4 10 101 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 This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024).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/97686493ba78bca7afc53b7926df0c09.jpg f3e64159483ef9cc2298fdbd6732e790 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 A rose as the cover image of the Bosnian Muslim Association's Facebook page. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Bosnian Muslim Association of Clearwater Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived https://www.facebook.com/BosnianMuslimAssociation/about 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. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The Bosnian Member Association (BMA) of Clearwater faced considerable opposition to its proposal to establish a green burial cemetery near Istachatta, in northern Hernando County. The BMA applied for a special exception permit from the Hernando County Planning and Zoning Commission to use a 5.2-acre plot near a subdivision. The land in question was zoned as agricultural. Despite the Planning Department’s recommendation for approval, the proposal was unanimously disapproved by the planning commissioners, who held that the subdivision was not a suitable location for a cemetery. The cemetery proposal was rooted in Bosnian tradition and closely aligned with the practices of the growing green burial movement. According to Vedad Sakovic, president of the BMA, the cemetery would have featured wooden slabs or crosses as markers, with bodies buried without embalming in wooden caskets designed to decompose quickly (Bates, 2007, Feb 14). Sue Hughes, a Brooksville Realtor representing the BMA, emphasized the natural aspect of this burial method, noting its environmental benefits over traditional embalming and the use of pesticides and herbicides in conventional cemeteries (ibid.). Despite these assurances, residents of Deerhaven Estates and the planning commissioners remained unconvinced. Twenty local residents attended the planning commission meeting to voice their opposition. They expressed a variety of concerns, ranging from personal fears to environmental and social impacts. Some worried about wildlife disturbing the graves and the potential for criminal activities, while others implored the commissioners to preserve the area’s natural state (Skerritt, 2007, Feb 21). Concerns about property values were also raised. One neighbor expressed discomfort with the fact that the cemetery would be for Muslims, feeling excluded from being buried in a cemetery close to his home (Dewitt, 2007, Feb 13). Sakovic clarified that the cemetery would be inclusive, accommodating the BMA’s diverse membership, including members of the Catholic and Orthodox churches, as well as Muslims. The Planning and Zoning Commission raised concerns about the cemetery's long-term maintenance. Planning Commissioner Anna Liisa Covell questioned who would be responsible for the property's upkeep if the BMA were to disband or relocate. She also worried that bodies from the green, environmentally friendly cemetery would pollute the aquifer and contaminate the drinking water (Bates, 2007, Feb 14). Despite the County Planning Department’s recommendation for approval, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously against the cemetery. After the commission meeting, Sakovic stated that the BMA would not continue to pursue the project in Hernando County. "It's not a place we want to be," said Sakovic. "We want a neighborhood that would welcome us" (Skerritt, 2007, Feb 21). References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Skerritt, A. (2007, February 21). Prejudice runs 6 feet deep. St. Petersburg Times, p. 2; 2; 2. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/11773C64F2D0ED28">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">D. Bates, M. (2007, February 14). Hernando Rejects Request to allow Bosnian Cemetery: Nearby subdivision was deciding factor. Tampa Tribune, p. 5. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/117517E82104B2A0">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Dewitt, D. (2007, February 13). Green burials voted down. St. Petersburg Times, p. 1. Available from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/11749A1FEBC96190">NewsBank</a>.</li> </ul> Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. FL_09 Location The location of the interview Hernando County, FL Year Year the case began. 2007 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. Cherokee Road at Deerhaven Estates, Brooksville, FL 34601 Proposed Project The BMA applied for a special exception permit to use a 5.2-acre plot zoned as agricultural as a cemetery. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BosnianMuslimAssociation/">Bosnian Member Association of Clearwater</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Planning and Zoning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Despite the Planning Department’s recommendation for approval, the proposal was unanimously disapproved by the planning commissioners, who held that the subdivision was not a suitable location for a cemetery. Last Updated Date revised. June 14, 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/. Description An account of the resource The Bosnian Member Association of Clearwater applied for a special exception permit from the Hernando County Planning and Zoning Commission to use a 5.2-acre plot near the Deerhaven Estates subdivision for a green burial cemetery. The commission unanimously denied the permit, deeming a subdivision unsuitable for a cemetery. Over 20 local residents attended the meeting to voice their opposition to the project. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Florian Pohl Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Hernando County, FL Cemetery Denied Not Built Planning and Zoning Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/2d7dd0285140752e23446761e26dac4a.png a64629cccf0a97826896ff174d290206 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. Tn_00 Location The location of the interview Fayette County, TN Year Year the case began. 2004 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 900 Orr Road, Arlington, TN 38002 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 79JM+2J Arlington, Tennessee Proposed Project The intended cemetery site was a 5-acre section of a 27-acre tract zoned for rural residential use. