4 10 101 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/86a017ab5d2a923242bf2961d530c308.jpg 15c456cccc8d7ed74886e99eb47eadac 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 This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024).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. Tx_03 Location The location of the interview Farmersville, TX Date May 2015-July 2019 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 333 County Rd 557, Farmersville, TX 75442 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 5H5R+RX Farmersville, Texas Proposed Project IACC applied to develop a cemetery on 34 acres of land. The project included restrooms, a pavilion, a maintenance building, internal roads, and approximately 11,000 burial sites. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://planomasjid.org/">Islamic Association of Collin County</a> (IACC) Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign/Protest; Local Ordinance/Legislation Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Denied in 2017 but approved with minor restrictions after DOJ investigation in December 2018. The cemetery opened in June 2021. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Farmersville is a rural Texas city in Collin County with an estimated population of 3,500 people. In 2015, the Islamic Association of Collin County (IACC), which operates a mosque on the west side of Plano, TX, spearheaded efforts of five Muslim communities to develop a new cemetery. The cemetery would offer affordable burials for Collin County’s Muslim population, which grew from 6,000 in 2000 to more than 22,000. Up to that point, Collin County’s Muslim families had buried their deceased in cemeteries in Dallas and Denton. Most cities in Collin County such as McKinney, Allen, Blue Ridge, and Anna either did not have adequate space or had certain restrictions against building cemeteries (Veigel 2015). However, in early 2015, IACC identified a 34-acre plot in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Farmersville. The property was in a suitable location in relatively close proximity to the county’s five Muslim communities. The IACC developed plans for its cemetery project to include restrooms, a pavilion, a maintenance building, and approximately 11,000 burial sites (Light, 2018). As a first step, IACC submitted a concept plan to the city’s Planning Commission, which the commission discussed at a special session on May 28, 2015. The City’s engineering firm and city manager reviewed the plan, and the Planning Commission approved it unanimously. Based on the approval, IACC proceeded to purchase the property. The wider Farmersville community did not become aware of the cemetery project for several weeks. However, once news about IACC’s project broke, intense public opposition emerged. Social media posts, emails, and editorials in local papers expressed residents’ and non-residents’ opposition to the project frequently on the basis of religion. Although the project was not on the July and August agendas, meetings of the Planning Commission and the City Council drew large crowds of objectors. While some local community members such as David J. Meeks, the pastor of the Bethlehem Baptist Church, spoke about their concerns regarding this project, others such as Bart Barber, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Farmersville, supported IACC saying, “The rights of conscience are inalienable, and religious conscience is among those inalienable rights – and that includes Muslims. If I can build a church, Muslims can build a mosque” (Holley, 2015, Jul 24). Reacting to the emerging controversy, the City organized an extraordinary town hall meeting to discuss the project. On August 4, an overflow crowd of 300 to 400 people gathered in the Farmersville High School auditorium. Numerous discriminatory comments about ICAA, Muslims, and Islam were made (Pots, 2015, Aug 5). Local elections in May 2016 brought to office a new mayor and several council members who had run on an anti-cemetery platform. The newly elected officials significantly delayed the project at a significant cost to ICAA for the next two years. Despite the opposition, IACC decided to move forward with its project plans. On June 19, 2017, the Planning Commission considered IACC’s preliminary plat application. It unanimously recommended approval to the City Council. Notwithstanding the recommendation, the Farmersville City Council voted to deny IACC’s application at its regularly scheduled meeting on July 11, 2017. Council members justified their decision by citing general flooding concerns for a small portion of the cemetery property along County Road 557. The result was a complete dismissal that did not give IACC an opportunity to address the issue the council had raised. In September 2017, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it had opened an investigation to inspect the reasons behind the city’s decision to deny the proposal. Following a yearlong investigation, the DOJ concluded in August 