zoning. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Abraham House of God on October 23, 2022. The mosque was expected to take about a year to build (Bakken, 2022, Oct 18). Construction does not appear to have finished, as the mosque’s website states it is coming soon. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Bakken, B. (2022, October 18). Mosque cemetery plan gets Horn Lake board approval. DeSoto County News. <a href="https://desotocountynews.com/desoto-county-news/mosque-cemetery-plan-gets-horn-lake-board-approval/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Burgess, K. (2021, April 22). Horn Lake rejects application for mosque; applicant may take city to court. The Commercial Appeal. <a href="https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2021/04/22/horn-lake-rejects-mosque-applicant/7335507002/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Chaney, K. (2022, January 4). Horn Lake ordered to approve plans for first-ever mosque in Desoto County, Mississippi. Localmemphis.com. <a href="https://www.localmemphis.com/article/life/faith/horn-lake-ordered-approval-mosque-desoto-county-mississippi-federal-judge/522-69bc4455-fefa-4d03-97a8-a55c3ee80e66">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Dees, T. (2021, November 18). City of Horn Lake working to settle lawsuit over proposed mosque. FOX13 Memphis. <a href="https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/city-of-horn-lake-working-to-settle-lawsuit-over-proposed-mosque/article_0ca776a2-a713-5ed3-b941-b8931f0747c4.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Marion, G. (2021, May 19). “Stop It Before They Get Here”: Horn Lake Repeatedly Denies Mosque Permit. Mississippi Free Press. <a href="https://www.mississippifreepress.org/stop-it-before-they-get-here-horn-lake-repeatedly-denies-mosque-permit/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Masse, J. (2021, May 5). Horn Lake officials discuss proposed mosque as lawsuit looms. FOX13 Memphis. <a href="https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/horn-lake-officials-discuss-proposed-mosque-as-lawsuit-looms/article_44e235ce-eb9c-53fc-825a-79a2e1d013cf.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Randall, M. (2022, January 4). Federal court orders Horn Lake to approve mosque. DeSoto Times-Tribune. <a href="https://www.desototimes.com/news/federal-court-orders-horn-lake-to-approve-mosque/article_3bc5cf16-6d81-11ec-ac43-77bd6d34a3da.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Randall, M. (2022, October 14). Horn Lake to consider Muslim cemetery request. DeSoto Times-Tribune. <a href="https://www.desototimes.com/news/horn-lake-to-consider-muslim-cemetery-request/article_653ef044-4be2-11ed-8889-ab6423a9da63.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Weaver, H. (2021, November 3). A Mississippi City Blocked a Proposed Mosque Due to Anti-Muslim Prejudice. We’re Suing. American Civil Liberties Union. <a href="https://www.aclu.org/news/religious-liberty/a-mississippi-city-blocked-a-proposed-mosque-due-to-anti-muslim-prejudice-were-suing">Web</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 20, 2024 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Horn Lake, MS Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Concept art for planned Abraham House of God in Horn Lake. (2021). [Online image]. Retrieved February 5, 2022, from https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2021/04/22/horn-lake-rejects-mosque-applicant/7335507002. Description An account of the resource In April 2021, Horn Lake city officials rejected a proposed mosque on property zoned for houses of worship. The ACLU of Mississippi and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP filed an RLUIPA lawsuit on behalf of the Muslim community in November 2021. In January 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi issued a consent decree to approve the construction of the Abraham House of God, DeSoto County’s first mosque. Later that year, the Board of Aldermen unanimously voted to allow the construction of a Muslim cemetery on the same property, despite opposition by local residents. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang ACLU Approved (initial denial) Cemetery DOJ Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Mosque Planning and Zoning Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/efaad8dd08be02abc3defe208e05ab2e.png d0d4ab714d64b6e4207b3086f0220746 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource The Muslim Community Help Center was denied approval to turn a field near U.S. 27 and Maples Road into a cemetery. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Request for 3,000-grave Muslim cemetery denied. (2019, December 18). CBS-15 Local News. Available at https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/request-for-3000-grave-muslim-cemetery-denied. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Year Year the case began. 