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://muslimsocietyofmemphis.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muslim Society of Memphis</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Planning and Zoning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Approved (initial denial) Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In Fayette County, Tennessee, the Muslim Society of Memphis proposed establishing a cemetery on an unused sod farm approximately 20 miles east of the city. This proposal led to significant local opposition. The intended cemetery site was a 5-acre section of a 27-acre tract zoned for rural residential use. The Muslim Society required a “special use" zoning exemption from the Fayette County Planning Commission to proceed. Although the planning commission approved the request, a committee of the elected county commission disapproved it, leading to the withdrawal of the application before a full vote by the county commission. Local residents expressed a range of concerns at a planning commission meeting. Some feared that the cemetery could be used as a terrorist staging ground or pose health risks due to the traditional Muslim practice of not embalming their dead (Baird, 2004, Dec 25). Belinda Ghosheh, one of the property owners, reported feeling threatened by the hostile atmosphere at the county commission meeting (ibid.). Dr. Zaman, president of the Muslim Society of Memphis, mentioned that the proposal had been under discussion for three years (Ferguson, 2005, Jan 4). Despite the planning commission's initial approval and the presence of 17 existing cemeteries in the area, including one directly across the road, strong resistance led to the withdrawal of the application. The decision to withdraw was also influenced by a concern that a rejection would preclude future applications for the same site. Following the local protest, Dr. Zaman reported that the Department of Justice had contacted him, expressing interest in investigating whether the opposition violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (Ferguson, 2005, Jan 4). He indicated that the Muslim Society of Memphis was exploring other legal avenues to establish the cemetery on the same land, highlighting the group's determination to secure a burial place for their community (ibid.). Eventually, the Muslim Society of Memphis succeeded in getting the project approved. Today, they proudly list the cemetery <a href="https://muslimsocietyofmemphis.org/">on their website</a> as the "[f]irst Muslim Cemetery in Mid-South on 27.5 acres of beautiful rolling land by I-40E, complete with a durable Masjid, capable of accommodating the regional burial needs of Muslims for centuries." References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Baird, W. (2004, December 25). Cemetery plans spur anti-Muslim sentiment. Mobile Register (AL), p. 07. 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%252F1079504166585CB5">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Ferguson, B. (2005, January 4). Tennessee residents reject plans for Muslim cemetery. Arab News. <a href="https://www.arabnews.com/node/260515">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 The Muslim Society of Memphis proposed a cemetery in Fayette County, Tennessee, encountering substantial local opposition due to fears of terrorism and health risks. Despite initial setbacks and a withdrawn application, the Society eventually secured approval. The cemetery, now operational, ensures regional burial needs for Muslims are met. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Florian Pohl Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Fayette County, TN Approved (initial denial) Built Cemetery Planning and Zoning Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/de9cc84bf32c2e3b3ed022e423ba582a.JPG 770c3449b20238bba1477dc8acda6acb 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 <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/1F4Vr4vkXenMA5T79">https://goo.gl/maps/1F4Vr4vkXenMA5T79</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/. 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) Ga_01 Location The location of the interview Lawrenceville, GA Date 2002 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 1849 New Hope Rd, Lawrenceville, GA 30045 Proposed Project The Georgia Institute of Religious Sciences sought a special use permit to rezone 5 acres of land for a 1,500-plot cemetery off of New Hope Road about 3.5 miles away from their mosque in Lawrenceville, GA. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://www.georgiaislamicinstitute.com/">Georgia Islamic Institute of Religious & Social Sciences</a> Year Year the case began. 2002 Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In September 2001, the Georgia Islamic Institute of Religious and Social Sciences (GIIRS) requested a special-use permit for a five-acre cemetery project called the New Hope Cemetery on land zoned residential, about 3.5 miles from its mosque in Lawrenceville, GA. At the time, there was only one other Muslim cemetery in the Atlanta area, and GIIRS needed a space to bury its loved ones. Although a mosque and an educational center had been built by GIIRS without opposition, the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks resulted in several public hearing delays (Nurse, 2001, Jun 20). On September 18, the case was slated for review, and five months later, in late February of 2002, the New Hope cemetery was approved unanimously (Ga. Officials OK, 2002, Feb 26). To mediate conflict between GIIRS and opponents of the cemetery, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners called for certain conditions: digging a groundwater monitoring well, installing an 8-foot-high wooden fence along the adjacent neighborhood, creating a permanent maintenance fund, and using wooden caskets and stone or metallic markers (Feagans, 2002, Feb 27). The property in Lawrenceville sits on New Hope Road—a piece of land zoned residential that required a special-use permit to construct a cemetery with 1,500 burial plots. At the public hearings, local community members voiced concerns about Muslim burial practices, citing worries about groundwater contamination and the overall appearance of the cemetery (Nurse, 2001, Jul 20). Comparisons were frequently made between the planned