2018 that the City of Farmersville had violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA). The DOJ declared it was prepared to file a lawsuit but gave the City of Farmersville a chance to negotiate with IACC. Within a month, the City and IACC came to an agreement to approve the proposal to build the cemetery. The agreement placed a temporary limit on the use of the small section of the cemetery for which flooding issues had been identified. In December 2018, The City of Farmersville formally approved IACC’s application to develop the land as a cemetery (Department of Justice, 2019). On April 16, 2019, the DOJ filed a legal complaint and entered into a settlement agreement resolving the case. The complaint alleged that “City decision makers made discriminatory comments against Islam and acted in response to the religious animus that many members of the public expressed against Muslims” (United States v. City of Farmersville, Texas, 2019). In July, the City approved IACC’s Final Plat. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in 2020. The cemetery has been operational since June 2021. References <ul> <li>Holley, J. (2015). Dispute over Islamic cemetery splits N. Texas community. Houston Chronicle. Available at https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/columnists/native-texan/article/Dispute-over-Islamic-cemetery-splits-N-Texas-6402572.php</li> <li>Department of Justice (2019). Justice Department settles claims against Farmersville, Texas, involving denial of Islamic cemetery. Available at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-settles-claims-against-farmersvilletexas-involving-denial-islamic-cemetery.</li> <li>Pots, R. (2015, August 5). Why is Farmersville, Texas, so dead-set against a Muslim cemetery? The Daily Beast. Available at https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-is-farmersville-texas-so-dead-set-against-a-muslim-cemetery?ref=scroll. </li> <li>United States v. City of Farmersville (E.D. Tex., 2019). Available at https://www.justice.gov/crt/case-document/complaint-united-states-v-city-farmersville-texas-ed-tex. </li> <li>Veigel, W. (2015, July 9). Muslim cemetery: Residents want it dead. The Farmersville Times. Available at https://farmersvilletimes.com/2015/07/09/muslim-cemetery-residents-want-it-dead. </li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. April 11, 2022 Year Year the case began. 2015 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 Farmersville, TX Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In 2015, the Islamic Association of Collin County (IACC) spearheads the development of a cemetery for American Muslims of Collin County. The project meets with opposition from the residents of Farmersville, TX. Despite a recommendation for approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the City Council unanimously rejects IACC’s application in 2017. The Mayor and City Council Members publicly oppose the project. Following an investigation, the United States Department of Justice sues the City in August 2018 for violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. Subsequently, the city of Farmersville and IACC enter an agreement approving the cemetery construction with minor restrictions. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Snehitha Vardhineni Approved (initial denial) Built Cemetery DOJ Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Public Speech 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/808c0e7f1e4e9216f78372fbd8acc06d.png 1bacfa06b859a3a8b1dbb8a6487a1b86 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Islamic Center of Northern Kentucky (2010). Illustration of proposed mosque in Florence, KY [Online image]. Retrieved June 1, 2021 from http://www.realcourage.org/2010/08/kentucky-mosque-protests-efforts-in-florence. 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 Kentucky 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. After approving the Mercy Foundation’s plans for an Islamic Center, city officials in Florence, KY received several messages and phone calls voicing opposition to the building project. The opposition was spurred on by anti-Islamic online messages as well as an anonymous flier to Florence residents that warned of a “takeover of our nation.” A year after the controversy, the Mercy Foundation abandoned the building project at the contested location and sold the property to a developer. Spokespeople for the Mercy Foundation clarified that the sale was unrelated to the earlier controversy. The Islamic Center of Northern Kentucky subsequently moved to a different property on Action Boulevard where it is currently operating. Public opposition to their mosque project in 2010 was not the first time the Islamic Center of Northern Kentucky had experienced a backlash against plans to construct a facility for their growing community. Eight years prior, in 2002, the Islamic Center of Northern Kentucky saw its plans thwarted when the Board of Adjustments rejected its application for a conditional use permit