2 10 101 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/3100fa635c42ddba7bad71403f495f2d.jpeg 6d0db8a6e484447ac554b563f410244a 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 Minnesota 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. Mn_01 Location The location of the interview Bloomington, MN Year Year the case began. 2011 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 8201 Park Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55420 Proposed Project The Al Farooq Youth and Family Center sought to convert a Lutheran school building to serve as an Islamic center, mosque, school, community center. 25 parking spaces were to be added. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.daralfarooq.com/?fbclid=IwAR3OiPhxw6ovzTtXNFxGnGByCVDMk5TjaqWv-_SodYEtUQeydqxYAHfWaTQ">Dar al Farooq Center</a> Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The project was approved under a conditional-use permit. Under this, the DFC is required to abide by the City Code as well as requirements put forth in regard to parking/traffic. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Located in Bloomington, Minnesota, Dar al-Farooq Center (DFC) is the largest community center serving Muslims in Minnesota and the surrounding four states. While DFC serves a majority Black Somali population, the center’s membership is diverse, representing at least 26 countries. Controversy over the center’s presence in Bloomington began in March 2011, when a public hearing notice of Dar al-Farooq’s application for a conditional use permit was published in the local Bloomington Sun Current (Planning Division, n.d.). Dar al-Farooq sought to accommodate its growing congregation by expanding out of its smaller Minneapolis location into an empty building in Bloomington. Vacated by a Lutheran high school in 2009, the building includes a gymnasium as well as shared athletic fields and parking amenities with the city (Hank, 2011). During a Bloomington city council meeting in April 2011, council members discussed potential parking and capacity issues related to the use of the former school building by Dar al-Farooq. A day later, the council approved Dar al-Farooq’s application for use of the existing building as a community center, school, daycare, and place of assembly (Planning Division, n.d.). The approval was met with resistance during a city council meeting two weeks later from Bloomington resident Sally Ness. Ness claimed that Bloomington city council members approved Dar al-Farooq’s application out of fear of a lawsuit rather than the “facts specifically regarding capacity” (Mayer-Bruestle, 2016). She voiced additional concerns about capacity-related issues such as increased traffic she felt would make the neighborhood unsafe for children. Responding to the limited community resistance, Hyder Aziz, executive director of Dar al-Farooq, said in an interview with the Bloomington Sun Current that “[p]art of [DFC]’s mission will be to coexist with neighborhood residents and respond to concerns that are raised when the building is in operation” (Hank, 2011). In August 2011, the sale of the school building to Dar al-Farooq was finalized (Planning Division, n.d.). As the center opened its doors in 2012, complaints about its operations and membership bubbled up among community members whose comments were used by anti-Muslim actors to amplify the controversy. In September, prominent Blogger Pamela Geller published a letter from an anonymous Smith Park resident on her blog that claimed DFC was disrupting neighborhood peace, specifically by creating increased traffic and noise, and that mosque-goers were harassing neighborhood residents. In 2015, a community-wide discussion of how DFC’s facilities should be used, involving both mosque-goers and other residents of Bloomington, prompted the city to address DFC’s place within Bloomington. In March 2015, the city of Bloomington reached an agreement with the center to clarify the shared use of DFC’s facilities (Hanks, 2015). This laid out terms of use for indoor DFC facilities, an outdoor athletic field, community gardens, and Smith Park as a whole. Despite this agreement, a small number of local residents continued to resist DFC’s presence, questioning whether it abided by the conditions set forth by its conditional-use permit. In a 2016 city council meeting, the “Friends of Smith Park'' group submitted a petition signed by four residents that called for the enforcement of DFC’s permit conditions by the City of Bloomington. Citing traffic and noise concerns, the group claimed that the city had violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by allowing DFC to operate outside its permit conditions (Hanks, 2016). No action was taken by the city in response to the petition. In November 2016, Mosques in America: A Guide to Accountable Permit Hearings and Continuing Citizen Oversight was published by the Center for Security Policy, an anti-Muslim think tank, discussing how readers can prevent the building of mosques in their neighborhoods. Within the book, the Center for Security Policy accuses DFC of deceiving city officials in order to move into Bloomington. Since the opening of the center in 2012, community and city government resistance has been limited while external agitation has grown steadily. On August 5, 2017, Emily Claire Hari, Michael McWhorter, and Joe Morris carried out a non-fatal bombing attack at DFC. Emily Claire Hari was convicted on federal hate crime charges and sentenced to life in prison for her role in the attack (Department of Justice, 2021). In 2020, an imam was attacked (Peters, 2021). In 2021, the mosque’s operations were interrupted by an intruder (ibid.). Dar al-Farooq continues to operate out of its Bloomington location. References <ul> <li>Department of Justice. (2021, September 13). Dar-al Farooq mosque bomber sentenced to 53 years in prison. Available at <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/dar-al-farooq-mosque-bomber-sentenced-53-years-prison">https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/dar-al-farooq-mosque-bomber-sentenced-53-years-prison. </a></li> <li>Hanks, M. (2016, August 3). Bloomington neighborhood formalizes concerns regarding Islamic center. Bloomington Sun-Current (Eden Prairie, MN). Available at <a href="https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_current/news/local/bloomington-neighborhood-formalizes-concerns-regarding-islamic-center/article_92155a51-8734-5eac-80b6-949ef35064aa.html">https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_current/news/local/bloomington-neighborhood-formalizes-concerns-regarding-islamic-center/article_92155a51-8734-5eac-80b6-949ef35064aa.html</a>.</li> <li>Hanks, M. (2015, March 12). Bloomington, Al Farooq approved revised agreement. Bloomington Sun-Current (Eden Prairie, MN). Available at <a href="https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_current/news/local/bloomington-al-farooq-approved-revised-agreement/article_508ab17e-f1f1-5dc6-9928-5d6549a99a72.html">https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_current/news/local/bloomington-al-farooq-approved-revised-agreement/article_508ab17e-f1f1-5dc6-9928-5d6549a99a72.html</a>.</li> <li>Hanks, M. (2011, November 30). Bloomington City Council approves platting for Muslim community center. Bloomington Sun-Current (Eden Prairie, MN). 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%252F13B5F538AD5F3818">NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current</a>.</li> <li>Mayer-Bruestle, A. (2016, July 26). MN Neighborhood Group says Mosque is Overusing Local Park. Alpha News. Available at <a href="https://alphanews.org/mosque-neighbors-petition-council/">https://alphanews.org/mosque-neighbors-petition-council/</a>.</li> <li>Peters, J. (2021, April 9). Man apprehended by police at Dar Al Farooq Mosque after entering during Friday prayers. Sahan Journal. Available at <a href="https://sahanjournal.com/news/dar-al-farooq-arrest-minnesota/">https://sahanjournal.com/news/dar-al-farooq-arrest-minnesota</a>.</li> <li>Planning Division. (n.d.). Al-Farooq Youth and Family Center (AFYFC). Available at <a href="https://www.bloomingtonmn.gov/plan/al-farooq-youth-and-family-center-afyfc">https://www.bloomingtonmn.gov/plan/al-farooq-youth-and-family-center-afyfc</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. March 20, 2022 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 2011, a Lutheran school building in Bloomington, MN was converted into the Dar al Farooq Center. Since then, there have been controversies over the center’s disruption of the lives of other residents, as well as how facilities should be shared among mosque-goers and the general Bloomington public. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Aiden Parrish, Natalia Ruich, and Ananya Singh Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Bloomington, MN Adaptive Reuse Approved Built Crimes Against People Crimes Against Property Islamic Center Prior Church Use Public Campaign REL383_SP22 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/754c95cd6fdf4bdd83003e879d0d977a.jpg 4acc39a6203b3894f471ef7c10cb6a12 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.icbr.org/th_gallery/masjid-construction-6/ 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 Florida 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) FL_01 Location The location of the interview Boca Raton, FL Date 2003 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 3480 NW 5th Ave, Boca Raton, FL 33431 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 Boca Raton, FL https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/d3d2c6ae25111e97920f9d6569e21531.jpg ff76d0d20b0c1802d185549f50615146 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 Islamic Center of Williamson County (2015, Jul 1). Mosque Front. Franklin, TN. Retrieved from https://www.icwctn.org/about-us/ 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 Tennessee 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. Tn_02 Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Affluenza and Islamophobia: A Cocktail Destined to Doom Democracy? Located about thirty miles from the Nashville metropolitan area, Brentwood is a small, affluent suburb that has rarely entered the national spotlight. Yet that all changed in April 2010, when the congregation of the Islamic Center of Williamson County (ICWC) began making plans to construct a new, more spacious mosque for their community. The ICWC at the time had approximately 40 members, but their website made note of the fact that their congregation had been growing rapidly in recent years, with more people attending prayer services and sending their children to the religious Sunday school program. Additionally, many in the community did not have the time to drive the thirty miles to Nashville to attend daily and weekly services, a trip made all the more difficult by the frequent traffic jams that are part-and-parcel with metropolitan life. Thus, recognizing they had outgrown the rental space they occupied on Carothers Street in Brentwood, the ICWC made plans to construct a 12,000-square foot mosque that could safely accommodate 325 people, and would include a fellowship hall and kitchen to host communal meals (Ragland-Hudgins 2015, Jun 26). A Torrent of Vitriol The first step in this construction project was for the ICWC to submit their intent to rezone a 14-acre tract of land on Wilson Pike in order to build their mosque. While their initial submission to the Brentwood City Commission in April 2010 did not cause a stir, coverage from the local press drew mosque opponents into a frenzy, who sent furious virtual messages to the City, crafted Islamophobic blog posts, and used word of mouth to drive the false notion that the mosque was tied to terrorist organizations. A key leader in the organized resistance to the mosque, Matt Bonner, stated, “Not enough people understand the political doctrine of Islam. The fact is that the mosques are more than just a church. No one can predict what this one will be used for" (Smietana 2010, May 23); Schwartz 2010, Sep 3; Gordon 2010, Aug 1). Bonner, and many others in the opposition, also cited the rhetoric of Bill French, a former physics professor who now runs the Nashville-based Center for the Study of Political Islam despite not having a background in religion. They stated French’s writings have had a significant impact on their views toward Islam. French uses the pen name Bill Warner, and has attempted to convince the public that Islam is not a religion, but, rather, a dangerous cult (Smietana 2010, May 23). On April 12, 2010, the Brentwood City Commission voted 6-1 to pass on reading an ordinance that would rezone the 14-acre lot from large-lot residential to service-institution religious (Brentwood Home Page 2010, Dec 29). The ICWC agreed to a series of restrictions on the project, including not using a loudspeaker or floodlights on the property, and the mosque’s modest size was still far smaller than the maximum building capacity allotted for that property. It is important to note that Brentwood law states that for a rezoning to be accepted, a community meeting, a public hearing, and review by the Planning Commission must be conducted (News & Events 2010, April 30; Jilani 2010, May 26). In a subsequent meeting of the City Commission on May 5, an attorney representing the ICWC pointed out that the construction of the mosque was protected under state and federal laws. However, the ICWC’s use of legal counsel only served to fan the flames and drive animosity, as Bonner stated, “The impression is that they are seeking special treatment. What kind of neighbor is that who comes in threatening lawsuits?” (ibid.) The opposition also perceived that the mosque community must have had something to hide if they needed a lawyer to represent them. However, the ICWC defended their decision, stating they retained the aid of legal counsel to ensure that the voices of the Muslim families were duly heard. The Muslim community also expressed their confusion at hearing Islamophobic rhetoric from their neighbors and encountering the threat to their civil liberties in a nation that prided itself on upholding the freedom of religion. A Brentwood physician and spokesperson for the ICWC, Jaweed Ansari, stated, “We are trying to build a place where God's name will be glorified, The same God that the Christians and Jews worship… We are a small group of 40 people, and no matter where we want to build, thousands of people can come in opposition. What does that mean? Does that mean that minorities have no right? If they don't want us to have the mosque, does that mean we can't have a mosque?” (ibid.). Admitting Defeat… for Now Just days before the second and final vote on the project was to be scheduled, Brentwood’s Planning and Codes Director Jeff Dobson was notified by the ICWC that they intended to withdraw their plans to rezone the 14-acre lot to construct their new 12,000-square foot prayer facility (O’Neil 2010, May 20). The ICWC would have had to agree to seven special restrictions in order to have their project be reviewed by the City Commission, but the last requirement of a $450,000 turn lane made the project untenable for them. The community-driven opposition and barrage of Islamophobic rhetoric also drove the ICWC to pull their project, with Ansari stating, “There comes a time when you have to say, 'We can't do this anymore'” (Smietana 2010, May 23). While the ICWC did acknowledge that their initial plans were not ideal, as part of the lot was located on a floodplain, and tensions were already at an all-time high due to the historic flood that devastated Nashville earlier that year, they also did not expect it to be a central focus of the opposition’s arguments, as the mosque would have been constructed on only 4 acres of land, away from the floodplains (ibid.). Eric Rassbach, the director of litigation for the national organization, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, noted that the turn lane requirement was likely a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act in that it imposed a significant hardship on a religious group without an avenue for relief, but the ICWC had no plans to file a lawsuit like the neighboring mosque in Murfreesboro eventually did when their initial mosque plans were also unfairly challenged in 2010. Ansari stated that the ICWC hoped to build bridges with their neighbors, rather than contribute to the animosity, stating, “For us, to be good citizens and to have good will is more important.” (ibid.) Finding A Sanctuary After the Storm Following the fall-out surrounding their initial construction plans, the ICWC initiated a variety of interfaith programs and offered an array of social services to the greater community. They also returned to praying at their cramped rental space on Carothers Street. But in 2015, the ICWC purchased a 8,400-square foot property on Brentwood’s Mallory Station Road from Richard D. Heydel for $1.525 million. The site used to house aquatic facilities and a swimming pool, which the ICWC plans to fill with concrete to yield an additional 1,500 square feet of space. The repurposed mosque, once the former site of Endeavor Performance, Bluewater Scuba, and Miss Anna’s Swim School, is now a sanctuary for the ICWC community where they can worship safely in nearby Franklin, TN (Ragland-Hudgins 2015, Jun 26). However, it appears that in 2016, mosque opponents tried to start rumors that an Islamic Cultural Center in Michigan were planning to construct another similar center on Wilson County, but this was proven to be false (Brentwood Home Page 2016, Jun 23). References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. <ul><li>Brentwood Home Page (2010, Dec 29). YEAR IN REVIEW: Top 10 Stories of 2010. Web.