cemetery in Lawrenceville and the existing Muslim cemetery in Lovejoy, GA, which contained pre-dug holes and several collapsed graves (Feagans, 2002, Feb 26). In response, Dr. Hafiz A. Ghaffar Khan, the president of GIIRS, stated, “There can be some cemeteries here, Christian cemeteries, that aren’t very well maintained. We shouldn’t blame one for the actions of another” (ibid.). Despite the residents’ concerns, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved the special-use permit unanimously, 4-0. However, it decreased the size of the cemetery to 1,276 plots and attached more than twenty zoning conditions to its approval. Community members remained dissatisfied with these changes, as they had requested a brick wall and the use of body bags. One neighboring resident stated, “It’s disgusting. That wooden fence is going to fall down eventually” (Feagans, 2002, Feb 27). By contrast, Khan reported his happiness with the Board’s decision, promising to hire a groundskeeper, prohibit graves within 110 feet of the Grayson Oaks subdivision, and “follow every restriction” (ibid.). New Hope Cemetery has been operational since January 2004. In 2019, faced with the New Hope Cemetery reaching full capacity and unable to accommodate future burials, GIIRS sought a special use permit for a ten-acre cemetery in Bethlehem, GA, with a capacity of up to 7,827 graves (Yeomans, 2019, Jan 1). This situation echoed the controversy in 2004, underscoring ongoing challenges in managing burial spaces. The Gwinnett County Planning Commission recommended approval of the new cemetery with certain conditions, such as restricted hours of operation, fencing, and a landscaped buffer (ibid.). However, due to concerns over groundwater contamination, the Board of Commissioners deferred GIIRS's request until March 5, 2019, from its initial consideration on February 6, 2019 (Yeomans, 2019, Feb 26). Despite these hurdles, the New Muslim Cemetery was eventually approved and has been operational since August 2020. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Feagans, B. (2002, February 26). For Lovejoy, Islamic graves, and furor, are no big deal. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Available from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:4579-PTV0-0026-G0BK-00000-00&context=1516831">NexisUni</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Feagans, B. (2002, February 27). Muslim burial ground OK’d, but Gwinnett tacks on limits. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Available from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:457H-P000-0026-G0KC-00000-00&context=1516831">NexisUni</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">(2002, February 26). Ga. Officials OK Islam Cemetery. The Associated Press. Available from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:457H-4BD0-00BT-N40V-00000-00&context=1516831">NexisUni</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Nurse, D. (2001, June 20). Planners OK higher-density subdivision; cemetery on hold. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Available from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:439T-0G90-0026-G00P-00000-00&context=1516831">NexisUni</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Nurse, D. (2001, July 20). Soil test results “mixed” at Muslim cemetery site; Neighbors still apprehensive. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Available from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:43J6-90J0-0026-G06W-00000-00&context=1516831">NexisUni</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Yeomans, C. (2019, January 1). Islamic group seeking. Gwinnett Daily Post. <a href="https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/islamic-group-seeking-permission-for-cemetery-in-eastern-gwinnett/article_e35a787b-ff54-5a39-9bf5-27d201e44cf9.html">Web</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Yeomans, C. (2019, February 26). Gwinnett commissioners table decision on Islamic cemetery near Bethlehem. Gwinnett Daily Post. <a href="https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/gwinnett-commissioners-table-decision-on-islamic-cemetery-near-bethlehem/article_238be203-8f92-577f-a884-5cc27ba70e48.html">Web</a>.</li> </ul> Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. W3CM+VR Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications After five months of planning commission delays, the Islamic Institute of Religious and Social Sciences was granted a special use permit for the New Hope Cemetery with conditions. These included reducing the number of plots from 1,500 to 1,276, inserting a groundwater monitoring well, installing an eight-foot-high wooden fence, paying a minimum of $5,000 for land maintenance, and creating a $5,000 fund for the cemetery’s landscaping fees. Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign Last Updated Date revised. June 11, 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 Gwinnett County, GA Description An account of the resource In February 2002, the Gwinnett County Municipal Planning Commission unanimously approved a request for a special-use permit by the Georgia Islamic Institute of Religious and Social Sciences (GIIRS) to construct a five-acre cemetery on New Hope Road in Lawrenceville. However, residents' opposition delayed the planning commission's vote multiple times. The project was approved with conditions requiring the Muslim community to reduce the number of burial plots from 1,500 to 1,276, install an eight-foot-tall wooden fence, use wooden caskets for burial and stone or metal grave markers, and establish a maintenance fund. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Geneva Cunningham Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Approved Built Cemetery Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/60e0107313bb87f9b71c9cc2a7fc858f.jpeg 2231cf8ba2339d99ff75a2ffd1be21e5 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 <a href="https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2018/219/CEM2670582_ac4dca02-f83b-495f-af2f-964f53cb0c42.jpeg">https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2018/219/CEM2670582_ac4dca02-f83b-495f-af2f-964f53cb0c42.jpeg</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/. 