2019 Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. In_02 Location The location of the interview Allen County, IN Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 8631 Decatur Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46816 Proposed Project The Muslim Community Help Center attempted to build a 14-acre cemetery with 3,648 graves with bodies placed in concrete vaults on land zoned agricultural. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063216039951">The Muslim Community Help Center Cemetery Association</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Planning and Zoning, Public Campaign Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 86HP2V4X+H5 Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The project was denied in December 2019 by the Allen County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). The board did not state any reasons for the denial, but during the public hearing, questions were raised about the cemetery's size and the lack of a perpetual care fund for cemetery maintenance. In February 2021, The BZA approved a modified proposal. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In December 2019, the Allen County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) rejected a proposal by the Muslim Community Help Association to establish a new cemetery. The group, primarily composed of refugees from Myanmar, sought their own cemetery due to the growing size of their community. The proposal was for a cemetery with 3,648 graves on a field behind a former church building. The Muslim community had purchased the church property earlier that year, converting it into a Muslim worship center known as Masjid Quba. The land, zoned for agricultural use, had previously been part of the church’s community gardening program. It required a special exception or conditional use permit (CUP) to be used as a cemetery. At the BZA meeting, a local real estate agent assisted the Muslim Association. Despite assurances that the Association was registered with the state and would comply with all relevant regulations, including the use of concrete vaults for burials, the zoning board denied the request by a vote of 4-1. During the meeting, board members did not explain why they voted against the cemetery (Rodriguez, 2019, Dec 20). Board member David Bailey was the sole dissenter, arguing that the board had limited jurisdiction over the matter. However, his motion to approve the plan failed due to a lack of a second (ibid.). Key concerns community members and the zoning board raised included questions about the group's capability to manage and maintain the cemetery, including the need for a perpetual care fund and a clear maintenance plan. Neighbors also expressed worries about the burial practices. The Muslim tradition of not embalming bodies sparked concerns about potential environmental impacts and the feasibility of reverting the land to agricultural use. Additionally, the overall size and the proposed number of grave sites raised concerns (Darby, 2019, Dec 18). In February 2021, the Muslim community reapplied for a cemetery permit with the help of a Fort Wayne attorney, Pat Hess, who represented the group at the Allen County Board of Zoning Appeals (Rodriguez, 2021, Feb 18). The Association’s new proposal for the cemetery was similar to the earlier one but included several key revisions. The number of gravesites was reduced from 3,648 to 890, and an access drive from Hessen Cassel Road was eliminated. Additionally, the application reserved space for future burials in two property segments, though the number of graves planned for those sections was unspecified. The Muslim community also indicated that funeral homes would be responsible for services and body preparation, and those activities would not occur on-site (ibid.). Despite some concerns from nearby residents about the septic system and potential drainage issues, the board approved the proposal unanimously after ensuring that the cemetery would comply with state guidelines and establish a perpetual care fund. The language specifying that burials were limited to Muslims was removed to avoid any appearance of discrimination (Rodriguez, 2021, Feb 18). A news article from March 2023 reported that the cemetery was under construction and that the Association held a fundraiser to support the project (Benkowski, 2023, March 19). References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Benkowski, G. (2023, March 19). Muslim Community Help Center holds fundraiser for cemetery. CBS 15 Local News. <a href="https://www.wane.com/top-stories/muslim-community-help-center-holds-fundraiser-for-cemetery/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Darby, C. (2019, December 18). Request for 3,000-grave Muslim cemetery denied. CBS-15 Local News. <a href="https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/request-for-3000-grave-muslim-cemetery-denied">Web</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Rodriguez, R. S. (2021, February 18). Muslim burial grounds get OK. The Journal Gazette. <a href="https://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20210218/muslimburialgrounds-get-ok">Web</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Rodriguez, R. S. (2019, December 20). Proposed Muslim cemetery rejected: Zoning board votes 4-1 against Decatur Road plan. The Journal Gazette, p. 1C. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=WORLDNEWS&req_dat=0D0CB4F3D1A01B2A&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F1780BC4767E07B18">NewsBank</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 12, 2024 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Allen County, IN Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In December 2019, the Allen County Board of Zoning Appeals rejected by a vote of 4-1 a cemetery proposal by the Muslim Community Help Association of Fort Wayne, citing insufficient planning and justification behind the proposed size of the cemetery and management of the property. The 14-acre site for 3,648 burial plots had been advanced as contingent use on land zoned agricultural. The Help Association applied again in 2021 with a slightly modified proposal addressing some of the concerns raised in the 2019 public hearing before the board. The new proposal was unanimously approved in February 2021. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ben Damon Approved (initial denial) Cemetery Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Under Construction https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/041826c06b3b79f5109c1febefc80c61.png 2b12da41c6e2aff8b36a3a07f9bbc717 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Id_01 Location The location of the interview Kuna, ID Year Year the case began. 2014 Proposed Project The ICBB applied to build a 10-acre cemetery for about 6,000 burial plots on 36 acres of land outside of Kuta, ID. An on-site mosque was considered as part of a separate future application. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 15000 Cloverdale Rd, Kuna, ID Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/icbboise/?ref=page_internal">Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Boise</a> Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications County Commissioners vote to deny opponents’ appeal at a public hearing on September 10, 2014, but impose minor conditions for the project to move forward. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In 2014, the Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Boise (ICBB) submitted a proposal to use 10 acres of land for a cemetery outside of Kuta, ID. At the time, the ICBB served approximately 380-400 families from across the valley. The project was spearheaded by Imam Midhat Smajic, who pointed to the need of his growing community to bury loved ones according to Muslim burial practices. For several years, the community had buried their deceased in a separate section of the Morris Hill Cemetery, a government-funded cemetery complex in Boise. The ICBB’s proposal affirmed that their Islamic burial practices would comply with Idaho’s regulations governing cemeteries (Muslim cemetery proposed, 2014, Sep 1). Smajic and other members of the ICBB worked with the Ada County Planning and Zoning Commission to approve their cemetery plans. The proposed cemetery site was zoned for conditional use as a cemetery and did not require any special exceptions or variances. Thus, the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved it. Following this, a resident appealed the decision to the County Commission, expressing concerns about potential ground contamination and the spread of disease. The resident also stated that the cemetery’s visual or aesthetic impact would negatively affect property values. A public hearing was scheduled to discuss the appeal. “Any time you're dealing with religious items, there's a lot of passion that goes with that too," said Dave Case, Chairman of the Ada County Commission. "That tends to bring out a lot of people who want to provide their testimony and want to be heard, and that's what the whole process is about" (Zepelin, 2014, Sep 10). During their public meeting on September 10, the Ada County Commissioners voted to deny the appeal but imposed minor conditions on the cemetery project. Despite the approval amid public opposition, no information is currently available regarding the completion or operational status of the cemetery project. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Muslim cemetery proposed for Kuna creates stir. (2014, September 1). Idaho Press-Tribune (Nampa, ID), p. 4. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1501109D0E8C9C00">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Zepelin, S. (2014, September 10). Plans move forward for Muslim cemetery near Kuna. NBC - 7 KTVB (Boise, ID). Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/15045A8A06098840">NewsBank</a>.</li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Kuna, ID Description An account of the resource In 2014, the Ada County Planning and Zoning Commission issues a conditional use permit (CUP) for an Islamic cemetery near Kuna. The Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Boise wants to use parts of a 36-acre lot as a burial ground. The property is already zoned for conditional use as a cemetery. Kuna residents appeal the decision to the County Commission, stating health concerns. County Commissioners deny the appeal at a public hearing but impose minor conditions for the project to proceed. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sofia Fonti Approved Cemetery Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/2e59e949d8c54d384b1a62a07983dd6b.png 4d26b51dcedc89f74a72f85eba825338 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) VA_10 Date 2018 Year Year the case began. 2018 Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.gliaweb.org/">The Greater Lynchburg Islamic Association</a> Address Enter the full address, if it is available. property located at the intersection of Double Bridges Road and Hundley Springs Road in the Promise Land community Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. On July 11, 2018, the Appomattox County Planning Commission announced that the Greater Lynchburg Islamic Association had withdrawn its petition for a conditional use permit (CUP) to operate a cemetery on an 8-acre property zoned agricultural. The county’s planning commission had tabled the petition the previous month in response to strong opposition from residents. The parcel in question was located in the Agricultural Zoning District (A-1) in an area designated Rural Preservation Area by the county’s Future Land Use Map in the Comprehensive Plan. At the same meeting during which the commission announced that the Islamic Association had withdrawn its CUP request, commissioners discussed a motion to increase the review requirements for “religious assemblies.” Public opposition emerged in early June when the Islamic Association’s plan became public to operate a cemetery on a property at Double Bridges Road and Hundley Springs Road. On the local ABC channel’s Facebook page, the article reporting on the plan received hundreds of comments. While some Facebook users supported the project, most comments voiced opposition ranging from concerns over well water contamination and property values to statements targeting Islam and Muslims (Tyree and Hoffman, 2018, Jun 1). The county’s Planning Commission heard public comments on the project before a capacity crowd at its June 13 meeting. Residents spoke up in opposition to the project, citing the adverse impact on the neighborhood’s character, noise, traffic, and loss of property values. Concern over water contamination also featured prominently in remarks. One resident stated, "The bodies are not put into a casket or a vault. They're not embalmed. And that goes into our water" (Langlitz and Wilcox, 2018, Jun 13). In addition, opponents presented a petition signed by 395 citizens urging the commission to reject the CUP request. However, opponents made no explicitly anti-Muslim or anti-Islamic statements at the meeting. Islamic Association President Maqsud Ahmad introduced the cemetery project outlining the need, low impact, and adherence to local and state laws. Support came from a Lynchburg area pastor whose congregation had developed a positive relationship with the Islamic Association over the years. Ahmad expressed that the project would abide by all required regulations, including proper setbacks to ensure groundwater would not be affected. He also signaled the Islamic Association’s willingness to consider alternative burial methods saying, "We can come up with a plastic upside down or a concrete upside down [encasement], which is what they do in Charlottesville” (Langlitz and Wilcox, 2018, Jun 13). The Planning Commission tabled the application following the county attorney’s recommendation to allow additional time for staff review. At the subsequent commission meeting in July, commissioners announced that the CUP request for the cemetery project had been withdrawn. Public documents do not offer information about the reasons for the withdrawal. At the same meeting, the Appomattox Planning Commission discussed proposed changes to the county’s zoning ordinances to increase the review requirements for “Religious Assemblies.” The amendments proposed changing the “Religious Assembly” land use category from permitted to conditional use in four zoning districts, including the Agricultural District (A-1). The change would not affect cemetery projects, which already were conditional use under the current zoning regulations. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Langlitz, R. and K. Wilcox (2018, June 13). Appomattox Co. Planning Commission hears community concerns for proposed cemetery. ABC 13 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://wset.com/news/local/appomattox-co-planning-commission-hears-community-concerns-for-proposed-cemetery">https://wset.com/news/local/appomattox-co-planning-commission-hears-community-concerns-for-proposed-cemetery</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Tyree, E. and Ch. Hoffman (2018, June 1). Neighbors concerned about proposed cemetery infecting well water. ABC 13 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://wset.com/news/local/neighbors-concerned-about-proposed-cemetery-infecting-well-water?fbclid=IwAR0LmITKyCf58LUNMR-U8OVJ31EgiY-IpuMG9SdUl%E2%80%A6">https://wset.com/news/local/neighbors-concerned-about-proposed-cemetery-infecting-well-water?fbclid=IwAR0LmITKyCf58LUNMR-U8OVJ31EgiY-IpuMG9SdUl%E2%80%A6</a>.