</li> <li>Brentwood Home Page (2016, Jun 23). Word of Islamic Cultural Center in Brentwood is long-standing rumor. Web.</li> <li>Gordon, Jerry (2010, Aug 1). Mega-Mosque Conflicts in America. New English Review. Web. </li> <li>Jilani, Zaid (2010, May 26). Muslim Americans Under Attack As Far Right Fights to Deny Them From Building Their Own Place of Worship. ThinkProgress. Web.</li> <li>News and Events (2010, April 30). Islamic Center of Williamson County Rezoning Proposal. Web.</li> <li>O’Neill, Donna (2010, May 20). Islamic Center of Williamson County withdraws from Wilson Pike project. Williamson Herald. Web.</li> <li>Ragland-Hudgins, Mealand (2015, Jun 26). Islamic center buys Franklin property. The Tennessean. Web.</li> <li>Smietana, Bob (2010, May 23). BRENTWOOD, TN: Mosque Not Alone in Defeat. The Tennessean. Web.</li> <li>Schwartz, John (2010, Sep 3). Zoning Laws Aside, Mosque Projects Face Battles. The New York Times. Web.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. July 7, 2020 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. Having outgrown their cramped rental space on Carothers Street in Brentwood, TN, the Islamic Center of Williamson County (ICWC) submitted their plans to rezone a 14-acre plot of land to construct a 12,000-square foot mosque and community center in April 2010. Their congregation, then composed of approximately 40 members was growing, and they hoped to construct a mosque that could safely accommodate up to 325 people, and also house a kitchen and fellowship hall for communal events. On April 12, 2010, the Brentwood City Commission voted 6-1 to pass on reading an ordinance that would rezone the 14-acre lot from large-lot residential to service-institution religious. However, on May 20, 2010, the ICWC withdrew their rezoning request following community-driven opposition. Although the Muslim community complied with a series of restrictions placed on the mosque construction site, which included not having loudspeakers or floodlights on the property, the expensive cost of a $450,000 turn lane ultimately made the project untenable for them. While the restrictions on the project were almost certainly a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, the ICWC chose not to file a lawsuit, and instead hoped to build bridges with their community through interfaith and social service initiatives. They returned to pray at their original rental space, but in June 2015, purchased an 8,400-square foot former aquatic facility for $1.525 million with the intention to repurpose it into a mosque, where they worship at present. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. Wilson Pike (Tax Map 035 Parcel 003.3), Brentwood, Williamson County, TN 37027 Proposed Project Plans proposed a 12,000-square foot mosque that could safely accommodate 325 people and would include a fellowship hall and kitchen to host communal meals. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.icwctn.org/">Islamic Center of Williamson County</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance public campaign; bias-related incident; administrative denial Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications While the restrictions on the project were almost certainly a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, the ICWC chose not to file a lawsuit, and instead hoped to build bridges with their community through interfaith and social service initiatives. They returned to pray at their original rental space, but in June 2015, purchased an 8,400-square foot former aquatic facility for $1.525 million with the intention to repurpose it into a mosque, where they worship at present. Location The location of the interview Brentwood, TN Date April-May 2010 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 Brentwood, TN Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Nabihah Khan Description An account of the resource Having outgrown their cramped rental space on Carothers Street in Brentwood, TN, the Islamic Center of Williamson County (ICWC) submits plans to rezone a 14-acre plot of land to construct a 12,000-square foot mosque and community center in April 2010. After a series of public hearings before the City Commission, ICWC withdraws its rezoning request because the city’s restrictions on the site, which include $450,000 for a turn lane, ultimately make the project untenable. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Mosque Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Withdrawn https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/2da72df0b834bbc3042db3e502a1a9c5.png 7b1ce042713a524635ac15c604de8eb3 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 Digital Rendering of Al Falah Center at the approved site [Online image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.alfalahcenter.org. https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/a1d3c438873cfb68e19b216e58f42914.png 00bea28b381b33f26cff728feca5c419 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 Conceptual drawing for Mountaintop Road proposal [Online image]. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2015/08/13/bridgewater-review-plans-mosque-route/31667433/ https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/8ba77bb275f01162cdab78914a06149b.png 6753169b5e694a4b19ffdc038cb7aef2 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 Bridgewater Town Meeting to discuss zoning ordinances [Online image]. (2011). Retrieved from https://patch.com/new-jersey/bridgewater/al-falah-center-we-want-freedom-to-practice-religion  https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/d53147ce99590d117b55390c3ccc7652.png 37ae092523902cb0c839111df2456b58 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 Sunday School at Al Falah Center [Online image]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.alfalahcenter.org/sunday-school 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 New Jersey 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. Nj_06 Location The location of the interview Bridgewater, NJ Date January 2011-December 2014 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. From January 2011, Bridgewater Township (NJ) stopped the Al Falah Center from building its proposed Islamic Center by imposing new zoning laws. The Al Falah Center took the case to the federal district court, where the Judge sided with the religious group. There was still pushback from the town, but a settlement was reached in December 2014. The Al Falah Center could have their Center in a different location but in a different location. The new property was bought by the town in exchange for the original site. The town also paid a total of $7.75 million in damages to the Muslim community. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 1475 Mountain Top Road Bridgewater, NJ 08807 Proposed Project Al Falah wanted to convert an existing structure (banquet hall) into an Islamic Center with a worship center, daycare, elementary school, and community center, all called the Al Falah Center. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.alfalahcenter.org/">Al Falah Center</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Local Ordinance; Campaign/Lawsuit Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Settlement; approved with restrictions (new location); damages paid to Muslim community. Current Status: The Al Falah Center is a nascent organization. They have religious school on Saturdays and Sundays for minors and hold prayers for the Muslim communities of Somerset County. The community is holding their Friday (Jumuah) prayer at a local Ukrainian Catholic Church while still looking to expand and actively collecting donations. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Preface In 2011, the Muslim Community in Bridgewater, NJ and the surrounding suburbs wanted to convert an existing, empty building into an Islamic Center with a mosque, daycare, elementary school, and community center, called the Al Falah Center. Even though hearings for the proposed Al Falah Center were already underway, Bridgewater Township changed its zoning laws while the proposal was under review. The new zoning ordinance stipulated that places of worship could only be situated along designated (approved) major roads. The proposed site for the Islamic Center, which was to be in the building previously used for the Redwood Inn, was not on one of these roads (Fleischer 2011, Apr 28). The reasons the town gave for the ordinances were traffic as well as the desire to preserve the “residential character” of the neighborhoods. The town had commissioned several professional reports: a traffic report, environmental report, and a noise issue report. All reports found no problem with the proposed location for the Al Falah Center (Levine 2011, Jan 21). The Timeline The first meeting of the Planning Board to review the proposal for the Islamic Center was scheduled to be held on January 24th, 2011. The meeting, however, was postponed until February 28th following vocal protests by residents. On February 28th, although a meeting was held, the final vote to approve the Center was postponed to March 28th. The reason given for delaying the procedures was that a ‘larger venue was needed’ to accommodate attendance at the hearings (“Islamic group sues…” 2011, Apr 28). On March 14th, the town changed its zoning ordinance limiting houses of worship to specific main roads. The new ordinance allowed the town to reject Al Falah’s proposal (Fleischer 2011, Apr 28). Al Falah objected to the process of delaying the approval process until after the town had changed its zoning regulations so that the town would no longer have to evaluate the Center’s application based on zoning laws in place at the time of the original application, which would have significantly increased the Center’s chances of approval. On April 26th, the Al Falah Center filed a lawsuit in federal district court in NJ against the town, which is now case No. 11-2397 (Al Falah Center vs. Twp of Bridgewater, 2014). Outcome The case by the Al Falah Center was built on the premise that in unnaturally accelerating the process of changing zoning ordinances, Bridgewater Township unfairly treated religious institutions as “less than equal” to nonreligious ones (Deak 2015, Aug 13). The federal court, led by Judge Shipp, sided with the Al Falah Center; the judge ruled that the Planning Board had to re-hear the mosque application without applying the new ordinance. The lawsuit was completed in September 2013. Negotiations, however, continued until December 2014. The township was still pushing back after Judge Shipp’s decision and filed a case to the U.S. Court of Appeals, which was stopped by an oppositional motion by the Al Falah Center and Judge Shipp’s denial of the town’s appeal (“Al Falah Center v. Township” 2015, Jan 28). Al Falah’s case was built on the ordinance being passed very fast, rather than the ordinance itself (Deak 2014, Dec 2). The Township maintained that the Al Falah Center could not be built on Mountaintop Road, and bought a $2.75 million dollar property to accommodate them elsewhere. In the final settlement from December 2014, the Township had to pay the Al Falah Center $5 million for damages incurred. Today, the Al Falah Center is up and running. Its official address is in Bedminster, which is a neighboring town of Bridgewater, also in Somerset County. While fundraising for the Islamic Center on the new property continues, the community is running its various programs such as daily prayers, the Friday congregational prayer, and educational activities out of different locations in the area: The Friday congregational prayer takes place in the banquet hall of a Ukrainian Catholic Church in neighboring Hillsborough Township (“Friday [Jummah] Prayer” 2018, May 17). Implications Judge Shipp emphasized that the Muslim community of Somerset County had been deprived of a house of worship for many years (Louis C. Hochman, B. 2014, Dec 7) and that the untimely and rushed passing of the zoning ordinance was unlawful. The strong support from a federal court helped increase the Muslim community’s visibility within the American framework. The damages paid by Bridgewater Township also helped jumpstart Al Falah’s operations on the Islamic Center. This case is often held up as an example of a lawsuit gone well for Muslims and inspires other groups in their own conflicts (Associated Press Newswires. 2017, May 24) with local government institutions to pursue their claims in the court system (“House Homeland Security” 2012, Jun 20). References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. <ul><li>Deak, M. (2014, December 2). Bridgewater, mosque in land swap. My Central Jersey. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2014/12/02/bridgewater-mosque-reach-settlement-million-land-swap/19775661/">https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2014/12/02/bridgewater-mosque-reach-settlement-million-land-swap/19775661/</a>.</li> <li>Deak, M. (2015, August 13) New plans for Bridgewater mosque. My Central Jersey. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2015/08/13/bridgewater-review-plans-mosque-route/31667433">https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/somerset-county/2015/08/13/bridgewater-review-plans-mosque-route/31667433</a>.</li> <li>Levine, A. (2011, January 21). Application for Mosque on Planning Board Agenda. Bridgewater Patch. Retrieved from <a href="https://archive.is/20120710063201/http:/bridgewater.patch.com/articles/application-for-mosque-on-planning-board-agenda#selection-1903.373-1903.374">https://archive.is/20120710063201/http://bridgewater.patch.com/articles/application-for-mosque-on-planning-board-agenda#selection-1903.373-1903.374</a>.</li> <li>Al Falah Center (2019, Jun 2). Al Falah Center and Bridgewater Township Reach Settlement. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.alfalahcenter.org/single-post/2016/05/08/Finding-support-and-help-how-your-community-can-make-a-difference">https://www.alfalahcenter.org/single-post/2016/05/08/Finding-support-and-help-how-your-community-can-make-a-difference</a>.</li> <li>Al Falah Center (2018, May 17). Friday (Jummah) Prayer Announcement. Retrieved from</li> <li><a href="https://www.alfalahcenter.org/upcoming-events">https://www.alfalahcenter.org/upcoming-events</a>.</li> <li>, L. (2014, December 2). Bridgewater mosque will be built, as township settles suit for $7.75 million. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.nj.com/somerset/2014/12/bridgewater_mosque_will_be_built_as_township_settles_suit_for_775_million.html">https://www.nj.com/somerset/2014/12/bridgewater_mosque_will_be_built_as_township_settles_suit_for_775_million.html</a>.</li> <li>Levine, A. (2011, July 20). Al Falah Center Lawsuit Continues Despite Township Motion For It To Be Dismissed. Retrieved from <a href="https://patch.com/new-jersey/bridgewater/al-falah-center-lawsuit-continues-despite-township-mo0d580456f3">https://patch.com/new-jersey/bridgewater/al-falah-center-lawsuit-continues-despite-township-mo0d580456f3</a>.</li> <li>Hochman, Louis C. B. (2014, December 7). Mosque will be built, suit settled.Hunterdon County Democrat (Flemington, NJ), p. 4. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/152126BEB6F95188">https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/152126BEB6F95188</a>.</li> <li>Al Falah Ctr. v. Twp. of Bridgewater, Civil Action No. 11-2397 (MAS) (LHG) (D.N.J. Jan. 6, 2014)</li> <li>Fleisher, L. (2011, April 28). Mosque in zone fight: New Jersey group sues after plans for center are thwarted. The Wall Street Journal. Available from Dow Jones Factiva: <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/ha/default.aspx#./!?&_suid=157287699764306252502743976767">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/ha/default.aspx#./!?&_suid=157287699764306252502743976767</a>.</li> <li>(2017, May 24). Town agrees to settle lawsuits after denying plan for mosque. Associated Press Newswires. Available from Dow Jones Factiva: <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/ha/default.aspx#./!?&_suid=157344136770809292107383172633">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/ha/default.aspx#./!?&_suid=157344136770809292107383172633</a>.</li> <li>Scribner, H. (2013, October 4). Federal ruling bars N.J. township from blocking mosque expansion.Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City). Available from Nexus Uni: <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:59H9-BDT1-JBRG-X0BP-00000-00&context=1516831">https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:59H9-BDT1-JBRG-X0BP-00000-00&context=1516831</a>.</li> <li>(June 20, 2012). House Homeland Security Committee Hearing; "The American Muslim Response to Hearings on Radicalization within their Community."; Testimony by Faiza Patel, Co-Director, Liberty and National Security Program, Brennan Center for Justice.Congressional Documents and Publications. Available from Nexis Uni: <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:55XW-5811-JCCP-030Y-00000-00&context=1516831">https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:55XW-5811-JCCP-030Y-00000-00&context=1516831</a>.