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) Ga_08 Location The location of the interview Powder Springs, GA Date July 2016 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 2376 John Petree Rd, Powder Springs, GA 30127 Proposed Project The East Cobb Islamic Center purchased thirteen acres in the western Atlanta metro area to build a cemetery with up to 10,000 plots. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://ec-ic.org/">East Cobb Islamic Center</a> Year Year the case began. 2016 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. V9W2+GP Powder Springs, Georgia, USA Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications ECIC’s proposal met Cobb County’s minimum requirements and was approved. It did not require a public hearing or vote by the Board of Commissioners. The subsequently issued moratorium on cemetery permits did not retroactively apply to ECIC’s project. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In May of 2015, the East Cobb Islamic Center (ECIC) purchased a thirteen-acre plot near Macland Road to construct the first Muslim cemetery in the western Atlanta metropolitan area. The land was purchased for $335,000 with local partner mosques and community donations (Amer, 2016, Jun 30). In April 2016, Cobb County’s Community Development Agency granted ECIC a Special Exemption certificate for its cemetery project. Because it met the County’s minimum requirements, including a size of at least ten acres and an approved parking and landscaping plan. The proposal did not require a public hearing or vote by the Board of Commissioners (Santos, 2016, Jul 7). After construction of the cemetery began, homeowners in the Vineyard Place subdivision and others adjoining the cemetery attended Cobb County hearings to oppose the project, citing the depreciation of property values, a lack of input in the cemetery’s approval process, and concerns about Islamic burial practices (Santos, 2016, Jul 7). In August 2016, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners voted to issue a moratorium on new cemetery projects in the county until April 2017. Community Development Director Dana Johnson stated, “During the time of this moratorium, staff will be researching national best practices as it relates to the regulation of cemetery uses, as well as looking at some local examples here in metro Atlanta” (Lutz, 2016, July 12). The East Cobb Islamic Center Cemetery was not retroactively affected by the moratorium and began operating in 2018. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Amer, A. K. (2016, June 30). The largest Muslim cemetery in Georgia is approved in Cobb County. AtlantaMuslim.com. <a href="http://www.atlantamuslim.com/2016/jun/30/new-muslim-cemetary/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Lutz, M. (2016, July 12). Concern over Muslim cemetery leads to moratorium in Cobb. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/concern-over-muslim-cemetery-leads-moratorium-cobb/hEK2ZE4gN8CwNQH1xMjCMK/">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Santos, A. (2016, July 7). Cobb County cemetery sparks debate over permits. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/local/cobb-county-cemetery-sparks-debate-over-permits/JGtb1Brc36LmIWz1My1wQO/">Web</a>.</li> </ul> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Legislation (moratorium) 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 Cobb County, GA Description An account of the resource In April 2016, the East Cobb Islamic Center (ECIC) received a special-use permit to build its cemetery. However, after construction began, Cobb County residents opposed the project at public hearings. Opponents cited adverse effects on property values, lack of public input and oversight in the permitting process, and concerns over the health impact of Muslim burial practices. The Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to place a moratorium on new cemetery permits until April 1, 2017. However, this moratorium did not apply retroactively to ECIC’s previously approved cemetery. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Geneva Cunningham Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Approved Built Cemetery Legislation Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/aa630652fb5c15daf8f2a24f2dd98bc2.jpeg 8de8bddbce46b2ea2eb4ef600e22c3dc 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. Ga_07 Location The location of the interview Gwinnett County, GA Date August-October 2015 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 3362 Skyland Drive, Loganville, GA 30052 Proposed Project The Community of Bosniaks Georgia attempted to build a cemetery on a 12.59-acre plot zoned for single-family residences. Although the site met zoning requirements for a place of worship, cemetery use required a special use permit. The proposed cemetery project consisted of a 4,000 square-foot worship facility, 2,050 burial plots, and a parking lot. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://zbga.org/">Community of Bosniaks, Georgia</a> Year Year the case began. 2015 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. R2M7+P4 Loganville, Georgia Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Speech, Public Campaign, Administrative Denial Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to deny the petition, and the Muslim community decided not to appeal but to look for a different property. County staff and the planning commission had recommended approval with conditions, such as dropping the number of plots from the proposed 2,050 to 500. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Narrative In October 2015, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners denied a special use permit to the Community for Bosniaks Georgia for a cemetery development in a sparsely-populated suburban community near Snellville, GA. The Community of Bosniaks sought the cemetery for members of the organization, which predominantly includes Muslim Bosnian immigrants that settled in Gwinnett County following the Balkan Wars (Poole, 2006, May 24). The 12.59-acre cemetery project, which would have accommodated 2,050 burial plots and a 4,000 square-foot worship facility for funeral services, would have been the first Bosnian cemetery in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The site met zoning requirements for a place of worship, but cemetery use required a special use permit. Although the county’s Planning Department and the Planning Commission had recommended