</li> </ul> Location The location of the interview Appomattox County, VA Proposed Project The Greater Lynchburg Islamic Association requested a CUP for an 8.05-acre property zoned A-1, Agricultural Zoning District. The parcel was designated Rural Preservation Area by the county’s Future Land Use Map in the Comprehensive Plan. Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign: Social media (Fb) opposition; attendance at Planning Commission meeting; petition (395 signatures) Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Withdrawn -- The County Planning Commission announced a month after it had tabled the petition that the property owner had withdrawn the CUP request. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Appomattox County, VA Description An account of the resource On July 18, 2018, the Appomattox County Planning Commission announced that the Greater Lynchburg Islamic Association had withdrawn its petition for a conditional use permit to operate a cemetery on an 8-acre property zoned agricultural. The county’s planning commission had tabled the petition the previous month in response to strong opposition from residents. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Florian Pohl Cemetery Public Campaign Withdrawn https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/ed3b6381b5715fd7d64d22b0269cfe34.jpeg c0d32334d3d73efa5adbbf5f2b8638e0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) TN_01x Date 2012 Proposed Project cemetery on 1.5 acres of a 15-acre property owned by the Muslim community Year Year the case began. 2012 Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications approved with conditions Location The location of the interview Tennessee Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Islamic Center of Murfreesboro Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In 2012, the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro (ICM) faced opposition to its plans to construct a Muslim cemetery. The quest to secure the required permits for its cemetery occurred within the context of ongoing public and legal challenges to a mosque project the ICM had faced since 2010. Although the details of the ICM’s mosque project are <a href="https://usmc.oxomeka.org/items/show/13">described separately in this archive</a>, the broad outlines of this case, which garnered national attention in 2010, are outlined here to provide the context for the Muslim community’s efforts to secure the rights for the cemetery. In March 2009, the Murfreesboro Muslim community began planning for a larger mosque to serve its growing population, eventually purchasing land on Veal Rd in 2010. The Rutherford County Planning Commission approved the mosque's construction on May 24 (Broden, 2014, Jan 9). However, this decision sparked controversy, leading to protests and inflammatory remarks from influential figures. This opposition escalated to a lawsuit against Rutherford County on September 17, 2010, with plaintiffs making Islamophobic arguments. Rutherford County Chancellor Robert Corlew swiftly dismissed the lawsuit, but subsequent legal battles ensued. In April 2012, Corlew sided with the mosque's critics, citing insufficient public notice regarding the construction. The Department of Justice intervened on July 8, filing a lawsuit on behalf of the mosque and arguing a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Protections Act (RLUIPA). The DOJ appealed Corlew's decision to allow the mosque to open under a temporary occupancy permit in early August 2012. In June 2014, the Supreme Court finally resolved the matter, rejecting to hear the opposition’s appeal two years after the initial permit approval (Haynes, 2014, June 2014). Against the backdrop of ongoing litigation concerning the ICM’s mosque project, the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro faced additional challenges when it tried to construct a Muslim cemetery on its property. Since 2010, the ICM had discussed building a burial ground adjacent to the mosque after one ICM member was buried on the mosque's property under a conditional-use permit (Murfreesboro mosque seeks cemetery permit, 2012, Nov 1). Like the ICM’s mosque building project, the conditional-use permit was met with opposition. Opponents were concerned that the body would "contaminate the water because it was not in a casket and vault" (ibid.). Mosque leaders argued that the burial had followed Tennessee law, but protest persisted. On November 1, 2012, the ICM applied for a special-use permit to construct its cemetery. The approval process for the cemetery was contentious, with public hearings and debates highlighting concerns about traffic disruption and groundwater issues. On January 8, 2014, after a public hearing and a 3-2 vote, the cemetery was approved, albeit with conditions imposed by board member Joe Meshotto. These conditions included maintaining burial records, setting a minimum grave depth of five