</li> <li>Al Falah Center Wins Injunction Against Bridgewater Township. (n.d.). Retrieved from <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/al-falah-center-wins-injunction-against-bridgewater-township">https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/al-falah-center-wins-injunction-against-bridgewater-township</a>.</li> <li>(2015, January 28) Al Falah Center v. Township of Bridgewater. (n.d.). Retrieved from <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/court-cases/al-falah-center-v-township-bridgewater">https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/court-cases/al-falah-center-v-township-bridgewater</a></li> <li>(2011, April 28). Islamic group sues N.J. town over mosque.USA TODAY. Available from Nexus Uni: <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:52R8-W741-JC8N-K24H-00000-00&context=1516831">https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:52R8-W741-JC8N-K24H-00000-00&context=1516831</a>.</li> <li>Fleisher, Blake. International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, 2015, https://www.ict.org.il/UserFiles/IRI-in-NJ-Fleisher-Mar15.pdf.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. November 12, 2019 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 Bridgewater, NJ Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ishika Gupta Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. NJ_06, occurring in Bridgewater, NJ, 08807 from January 2011 to December 2014 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ishika Gupta https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/5131bd13d14a929e3f0a48f39ce3b82c.png 0dd60ad6287b467c6daf4c32e1214ece 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 Bruce, G. (n.d.). Masjid Al-Noor, Brookfield [Online image]. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/things-to-do/2018/12/10/two-faith-leaders-talk-not-being-christian-holiday-season/2243863002.">https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/lake-country/things-to-do/2018/12/10/two-faith-leaders-talk-not-being-christian-holiday-season/2243863002.</a> https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/8b3552a6127ad8ab26b1d01b96d89a76.jpg 721c79f775da6beca7d5519e6c0585f4 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 Sink, L. (2012, May 16) Common Council Meeting [Online image]. Retrieved from <a href="https://patch.com/wisconsin/brookfield-wi/mosque-vote">https://patch.com/wisconsin/brookfield-wi/mosque-vote</a>. 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 Wisconsin 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. Wi_03 Location The location of the interview Brookfield, WI Date February-May 2012 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 16670 Pheasant Drive, Brookfield, WI 53005 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. A large Muslim group, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, initially planned to construct a mosque in Brookfield, Wisconsin. However, the Brookfield Common Council delayed construction by demanding that public hearings needed to be held. In addition, the council subsequently demanded the initial mosque plans be revised over worries regarding traffic congestion. Public backlash further delayed construction plans. Although the mosque project was successfully completed, it has faced security threats. Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 3V8J+F6 Brookfield, WI Coordinates Enter the coordinates for the location, if they are available. Latitude: 43.066068 Longitude: -88.120589 Altitude: 255 meters Proposed Project The Islamic Society of Milwaukee purchased a tract of land in an industrial area on Pheasant Drive, just off Calhoun Road in Brookfield, Wisconsin for the construction of a mosque (13,000 sq ft). The mosque was initially intended to be of large size (housing capacity upwards of 250 individuals). The plan was eventually revised after concerns by the public and the city about the mosque construction. The mosque was downsized to a housing capacity of 114 individuals. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://www.ismonline.org">The Islamic Society of Milwaukee (ISM)</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign/Protest; Local Ordinance Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The project was delayed but ultimately moved forward and was successfully constructed in 2015. Despite the successful completion of the mosque, the Muslim community nevertheless experiences threats of violence resulting in the need for increased security. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Opposition Surrounding the Construction of Masjid Al-Noor In the years prior to 2012 a vast majority of Muslim immigrants choose not to remain in the city of Milwaukee but rather elected to move to Milwaukee’s suburbs. As a result, Brookfield, a western suburb of Milwaukee, garnered a large Muslim community. The suburb of Brookfield itself, however, lacked a mosque. The closest available mosque for the Muslim community was in the city of Milwaukee, which was over 30 minutes away. Thus, in 2012, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee (ISM) elected to build a mosque, Masjid Al-Noor, in the Brookfield area. In early 2012 the Islamic Society of Milwaukee purchased land in Brookfield to serve as the location of the mosque. On February 21, 2012, mosque construction plans were proposed to the City of Brookfield, but the project had to be delayed because the Brookfield Common Council voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on the mosque. The City of Brookfield stated that the reason for delaying this project was not religion but rather worries concerning traffic congestion (Hughes, 2012). To ease these concerns, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee decided to revise the original construction. The Brookfield mosque was initially intended to have an occupant capacity upwards of 250 individuals but was downsized to 114. The planning committee passed the revised proposal (Lavey & Rosoff, 2012). However, construction could not begin until an official public hearing was held. The Islamic Society of Milwaukee began holding informal public information sessions starting on April 23rd, 2012. In the information sessions, community members could ask questions regarding the mosque project and have them answered directly by the Islamic Society of Milwaukee. Most of those in attendance were there to stand in solidarity with the Muslim community. However, a few outspoken opponents criticized the mosque construction on the basis of religion. They stated that a mosque would attract religious extremists and pose a safety concern in the Brookfield community (Lavey & Rosoff, 2012). The second public information session was held on May 2nd, 2012. During this second information session all questions had to pertain to construction only (Keen, 2012). There was no backlash at this meeting, rather several community members voiced their support including a prominent Christian cardinal (Johnson, 2012). The two official city meetings occurred on May 2nd and 7th (Rosoff, 2012). On May 15th, 2012, the City of Brookfield’s Common Council voted to pass the revised plans to build the mosque. The mosque eventually opened to the public on March 2nd 2015 with expenses totaling three million dollars (Sachs, 2015). Current Safety Climate Despite the successful opening of the mosque in Brookfield, the Muslim community nevertheless remains vulnerable to acts of violence and harassment (Mathias, 2017). In early August of 2019, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee had to take several measures to increase the safety of local worshippers. Earlier in the month of August there was a white man suspected of domestic terrorism lingering in the mosque (Brookfield increases police presence at places of worship after reports of a suspicious man, 2019). This threat was taken seriously given that another religious minority group suffered from a domestic terrorist attack a few years earlier (Smith, 2012). On August 5th 2012, a gunman killed six people and wounded three others at a Sikh place of worship in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The distance between Oak Creek and Brookfield is approximately 25 minutes (Gjelten, 2012). Furthermore, earlier in the year on May 9th and 10th, 2019, the Waukesha County Exposition Center was used on what was perceived by the Islamic Society of Milwaukee as a gathering place for anti-Muslim extremists. The Waukesha Exposition Center hosted a Security Conference in which spectators and speakers discussed matters concerning public and private safety. Speakers at the conference had histories of bigotry and hate. As a result, the Muslim community and other faith councils denounced the conference as Islamophobic because it demonized Muslims (Milwaukee Organizations issue statements about Islamophobic Conference in Waukesha County, 2019). References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. Local <ul><li>Brookfield increases police presence at places of worship after reports of a suspicious man. (2019, August 16). CBS 58 Newsroom. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.cbs58.com/news/brookfield-increases-police-presence-at-places-of-worship-after-reports-of-a-suspicious-man">https://www.cbs58.com/news/brookfield-increases-police-presence-at-places-of-worship-after-reports-of-a-suspicious-man</a>.</li> <li>Hughes , T. (2012, February 22). Public hearing to be held regarding proposed Brookfield mosque. Fox6 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://fox6now.com/2012/02/21/vote-expected-tuesday-night-regarding-brookfield-mosque-plan">https://fox6now.com/2012/02/21/vote-expected-tuesday-night-regarding-brookfield-mosque-plan</a>.</li> <li>Lavey , T., & Rosoff, H. (2012, May 7). Plan Commissioners approve mosque project, now goes to Council. Fox6 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://fox6now.com/2012/05/07/public-hearing-monday-night-on-proposed-brookfield-mosque">https://fox6now.com/2012/05/07/public-hearing-monday-night-on-proposed-brookfield-mosque</a>.</li> <li>Rosoff, H. (2012, May 3). Religious discussion not allowed at public hearing regarding mosque. Fox6 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://fox6now.com/2012/05/02/religious-discussion-not-allowed-at-public-hearing-regarding-mosque">https://fox6now.com/2012/05/02/religious-discussion-not-allowed-at-public-hearing-regarding-mosque</a>.</li> <li>Sachs, J. (2015, March 2). "A $3 million project:" It began 15 years ago with a dream; on Monday, Brookfield Mosque officially opens. Fox6 News. Retrieved from <a href="https://fox6now.com/2015/03/01/a-3-million-project-it-began-15-years-ago-with-a-dream-on-monday-brookfield-mosque-officially-opens">https://fox6now.com/2015/03/01/a-3-million-project-it-began-15-years-ago-with-a-dream-on-monday-brookfield-mosque-officially-opens</a>.</li> </ul>Regional <ul><li>Johnson, A. (2012, May 5). BLOG: FaithWatch: Faith groups voice support for Brookfield mosque in advance of public hearing. FaithWatch (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Retrieved from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:55JT-SB31-DXX7-H0YW-00000-00&context=1516831">https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:55JT-SB31-DXX7-H0YW-00000-00&context=1516831</a>.</li> <li>Johnson, A. (2019, March 16). Milwaukee-area mosques boost security after attacks. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI), p. A9. Retrieved from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/172333065383D598">https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/172333065383D598</a>.</li> <li>Milwaukee organizations issue statements about Islamophobic Conference in Waukesha County. (2019, May 14). Wisconsin Muslim Journal. Retrieved from <a href="https://wisconsinmuslimjournal.org/milwaukee-organizations-issue-statements-about-islamophobic-conference-in-waukesha-county">https://wisconsinmuslimjournal.org/milwaukee-organizations-issue-statements-about-islamophobic-conference-in-waukesha-county</a>.</li> </ul>National <ul><li>Mathias, C. (2017, April 14). Muslim Woman Attacked In Possible Hate Crime Thought She Was Going To Die. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:5N9T-9711-F03R-N1FC-00000-00&context=1516831">https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:5N9T-9711-F03R-N1FC-00000-00&context=1516831</a>.</li> <li>Smith , D. (2012, August 8). Guns, Sikhs and Obama's political inertia on domestic terror. Retrieved from <a href="https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/ga/default.aspx">https://global-factiva-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/ga/default.aspx</a>.</li> <li>Keen, J. (2012, May 29). Mosque projects face resistance: Extent of bias debated as foes cite worries such as traffic, parking. USA TODAY. Retrieved from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:55RY-2HW1-DYRR-93KP-00000-00&context=1516831">https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:55RY-2HW1-DYRR-93KP-00000-00&context=1516831</a>.</li> <li>Gjelten, T. (2012, Aug 6). Oak creek tragedy puts Sikh community in spotlight. Talk of the Nation. Washington, D.C.: NPR. Retrieved from <a href="https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/1031208290?accountid=10747">https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/docview/1031208290?accountid=10747</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. November 12, 2019 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 Brookfield, WI Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. WI_03, occurring in Brookfield, WI 53005 in early 2012 (February-May). Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Naomi Gonzalez 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 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/7fd95985a74020c6c38960da0252b767.png d796876cd74379ce66fb602d0447db77 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 Indiana 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. In_01 Location The location of the interview Carmel, IN Year Year the case began. 2018 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. corner of 141st St and Shelborne Rd Proposed Project The foundation wanted to build a 35-foot-tall mosque with a footprint of 13,000 sf, a flattened bronze dome topped with a crescent moon, and a 75-foot-tall decorative minaret. The majority of the 15-acre property would be reserved for green space. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Islamic Life Center (Assalam Foundation) 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 Carmel, IN Description An account of the resource In April 2018, opponents of the proposed Islamic Life Center in Carmel file a lawsuit to challenge the Board of Zoning Appeals’ approval of the project. After a serious of contentious public hearings that drew record crowds, the board had granted the Muslim group a special use permit to construct a mosque in a residential area. Approved Legal Campaign Mosque Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/f6fae81b0747c6c942c8215935a5ec34.JPG a12784c67a5ce56af20b1b146e60af01 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. Mn_08 Location The location of the interview Castle Rock Township, MN Year Year the case began. 2014 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 1120 220th Street West, Farmington, MN 55024 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. JWG6+JH Farmington, Minnesota Proposed Project The Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association attempts to build a 73-acre cemetery on land zoned for residential use. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://mncemetery.org/">Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Planning and Zoning, Legislation, Crime against Property Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications After initial denial, the Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association filed against the township in October 2015. In February 2016, a Dakota County District Court judge sided with the cemetery, ruling that the rejection was “arbitrary and capricious.” Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In November 2014, the Castle Rock Township Board of Supervisors denied a conditional use permit (CUP) to the nonprofit Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association for a proposed cemetery in Castle Rock Township. The 73-acre project was intended as a long-term burial solution for the Minnesota Muslim community, as smaller burial spots in the nearby Burnsville and Roseville were reaching capacity (van Berkel, 2015, Nov 3). The association planned to develop 20 acres to accommodate an estimated 35,000 burials (Judge tells, 2016, Feb 2). Following the denial, the Castle Rock Township Planning Commission changed the zoning language for the specified area, removing cemeteries from acceptable conditional land usage. The Cemetery Association filed a discrimination lawsuit in the Dakota County District Court in May 2015, which was decided in favor of the Cemetery Association in January 2016. The Court ruled that the Board’s decision was “arbitrary and capricious” and ordered the Board to grant the CUP (Nelson, 2016, Feb 2). In the years following the case, the cemetery property has been vandalized and was subject to arson. The Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association entered talks to purchase the Castle Rock land in February 2014, conditioning the purchase on a conditional use permit for a cemetery and funeral home. The application was recommended for approval by the Castle Rock Township Planning Committee in June 2014 with the removal of the funeral home and a fence. However, the Township’s Board of Supervisors subsequently rejected the application for a litany of reasons. The Board’s main concern was the loss of tax base, arguing that the township would lose $17,000 annually in property taxes. The board also cited the size of the project, the lack of public availability, the city's three other cemeteries, and the region's existing Muslim cemeteries (Nelson, 2016, Feb 2). The Cemetery Association then purchased the property and attempted to submit a new application, but was denied twice by the Board with the original decision as justification. In the lawsuit that followed, the Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association alleged discrimination. The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) called for the Department of Justice to investigate whether the Board’s denial constituted discrimination against Muslims and a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The Association also pushed back against the narrative that the tax impact would be significant, citing that the land made up 0.3 percent of the municipality’s total land and that the township only directly received $1,300 of the total $17,000 in annual taxes (Nelson, 2016, Feb 2). On the first day of the court proceedings, Hassan Mohmud, the director and imam of the Minnesota Da’wah Institute, commented on the diverse group of Muslims gathered to watch. He said, "This is historic for me… This is the first time I have seen them all united" (van Berkel, 2015, Nov 4). After the judge ruled in favor of the Cemetery Association, Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the CAIR-MN called the ruling a “victory,” saying that “[d]iscrimination should not be hidden in language of land use” (Judge tells, 2016, Feb 2). Despite a favorable court ruling, the township rejected the Association’s proposal for the cemetery and funeral home in 2017. The 2016 court ruling had permitted cemetery use but not a funeral home. Meanwhile, the land remained undeveloped, containing two large buildings that became targets of vandalism and property damage in 2017 and 2021. In August 2017, the property was defaced with spray-painted profanities, swastikas, and the message “Leave, you R dead.” This incident was investigated as a hate crime. The property was targeted again in October 2021 with an attempted arson; tires were placed inside the building, and a large gas pipe was cut, resulting in damages exceeding $150,000. Following public news of the incident, community members from the metropolitan area assembled to assist in clearing the property. Hussein remarked on the multi-faith solidarity, stating, “Today, really, it’s a true test of our community that we came out to support, to clean up after their mess to show them we are not going anywhere — that we are more united now than we’ve ever been before” (Community cleans, 2021, Nov 1). The Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association submitted another application for a conditional use permit, this time incorporating plans for a funeral home. After eight years of legal battles over land use and property crimes, the Association finally received the permit from the township in June 2022 (Ansari, 2022, Nov 29). The Association announced that the land would be developed in several stages. The initial stage involves clearing approximately five acres to accommodate around 5,000 burial plots, a parking lot, walking paths, and an Islamic center for funeral prayers and rites. The completed cemetery is projected to be the largest in Minnesota dedicated solely to Muslim burials (ibid.). References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Ansari, H. (2022, November 29). Muslim cemetery clears major hurdle toward opening after eight years of legal fights and vandalism. Sahan Journal. <a href="https://sahanjournal.com/culture-community/al-maghfirah-cemetery-association-muslim-cemetery-castle-rock-minnesota/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Community cleans up prospective Muslim cemetery site after vandalism. (2021, November 1). KSTP. <a href="https://kstp.com/minnesota-news/community-cemetery-cleanup/6287490">Web</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Judge tells township it must issue permit for Muslim cemetery: Denial called 'arbitrary, capricious'. (2016, February 2). St. Paul Pioneer Press, p. A5. 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%252F15B3EDB5ED0FF708"> NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Nelson, E. (2016, February 2). Dakota County Judge rules in favor of Islamic cemetery: Castle Rock Township must issue a permit after its denial was deemed “arbitrary.” Star Tribune, p. 01B. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/15AC562A86C421C8">NewsBank</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">van Berkel, J. (2015, November 3). Bias is alleged after veto of Muslim cemetery plan: Association says southern Dakota County township unfairly reversed course. Star Tribune, p. 01B. 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%252F158E57BB0FEF48E0">NewsBank</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">van Berkel, J. (2015, November 4). Muslim leaders take quest for cemetery in Castle Rock Township to Court. Star Tribune. <a href="https://www.startribune.com/muslim-leaders-take-quest-for-cemetery-in-castle-rock-township-to-court/340019631">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 November 2014, the Castle Rock Township Board of Supervisors denied the Al Maghfirah Cemetery Association’s application for a conditional use permit on 73 acres of land zoned residential. The rejection cited the size of the project, loss of tax base, and the lack of public availability. The Association filed a discrimination lawsuit in response. In January 2016, the Dakota County District Court ordered the Township to issue a conditional use permit, ruling that the loss of tax base constitutes an “arbitrary and capricious” justification. Since the ruling, the property has been vandalized twice. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ben Damon Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Castle Rock Township, MN Approved (initial denial) Cemetery Crimes Against Property Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Legislation Planning and Zoning Under Construction https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/8514872f7e41076779ed06b08244fffd.jpeg 6854660aeffa09a8e16d6cefd2a9f8b1 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 Virginia 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. Va_04 Location The location of the interview Chantilly, VA Year Year the case began. 2012 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 4555 Ahmadiyya Drive, Chantilly, VA 20151 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. VHJ7+5C Chantilly, Virginia Proposed Project mosque Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Mosque Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Crimes Against Property (Vandalism) Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Built Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The Ahmadiyah Muslim Community Mosque was under construction to serve the Ahmadiyah Muslim population in Chantilly, VA, and the surrounding area. Between 4:30 PM on January 29, 2012, and 8:30 AM on January 30, 2012, the mosque was vandalized. The following morning, construction crew members discovered extensive damage to the building's exterior, along with several empty containers of alcoholic beverages. In response to the incident, various groups and local leaders, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), issued public statements urging federal and local law enforcement to investigate the incident as a potential hate crime. The majority of the damage resulted from the perpetrators throwing stones and concrete bricks through the custom windows on the first floor, causing an estimated $60,000 in damages. The force of the impact also dislodged chunks of the exterior wall. Additionally, beer cans and other remnants of alcoholic beverages were found at and around the site. It appeared that the perpetrators did not attempt to enter the building. Despite these findings, the Fairfax Police Department reported no evidence suggesting that the act of vandalism constituted a hate crime. Nevertheless, both CAIR and the ADL issued statements advocating for the incident to be investigated as a possible hate crime. In the week following the incident, Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) made the following statement: "The reported vandalism of a mosque in Chantilly, Virginia, is an affront to the American traditions which we hold dear. We must not remain silent when any house of worship is attacked like this on our soil” (Senator Webb Statement on Vandalism of Mosque, 2012, Jan 31). Similarly, Governor Tim Kaine condemned the vandalism, stating, "The act of vandalism that occurred at a mosque in Chantilly, Virginia, is inexcusable. Every American has the right to worship safely and peacefully, and we must take swift and appropriate action against any who threaten that right" (Tim Kaine Statement on Act of Vandalism Against at Chantilly Mosque, 2012, Feb 1). References <ul> <li>Senator Webb Statement on Vandalism of Mosque in Chantilly, Virginia. (2012, February 1). Targeted News Service (USA). Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/13CA7C7055B83228">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li>Tim Kaine Statement On Act Of Vandalism At Chantilly Mosque. (2012, February 1). Targeted News Service. Available from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:57F8-DVY1-DYG2-R384-00000-00&context=1516831">Nexix Uni</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 Chantilly, VA Description An account of the resource The Ahmadiyah Muslim Community Mosque in Chantilly, VA, was vandalized overnight between January 29 and 30, 2012, resulting in extensive exterior damage and $60,000 in repair costs. Following the vandalism, CAIR and the ADL called for local and federal law enforcement to investigate the incident as a possible hate crime. Local law enforcement arrested at least one suspect but stated that there was no evidence of a hate crime being committed. 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 ADL Built CAIR Crimes Against Property Mosque https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/e1462a6e6ea1029ad0291bfba7df8cbd.png f69c3a1103e5e5fc7f34203145cb159e 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 Cox (2017, Mar 16) 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. Mn_10 Location The location of the interview Chisago County, MN Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 26025 Lofton Ave, Chisago City, MN 55013 Year Year the case began. 2016 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 84GH+MG Chisago City, Minnesota Proposed Project 16-acre property with 2 acres for cemetery use Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://www.icbmn.org/main/">The Islamic Community of Bosniaks of Minnesota</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Planning and Zoning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications In March 2017, the Chisago County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously, 4-0, to reverse its December decision and grant ICBMN a permit to proceed. Last Updated Date revised. June 12, 2024 Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In 2016, the Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Minnesota (ICBMN), sought a conditional use permit (CUP) from the Chisago County Board of Commissioners to build a small cemetery on land zoned agricultural. ICBMN had been using Muslim sections of cemeteries in Roseville and Burnsville, but they lacked enough plots for future burials (Giles, 2017, Jan 23). As a result, the congregation of about 1,200 Bosnian Muslims purchased sixteen acres of land in Chisago Lake Township. Two acres would be used for the cemetery with a maximum of 800 graves, and the rest would remain farmland. Though Chisago County is more than 45 miles from ICBMN’s mosque in Minneapolis, the land was significantly more affordable than an urban location. In December 2016, the County Planning Commission, an advisory entity to the Board of Commissioners, voted 4-2 to approve ICBMN’s proposal with conditions. The permit called for constructing a parking lot, a building to house lawn maintenance equipment, and planting trees to act as screening (Knutson, 2016, Dec 7). At the meeting, local residents expressed concerns about the cemetery’s impact on property values, the appearance of a fence or gate, and groundwater contamination (Du, 2017, Jan 10). In response, the Planning Commission stated that there were already several cemeteries near the proposed site, area farms have always had fences and gates, and there is no proof that natural burials contaminate the earth (ibid). Despite the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve the project, the Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to reject the proposed cemetery later that month. Commissioner Ben Montzka expressed his disappointment and theorized that “maybe it would have been easier, if it had been a majority religion, if it had been a Lutheran cemetery or maybe a Baptist cemetery” (ibid.). Following the Board’s decision, ICBMN announced that it would look elsewhere to construct its cemetery and hoped to receive an invitation from a suburban county with available land (Giles, 2017, Jan 23). In March 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it was investigating the Board’s denial of the permit (Chisago County Board, 2017, Mar 16). Additionally, ICBMN expressed interest in suing Chisago County for religious discrimination. As a result, on March 15, the Board voted unanimously, 4-0, to reverse its previous decision and grant ICBMN a CUP to proceed with its cemetery project. The Board’s attorney had advised them to approve the permit, stating that “there is no insurance coverage for any Department of Justice inquiry. As depositions of yourself and your staff begin, costs will roll up exponentially” (ibid.). While news coverage of the cemetery project has been sparse since 2017, the initiative has progressed quietly. The ICBMN currently lists the cemetery on its official website as an operational facility where it provides funeral services to its members. This suggests that despite the limited media attention, the project has indeed moved forward, and the cemetery is now in use. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Chisago County Board approves Muslim cemetery amid looming discrimination lawsuit. (2017, March 16). Twin Cities. <a href="https://www.twincities.com/2017/03/16/chisago-county-board-approves-muslim-cemetery-amid-looming-discrimination-lawsuit/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Du, S. (2017, January 11). Fear of Muslims prompts Chisago County to reject Bosnian cemetery. CityPages. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170111141314/http://www.citypages.com/news/fear-of-muslims-prompts-chisago-county-to-reject-bosnian-cemetery/409916235">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Giles, K. (2017, January 23). Turned away in Chisago County, Bosnian Muslims search anew for cemetery land. Star Tribune. <a href="https://www.startribune.com/turned-away-in-chisago-county-bosnian-muslims-search-anew-for-cemetery-land/411596145/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Knutson, D. (2016, December 7). Muslim cemetery proposal clears county Planning Commission. Hometownsource.com. <a href="https://www.hometownsource.com/the_post_review/news/local/muslim-cemetery-proposal-clears-county-planning-commission/article_fbeaefc6-5df8-5dcd-88cb-6c3d5b8a7922.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">The Associated Press. (2017, March 16). Chisago County Board approves Muslim cemetery amid looming discrimination lawsuit. Twin Cities. <a href="https://www.twincities.com/2017/03/16/chisago-county-board-approves-muslim-cemetery-amid-looming-discrimination-lawsuit/">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/. 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 Chisago County, MN Description An account of the resource In December 2016, the Chisago County Board of Commissioners denied the Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Minnesota’s proposal for a small cemetery. Local residents had expressed concerns about property values, traffic, and aesthetics. After the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it would investigate the denial and the Muslim community considered suing the County, the Board unanimously agreed in March 2017 to reverse its previous decision and approve the conditional use permit. Approved (initial denial) Built Cemetery DOJ Planning and Zoning Public Campaign