approval, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissions denied the permit on October 27, following a month-long citizen-led campaign against the cemetery. The Community for Bosniaks did not appeal the rejection, opting instead to search for a different property. Public opposition emerged early in the review process. County officials fielded phone calls and emails urging them to reject the project. Homes surrounding the lot had bright red yard signs, “Save our community, no cemetery.” Facebook comments raised suspicion of “these types of people in our community” (Kass, 2015, Oct 27). Public opposition continued at the October 6 Planning Commission meeting, drawing a standing-room-only crowd. A Norcross resident, Joe Newton, circulated a petition “in opposition to the mosque” (Yeomans, 2015, Oct 6). Residents voiced concerns about increased traffic burden, noise complaints, and an expected decrease in property values. They cited the conclusions of a hired real estate appraiser estimating the depreciation in property value at 6-38 percent (ibid.). Members of the Community of Bosniaks addressed the concerns at the meeting. Ultimately, the Planning Commission followed the Planning Department and recommended the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approve the special use permit with conditions. Those conditions included a maximum of 500 burial plots, a minimum distance of 150 feet between graves and the property line, and the use of the worship facility exclusively for funeral services (ibid.). Despite the Planning Commission’s recommendation for approval, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners denied the petition. At its public meeting on October 27, the Commission voted unanimously to reject the cemetery application without providing an official explanation for the denial. One committee member subsequently cited last-minute changes by the applicant as reasons (Kauffman, 2015, Oct 28). Despite their disappointment, the Community of Bosniaks stated they did not intend to appeal the decision but planned to look elsewhere for a suitable cemetery property (Kass, 2015, Oct 28). The cemetery project continued to be a point of debate in Snellville’s mayoral and city council elections in November 2015. References <ul><li>Kass, A. (2015, October 28). Bosnian leader says he won't challenge Gwinnett cemetery denial. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/158C784EDC727880.</li> <li>Kass, A. (2015, October 27). Muslims seek rezoning for cemetery: Gwinnett commission expected to decide on contentious issue. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, p. B1. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/158BCA2D87660330.</li> <li>Kauffman, J. (2015, Oct 28). Gwinnett denies group’s bid for mostly Muslim cemetery. WABE News. Available at https://www.wabe.org/gwinnett-denies-group-s-bid-mostly-muslim-cemetery.</li> <li>Poole, S. M. (2006, May 24). Building on faith: Muslims will worship, grow in new mosques. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, p. F1. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/111D0362B42A41B0.</li> <li>Yeomans, C. (2015, October 6). Planning commissioners OK Bosnian cemetery over community objections. Gwinnett Daily Post. Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1585411960AB6740.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. April 12, 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/. Title A name given to the resource Snellville, GA Description An account of the resource Following public protest in 2015, the Gwinnett County Commission votes unanimously to deny the Community of Bosniaks’ petition for a cemetery. The Community of Bosniaks declined to appeal the denial, although the county’s staff review and planning commission had recommended approval with conditions. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Geneva Cunningham, Ben Damon, and Sofia Fonti Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Cemetery Denied Not Built Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Public Speech https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/7b7763df518a6f7f72d25c010806892e.png 9849bcd9cdf5cfab9cc76ef8bcac1cdd 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 Elturk meets with Michigan Muslim leader Dawud Walid, left, Sharon Buttry of the National Conference for Community and Justice, and pastor Roger Facione of Warren's Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Detroit Free Press Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Dan Cortez. Muslim Leader Embraces Challenge Warren Presents. Detroit Free Press. May 9, 2006. 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 Michigan 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_01 Location The location of the interview Warren, MI Year Year the case began. 2006 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 28630 Ryan Rd, Warren, MI 48092 Proposed Project mosque a former office building (adaptive reuse) Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://ionamasjid.org/">Islamic Organization of North America</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Local Ordinance Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Approved Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The case involved the rejection of a planned mosque in Warren, Michigan, by the town’s Planning Commission. On March 13, 2006, community member Imam Steve Elturk proposed to the Warren Planning Committee to establish a mosque in a former office building purchased by Elturk and the Islamic Organization of North America in August 2005. The proposition was rejected by the Commission on a vote of 6-3, citing concerns about the additional traffic that people parking to attend services may cause and that the call to prayer being broadcast outside will disrupt the neighborhood. It was not Elturk’s first attempt at building a mosque, as he had first tried to locate it in Hazel Park, but the city would not rezone it to accommodate him. He eventually settled on the lot found in Warren, believing the location to be perfect for serving Muslims in a 10–12-mile radius. The location had 87 parking spaces and was in a commercial area. Elturk responded to the Commission’s concerns that the Zoning Board had already cleared his proposal with the agreed-upon stipulation that the Muslim community could not place loudspeakers outside