feet, limiting the number of burial plots to 1,500, restricting grave marker height to one foot, and tying the permit strictly to religious use of the property (Broden, 2014, Jan 9). Despite the ICM's agreement to these conditions, opposition persisted, notably exemplified by Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), who criticized on social media the application of the Tennessee Religious Freedom Act, which was applied in favor of the cemetery, for enabling religious groups to circumvent other laws (Murphy, 2014, Jan 24). In March 2014, public outcry culminated in a lawsuit challenging the cemetery's approval, echoing the anti-Islamic sentiments seen in previous legal battles over the ICM's mosque (Stockard, 2014, Mar 26). On June 18, 2014, Judge Paul Summers dismissed the case against the cemetery's construction, affirming the validity of the special-use permit and the legality of the zoning appeals board's actions (Broden, 2014, Jun 19). Unlike the mosque project, the cemetery's approval did not require intervention from the Department of Justice, marking an end to years of controversy and litigation surrounding the ICM's projects. By the end of 2014, the ICM secured its rights to proceed with the mosque and cemetery projects, concluding a tumultuous period of opposition and legal challenges. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Broden, S. (2014, Jun 19). Judge dismisses mosque cemetery lawsuit. Daily News Journal. <a href="https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2014/06/19/judge-dismisses-mosque-cemetery-lawsuit/11098267/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Broden, S. (2014, Jan 9). Murfreesboro mosque cemetery approved. The Tennessean.<a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2014/01/08/murfreesboro-mosque-cemetery-approved/4394147/"> Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Haynes, C. (2014, June 23). First Amendment: Religious freedom trumps Islamophobia. The Holland Sentinel, p. 6. Available from<a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/14EA2D1CB87D9028"> NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Murfreesboro mosque seeks cemetery permit. (2012, November 1). The Associated Press State & Local Wire. Available from<a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:56YD-0N31-JBGK-F2TB-00000-00&context=1516831"> NexisUni</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Murphy, T. (2014, Jan 24). GOP Congressman Blasts Proposal for Muslim Cemetery. Mother Jones. <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/01/gop-congressman-blasts-proposal-muslim-cemetery/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Stockard, S. (2014, Mar 26). Tempers flare at Judicial building over Muslim cemetery. Murfreesboro Post.<a href="https://mainstreetmediatn.com/articles/murfreesboropost/tempers-flare-at-judicial-building-over-muslim-cemetery/"> Web</a>.</li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Murfreesboro, TN [Islamic Cemetery] Description An account of the resource In March 2014, opponents of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro cemetery seek a court order to stop the project by challenging the county's approval of the project. Following the approval in January, Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.) is reported to have made disparaging comments on his Facebook page about the cemetery. The campaign echoes themes from 2010 when opponents sought to stop ICM's expansion project. The cemetery sits on 1.5 acres of the 15-acre ICM property. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, and Shahmeer Khan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Approved Built Cemetery Legal Campaign Public Speech REL230_SP24 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/12507b83d6b717da1d46463b2c9cbc77.png b3ca0f9f663810f95d9abf00f5472214 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Date 2015 Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Sc_01 Location The location of the interview Rock Hill, SC Year Year the case began. 2015 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. Bird Street, Rock Hill, SC 29730 Proposed Project The Islamic Center of South Carolina originally proposed a project to construct a Muslim cemetery complex in Rock Hill, SC, in a residential area on Bird Street. However, the project's details are not specified, such as size and the number of plots. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://icscrockhill.org/">Islamic Center of South Carolina</a> (Masjid Al Saalam) Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Zoning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications In 2015 the project was rejected by the zoning board of appeals. However, in 2016 the Zoning Board worked with the Muslim community to find a new plot for the cemetery, approving the project in November of that year. In 2017 the project began construction and is currently operational. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In September 2013, Masjid Al Saalam of the Islamic Center of South Carolina opened as the first mosque in Rock Hill, SC. Rock Hill is the fourth-largest city in the Charlotte metropolitan area. Two years later, the Islamic Center of South Carolina proposed building a cemetery to meet the needs of Rock Hill’s growing Muslim community. The project was spearheaded by Nazir Cheema, a decades-long Rock Hill resident. Cheema and other Rock Hill Muslims proposed the cemetery project on Bird Street near Anderson Road. However, the project required a zoning exception because the property was in an area zoned residential. The Muslim community petitioned the city for a variance utilizing the Complementary Use designation, which would allow for the property to be used as a religious site. Although city officials had supported the request, the Zoning Board of Appeals rejected the petition at its public meeting on July 21, 2015. The project was met with fierce public opposition at the July Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. Rock Hill residents cited concerns about traffic, property value, neighborhood character, and Muslim burial practices. A resident was reported asking “what would happen behind a Muslim cemetery fence” (Dys, 2015, Jul 29). Opponents also presented a petition with 28 signatures to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Aware of potential legal challenges under the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), the Zoning Board had conferred with legal counsel behind closed doors prior to the final vote. The application ultimately failed and was denied on a split vote (3-3). Questions about the board's decision remained because an exception for religious structures, schools, and playgrounds in residential zoning districts is frequently granted. For example, the city had previously approved a Catholic church’s columbarium in close proximity to the proposed site (ibid.). Following the denial, Nazir Cheema questioned the board’s decision saying, “What I heard here was that we are Americans and have rights, but we as Muslims do not have the right to bury our dead” (Dys, 2015, Jul 29). He added, “If this cemetery did not have the word Muslim, it would have been different. Are we not Americans? Do we not love America? Yes, we do” (ibid.). The Council on American-Islamic Relations followed the controversy and offered support in case the Muslim community decided to pursue a legal challenge. Despite their disappointment and unanswered questions about the board’s decision, the Muslim community decided not to appeal the board's decision to the Circuit Court. In 2016, city officials assisted the Muslim community in securing a different piece of property on Blackmon Street zoned for commercial use. The Islamic Society of South Carolina acquired the land and received approval for cemetery use without any public or administrative opposition (Dys, 2017, Jun 18). The new plot on Blackmon Street has woods on two sides and homes behind trees on two sides. Construction on the site began in 2017, and a fence was put between the homes and the cemetery as a courtesy to the neighbors. The Islamic Center of South Carolina currently maintains the cemetery. References <ul> <li>Dys, A. (2015, July 29). Rock Hill Muslims: Cemetery buried by city not dead yet. The Herald (Rock Hill, SC), p. 3A. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/156E641D8D773848">NewsBank</a>. </li> <li>Dys, A. (2017, June 18). Neighbors, zoning no longer roadblocks. Rock Hill's first Muslim cemetery to open. The Herald (Rock Hill, SC), p. 1A. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?%20p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1651CE763930A000">NewsBank</a><a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?"></a>. </li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rock Hill, SC Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sofia Fonti Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In 2015, city officials in Rock Hill, SC deny an exception for cemetery usage to the Islamic Society of South Carolina. The public hearing before the Zoning Board draws a standing-room crowd in opposition to the project, including prejudicial statements against Muslims and Islam. The Muslim community does not appeal or take legal action against the decision. In 2017, ISC purchases a different property zoned for cemetery use. Built Cemetery Denied Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Relocated https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/bfa15ef5d529c3020560172e575f2dd4.png 30faf6e25db7baa9b1a75b2c683513f8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Ky_03 Location The location of the interview Bullitt County, KY Year Year the case began. 2013 Proposed Project The Louisville Islamic Center seeks to build a cemetery on a 10-acre plot zoned for agricultural use. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Louisville Islamic Center Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Administrative Denial Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Following the denial in Bullitt County, the Louisville Islamic Center receives the necessary conditional-use permit to form the <a href="https://moflou.com/ghc/">Green Haven Cemetery</a> in Louisville, KY, in December 2013. The cemetery remains operational to date. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In February 2013, the Bullitt County Board of Adjustments denied a conditional use permit to the Louisville Islamic Center for a cemetery project in Mount Washington. The Louisville Islamic Center hoped to use the permit to purchase 10 acres of land zoned agricultural to establish an Islamic cemetery for their community in nearby Louisville, Kentucky. Previously, the community had to drive 46 miles to Elizabeth, Kentucky, to bury their dead (O’Neill, 2013, August 24). The Bullitt County Board of Adjustments rejected the permit on August 16th to loud applause from the citizens in attendance. The Islamic Center decided to look for another property and received the necessary permits from the Louisville Metro Board of Zoning Adjustments in the neighborhood of Buechel in December 2013. The property in Mount Washington was a piece of agricultural land that required a conditional use permit for use as a cemetery. Many nearby citizens opposed the project at the Board’s meeting. At the meeting, neighbors voiced concerns about increased traffic, groundwater safety, and maintenance of the community’s character (Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection, 2013, Feb 27). The property was located on a gravel road. The road was 15 feet wide, and at least 22 feet were needed for a road to be considered two-lane. The Louisville Islamic Center addressed some concerns, clarifying that fewer than 40 burials were in the community within the last 10 years. In support of the Louisville Islamic Center, attorney Greg Ehrhard addressed issues such as traffic (giving 20 feet of land to the town for widening the road) and maintenance of character (agreeing to an 80-ft setback from Hubbards Lane and a 6-ft white perimeter fence). He also cited the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). Beyond these concerns, citizens claimed the cemetery would be detrimental to their children in a variety of ways, that the beliefs of their community could not coexist with those of the Islamic faith, and that the cemetery would dishonor US veterans (Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection, 2013, Feb 27). The Board rejected the permit, with one board member stating that the cemetery was not harmonious with the surrounding neighborhood, one of the conditions for approval (Permit for Muslim cemetery, 2013, Feb 14). The Louisville Islamic Center abandoned plans for a cemetery at the proposed site and began looking for a different property. Later, in 2013, the group applied for a conditional use permit for a cemetery on Action Boulevard in Louisville, KY. The land was adjacent to another large cemetery, and the case manager for the Louisville Metro Department of Codes and Regulations asserted that the cemetery and burial practices did not present any issues. The leaders of the Louisville Islamic Center met with neighbors of the property to address concerns over water quality due to casket-free burials. Neighbors had no opposition to the cemetery project when they were assured that burial methods were safe. Few residents attended the public input session, and none opposed the project. On December 16th, 2013, the conditional use permit was approved. The<a href="https://moflou.com/ghc/"> Green Haven Cemetery (GHC)</a> remains operational to date. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection of Islamic cemetery. (2013, February 27). Courier-Journal. Retrieved from<a href="https://islamophobiawatch.co.uk/bullitt-county-kentucky-residents-opposition-fuels-rejection-of-islamic-cemetery"> https://islamophobiawatch.co.uk</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">O’Neill, T. (2013, November 24). Muslim community seeks cemetery in Ky. Courier-Journal. Retrieved from<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/24/muslim-group-seeks-cemetery-in-ky/3694693"> www.usatoday.com</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Permit for Muslim cemetery near Mt. Washington rejected. (2013, February 14). WDRB News. Retrieved from<a href="https://www.wdrb.com/news/permit-for-islamic-cemetery-near-mt-washington-rejected/article_56e6d4a1-badd-5e87-9d7d-f5e51b3f7be7.html"> https://www.wdrb.com</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 8, 2024 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Bullitt County, KY Description An account of the resource In February 2013, the Bullitt County Board of Adjustments rejects the Louisville Islamic Center’s application for a conditional use permit for an Islamic cemetery on land zoned agricultural. Several citizens had voiced concerns over groundwater, traffic, and aesthetics. Later in 2013, the Louisville Islamic Center acquires land in nearby Louisville, KY to successfully establish an Islamic cemetery. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bryce Bentinck Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Built Cemetery Denied Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Relocated