for the call to prayer. Elturk cited this and the previous rejection of Hazel Park as evidence of bias and decided to threaten litigation (Cortez, 2006, Mar 16). The issue over amplifying the call to prayer was raised again on April 11 with an addendum specifically addressing the loudspeaker concerns (Stolarz, 2006, Apr 12), though there was an attempt to table the resolution the previous Monday. The meeting hall was filled with many people, both for and against the proposal. It included derogatory comments alleging a connection between the Islamic Organization of North America and terrorist cells. Also present was a mediator from the US Department of Justice, dispatched to ensure the civil rights of Elturk were being respected (Cortez, 2006, Apr 12). The initial vote was 4-4. However, a subsequent re-vote resulted in a vote of 5-3 in favor of the proposition (Cortez, 2006, Apr 11). The mosque opened on May 25th, 2007 (Krupa, 2007, May 24). While some raised suspicions that the rejections of the plan were Islamophobic in nature, such as Elturk or Dawud Walid, executive director for the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the members of the board maintained that the only issues they had with the project were logistical (Cortez, 2006, Mar 16). At the second convention to discuss the issue, however, many noted the use of Islamophobic statements and tropes throughout the speeches of both councilmembers and Warren residents, including one in which Commissioner Daniels asked about possible human or animal sacrifices that may take place on the premises. This statement and many others like it caused the Department of Justice to announce it would be reviewing the tapes of the meeting (Cortez, 2006, Apr 12). In response to this outcry, Elturk announced that the mosque would hold outreach programs to assuage concerns in the local community and answer any questions they may have regarding the mosque and Islam (Stolarz, 2006, Apr 25). The mosque continued with its outreach programs into the general community, such as with its “Meet your Neighbors” symposiums, where events were held between the members of different religious communities to foster a greater sense of cohesion within the different faith groups of Warren (Krupa, 2006, Jun 8). This did not quell all anxieties from non-Muslim members, attested to by a series of vandalism attacks on the location of the prospective mosque and a drunk accostment of Imam Elturk. The mosque opened on May 25, 2007 (Krupa, 2007, May 24). Elturk attributed the mosque proposal's ultimate success to collaboration between the Muslim community and groups of other faiths. On February 22, 2021, he was honored for his work on with the IFLC Interfaith Leader Award (IONA, 2021, Feb 23). Since the establishment of the city’s first mosque, Warren has had a flourishing and diverse Muslim community that has only gotten bigger, with the original mosque established by Elturk having to expand due to increased demand and numbers in the community. Initially, Elturk wanted to expand into neighboring land, but the owners were asking for too much money, so Elturk was forced to look elsewhere (Macomb, 2010, May 17). As of 2022, roughly a dozen mosques are situated in Warren (Warikoo, 2022, Sep 15). References <ul> <li>Cortez, D. (2006, March 16). Warren rejects mosque proposal. Detroit Free Press. Retrieved from <a href="https://ionamasjid.org/warren-rejects-mosque-proposal-march-16-2006">https://ionamasjid.org/warren-rejects-mosque-proposal-march-16-2006</a>.</li> <li>Cortez, D. (2006, April 11). Warren board approves mosque plan. Detroit Free Press. Retrieved from <a href="https://ionamasjid.org/warren-board-approves-mosque-plan-april-11-2006">https://ionamasjid.org/warren-board-approves-mosque-plan-april-11-2006</a>.</li> <li>Cortez, D. (2006, April 12). Mosque exposes fears in Warren. Detroit Free Press. Retrieved from <a href="https://ionamasjid.org/mosque-exposes-fears-in-warren-april-12-2006/">https://ionamasjid.org/mosque-exposes-fears-in-warren-april-12-2006</a>.</li> <li>Islamic Organization of North America [IONA]. (2021, February 23). Imam Steve Mustapha Elturk recipient of IFLC Interfaith Leader Award [Press Release]. <a href="https://ionamasjid.org/imam-steve-mustapha-elturk-recipient-of-iflc-interfaith-leader-award-february-23-2021/#:~:text=Imam%20Steve%20Mustapha%20Elturk%20Re">Web</a>.</li> <li>Krupa, G. (2006, June 8). Mosque raises interfaith issues. The Detroit News. Retrieved from <a href="https://ionaonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=307:mosque-raises-interfaith-issues-june-8-2006&catid=60:iona-in-the-news&Itemid=258">https://ionaonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=307:mosque-raises-interfaith-issues-june-8-2006&catid=60:iona-in-the-news&Itemid=258</a>.</li> <li>Krupa, G. (2007, May 24). Joint resolve gets mosque open: Multifaith effort pushed project past obstacles. The Detroit News. Retrieved 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%252F11955E82939CEB78">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li>Macomb, J. (2010, May 17). Warren mosque looking to expand. Macomb Daily. Retrieved from <a href="https://ionamasjid.org/warren-mosque-looking-to-expand-may-16-2010/">https://ionamasjid.org/warren-mosque-looking-to-expand-may-16-2010</a>.</li> <li>Stolarz, C. (2006, Apr 12). Warren approves plan for the city's first mosque. The Detroit News, p.04B. Retrieved 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%252F110F9853E00C0A60">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li>Stolarz, C. (2006, Apr 26). Mosque plan spurs effort to reach out: Warren project sparks worry, underscores need for dialogue about faith, Muslim leader says. The Detroit News: MI. Retrieved 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%252F1113FC8EF02A7D78">NewsBank</a>.</li> <li>Warikoo, N. (2022, September 15). Megachurch now a mosque as number of Islamic centers grows in Michigan. Detroit Free Press. <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/09/15/number-of-mosques-grows-in-michigan-as-church-becomes-islamic-center/65926143007/">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 Helia Hamidi, Matson Holmgren, Partha Jain, and Amina Malone Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Warren, MI Description An account of the resource In 2006, the Warren Planning Commission rejected a proposal for a mosque in Warren, Michigan, citing concerns about traffic and noise disruptions. Imam Steve Elturk, who had faced previous rejections in other locations, confronted bias allegations. A Department of Justice mediator intervened amid suspicions of Islamophobia. After a contentious process and outreach efforts, the proposal was eventually approved in April 2006, and the mosque opened in May 2007. Despite initial resistance, the mosque's establishment led to community cohesion efforts and Elturk receiving recognition for interfaith leadership. Warren's Muslim community has since grown, with multiple mosques now serving the area. Adaptive Reuse Approved (initial denial) Bias-related Incident Built DOJ Mosque Planning and Zoning Public Campaign REL230_SP24 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/61dc6cf6780d3f2c0bac73ca511384bf.jpg 3f95b8e2d2f3df335637006ba2ddaec1 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.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/Mosque-sues-Meriden-over-permit-denial.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/. Title A name given to the resource Connecticut 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) CT_03 Location The location of the interview Meriden, CT Date 2019 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 999 Research Pkwy, Meriden, CT 06450 Year Year the case began. 2019 Proposed Project The Omar Islamic Center sought to convert a property that once housed a fiber optics equipment manufacturing company into a mosque and Islamic center. The property—vacant for more than a decade--was located on a 3.65-acre site featuring a two-story, 31,000 sq. ft. building and a 110-space parking lot. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Omar Islamic Center Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Zoning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The project was initially denied but subsequently approved after the OIC's legal challenge. However, the property owner withdrew the offer to donate the building to the OIC, so the project did not move forward. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In March 2019, the Meriden Planning Commission unanimously denied the Omar Islamic Center’s special permit request to move to the first floor of 999 Research Parkway, a building that had sat vacant for seventeen years. The Omar Islamic Center, started in 2018 by Muslims who live and work in Meriden and nearby towns, sought the building to establish their first permanent place of worship (United States Department of Justice [DOJ], 2020, Nov 5). Additionally, the site would provide office space for the community, with professionals renting the building’s second-floor offices (Meriden Planning Commission Minutes, 2019, Feb 13). Initially, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on the case, where community members voiced their support and opposition to the proposal. Community and commission members stated that the center would bring unwanted truck traffic and property tax changes (Meriden Planning Commission, 2019, Feb 13). During the following meeting, the application was rejected. The Planning Commission cited that the mosque did not match the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) designation of the zone for industrial, office, and commercial spaces as their reasoning for denying the mosque (ibid.). The Commission was primarily concerned with the zoning purpose of the site, as they had previously rejected plans for a school at the same location (Mosque situation awaits resolution, 2020, Nov 12). However, these zoning practices and permit rejection were challenged in court. In April 2019, the Omar Islamic Center filed suit against the city, alleging that the commission violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) and Connecticut Religious Freedom Act (CRFA) (Omar Islamic Center, Inc v. Meriden et al., 2019). In the suit, the Omar Islamic Center alleged that the “[City of Meriden] violated [the Center’s] constitutional rights by prohibiting it from operating a mosque on a property located in Meriden, Connecticut.” Additionally, the lawsuit charged the commission as having "created a reason for denial that no place of worship could surmount" (Mosque situation awaits resolution, 2020, Nov 12). In response to this controversy, the Meriden City Council held a special virtual meeting, where they authorized $45,000 to be used in a settlement with the Omar Islamic Center as well as urged the planning commission to reverse their decision and approve the center’s special permit application (City of Meriden, 2020, June 18). At a special meeting later that week, the planning commission unanimously approved the Omar Islamic Center’s request to turn the first floor of 999 Research Parkway into a mosque (Meriden Planning Commission, 2020, Jun 23). The controversy drew the attention of the Department of Justice’s Religious Liberty Task Force, which launched an investigation in July 2019. In November 2020, the DOJ filed suit against the City of Meriden, alleging their rejection of the mosque and zoning code violated the RLUIPA (Collins, 2020, Nov 5). In the suit, the federal government claimed, “the Defendants’ actions in denying the Center’s application for a special exception permit imposed an unjustified substantial burden on the Center’s exercise of religion” (DOJ, 2020, Nov 5). On the same day that the Justice Department filed suit, city and federal officials came to an agreement in which the suit was dropped in exchange for the modification of the city's zoning policies as well as mandatory RLUIPA training for city officials (Vondracek, 2020, Nov 6). Though the planning commission approved the mosque, and the city council offered a $45,000 settlement in 2020, the case was not settled that year. The Omar Islamic Center leased a small space in neighboring Middletown, Connecticut, at 24 Broad Street as the controversy continued. Additionally, while the suit was being decided, the building owner decided not to donate the property to the center (United States District Court of Connecticut, Sept 30). Because “[t]he donation of the [999 Research Parkway] Property [was] contingent on the Center obtaining the appropriate zoning approvals” (DOJ, 2020, Nov5), it may be assumed that the zoning controversy contributed to the owner’s decision to revoke their offer to donate the site. The Omar Islamic Center’s lawsuit continued its way through the court system. In September of 2022, the court issued an opinion that the zoning regulations of Meriden violated the Free Exercise and Equal Protection Clauses and that the Center was entitled to damages, including the costs of leasing and renovating their alternate location. However, the court also ruled in favor of the city on claims made under the CRFA because “the construction of a house of worship does not constitute religious exercise” under the act (Seeman 2023, Jan 6). The Omar Islamic Center was never moved to 999 Research Parkway. Instead, the mosque remains located at 24 Broad Street, Middletown, CT, a small building poorly suited to the community’s spacial, parking, and location needs. References <ul> <li>City of Meriden. (2020, June 18). City Council Virtual Special Meeting Minutes. Retrieved from <a href="https://meridencityct.documents-on-demand.com/Document/63d87fff-81bc-ea11-a300-000c29a59557/cit-min-06182020.pdf">https://meridencityct.documents-on-demand.com/Document/63d87fff-81bc-ea11-a300-000c29a59557/cit-min-06182020.pdf</a>. </li> <li>Collins, D. (2020, November 5). Feds, Connecticut city settle over rejection of mosque plans. Associated Press. Available at <a href="https://apnews.com/article/connecticut-john-durham-meriden-8d8e973de690a9df0f0f6460a1e12d85">https://apnews.com/article/connecticut-john-durham-meriden-8d8e973de690a9df0f0f6460a1e12d85</a>.</li> <li>Meridian Planning Commission. (2020, June 23). June 23, 2020 Special Meeting Minutes. Retrieved from <a href="https://meridencityct.documents-on-demand.com/Document/0af6dd6c-deb7-ea11-a2fe-000c29a59557/pc-min-06232020%20Draft.pdf">https://meridencityct.documents-on-demand.com/Document/0af6dd6c-deb7-ea11-a2fe-000c29a59557/pc-min-06232020%20Draft.pdf</a>.</li> <li>Meriden Planning Commission. (2019, February 13). February 13, 2019 Meeting Minutes. Retrieved from <a href="https://meridencityct.documents-on-demand.com/Document/51c1ba15-c936-e911-a2c9-000c29a59557/pc-min-02132019%20(Draft).pdf">https://meridencityct.documents-on-demand.com/Document/51c1ba15-c936-e911-a2c9-000c29a59557/pc-min-02132019%20(Draft).pdf</a>.</li> <li>Mosque situation awaits resolution. (2020, November 12). Record-Journal. <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%252F17EBABC5E07A4520">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%252F17EBABC5E07A4520</a>.</li> <li>Omar Islamic Center, Inc v. Meriden et al. (C.T. District Court, 2019). <a href="https://dockets.justia.com/docket/connecticut/ctdce/3:2019cv00488/132359">https://dockets.justia.com/docket/connecticut/ctdce/3:2019cv00488/132359</a>.</li> <li>Seeman, Evan. (2023, January 6). Court Rules Meriden, CT’s Zoning Regulations Discriminatory. National Law Review. Available at <a href="https://www.natlawreview.com/article/court-rules-meriden-ct-s-zoning-regulations-discriminatory">https://www.natlawreview.com/article/court-rules-meriden-ct-s-zoning-regulations-discriminatory</a>.</li> <li>United States Department of Justice. (2020, November 5). Justice Department settles claims against City of Meriden, Connecticut, involving denial of mosque. [Press Release]. <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-settles-claims-against-city-meriden-connecticut-involving-denial-mosque">https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-settles-claims-against-city-meriden-connecticut-involving-denial-mosque</a>.</li> <li>Vondracek, C. (2020, November 6). Meriden, Connecticut, Justice Department reach mosque agreement. Washington Times. <a href="https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/nov/6/meriden-connecticut-justice-department-reach-mosqu/">https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/nov/6/meriden-connecticut-justice-department-reach-mosqu/</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 Meriden, CT Description An account of the resource In March 2019, the Meriden Planning Commission denied the Omar Islamic Center's request to establish a mosque and community center at 999 Research Parkway due to zoning mismatches. This decision sparked a legal battle alleging religious discrimination under RLUIPA and CRFA. In addition to a private lawsuit against the city by the Omar Islamic Center, the DOJ investigated and filed suit against Meriden, leading to a settlement involving zoning policy changes and training. Despite the commission eventually approving the mosque, the property owner withdrew their offer, and the center now operates from a smaller space in Middletown. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hilary Barkey, Aidan Chung, Pierce McDade, and Jacqueline Thrailkill Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Adaptive Reuse Approved (initial denial) DOJ Islamic Center Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Not Built Planning and Zoning REL230_SP24 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/3612bd67f355f7fa29b3f5e6da00c492.jpg 24c8d1fe52e903bc55a39e8c1b2ad635 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 Dennis Nett. (2014). Exterior of Masjid Isa Ibn Maryam on Park Street in Syracuse. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Eisenstadt, M. (2015, August 16). From church to mosque: Syracuse Islamic group cuts crosses, tries to connect to neighborhood. Syracuse.com. Available at <a href="https://www.syracuse.com/news/2015/08/from_church_to_mosque_syracuse_islamic_group_cuts_crosses_tries_to_connect_to_ne.html">https://www.syracuse.com/news/2015/08/from_church_to_mosque_syracuse_islamic_group_cuts_crosses_tries_to_connect_to_ne.htm</a>l. 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 York 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. Ny_14 Location The location of the interview Syracuse, NY Year Year the case began. 2014 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 501 Park St, Syracuse, NY 13203 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 3V75+3V Syracuse, New York Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Northside Learning Center (<a href="http://masjidisa.com/">Masjid Isa</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/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Isabel Horne Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Title A name given to the resource Syracuse, NY Prior Church Use 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