to build a mosque and adjoining school in Boone County. Having operated in a leased storefront since 2003, the Islamic Center in 2008 purchased a 5.5-acre property in Florence to realize its building project. The property was zoned Commercial-2, a designation that allowed for a variety of uses, including houses of worship. Different from 2002, the group had no difficulties obtaining the required permits from the Boone County Planning Commision. Building plans for the new location depicted a two-story Islamic Center that would accommodate 635 people and featured a dome that brought the overall height of the building to just under three stories. Coinciding with the national debate over the so-called Ground Zero mosque in Lower Manhattan, opposition to the Florence mosque emerged after news of the project had become public in the summer of 2010. An anonymous flier with anti-Islamic messaging warend of “the take-over of our country” and urged residents to speak out against the project. It was amplified on a website and Facebook page protesting the mosque (Kentucky: Mosque protest efforts In Florence, 2010, August 16). Opponents criticized that the city had granted permits without holding public hearings about the project. City officials in Florence answered phone calls from residents about the project but took no further action in response to the opposition (Residents have questions about mosque, 2010, August 16). In 2011, the Mercy Foundation sold the 5.5-acre plot of land to land developers for a profit. The Islamic Center of Northern Kentucky (ICNK) subsequently renovated a nearby property on Action Boulevard where it has been operating a mosque and Islamic school. In October 2015, the ICNK’s mosque was among several Islamic centers nationwide named as locations for what the Council on American-Islamic Relations described as “hate rallies by possibly armed anti-Muslim extremists targeting mosques nationwide” (DeMio 2015, Oct 5). In July 2016, a man spread a rumor via social media that he saw men unloading rifles and other weapons into the mosque, only to later admit that his son had fabricated the story (Brookbank, 2016, July 26). References <ul><li>Brookbank, S. (2016, July 26). Florence mosque moving forward after viral hoax. The Enquirer. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/florence/2016/07/26/florence-mosque-moving-forward-viral-hoax/87573882">https://www.cincinnati.com</a>. </li> <li>DeMio, T. (2015, October 5). Florence mosque among sites for anti-Islam rallies. The Enquirer. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/10/05/florence-mosque-among-sites-anti-islam-rallies/73384516">https://www.cincinnati.com</a>.</li> <li>Eigelbach, K. (2002, August 10). Islamic plans under fire. The Kentucky Post (Covington, KY), 1K. Retrieved from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/0F564AADD9D557FE">https://infoweb-newsbank-com</a>.</li> <li>Kentucky: Mosque protest efforts in Florence. (2010, August 16). Responsible for Equality and Liberty (R.E.A.L.). Retrieved from <a href="http://www.realcourage.org/2010/08/kentucky-mosque-protests-efforts-in-florence">http://www.realcourage.org</a>. </li> <li>Residents have questions about mosque. (August 16, 2010 Monday). The Associated Press State & Local Wire. Retrieved from <a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:8064-9C31-2PBV-923F-00000-00&context=1516831">https://advance-lexis-com</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. Ky_01 Location The location of the interview Florence, KY Year Year the case began. 2010 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 900 Cayton Rd, Florence, KY 41042 Proposed Project The site plan is for a 8,000-square-foot mosque on 5.5-acre plot zoned commercial. The zoning allows religious buildings. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="http://www.icnky.com/">Islamic Center of North Kentucky</a> [Mercy Foundation, Inc.] Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The city council issues the required permits, but the mosque never gets built on the site because the Muslim community sells the property to a developer in 2011. Last Updated Date revised. July 28, 2021 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 Florence, KY Description An account of the resource In August 2010, Florence, KY witnesses public opposition to a proposal by the Islamic Center of Northern Kentucky to move from a rented storefront facility in a strip mall to a purpose-built mosque on a 5.5 acre lot. Opponents create a website and distribute fliers in the neighborhood to prevent the project from moving forward. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bryce Bentinck Approved Mosque Not Built Public Campaign Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Virginia Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) VA_06 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 Fredericksburg, VA https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/dca0c1658e60260cc4b047e93679bee3.jpg 9a0fa8ee559cc89130c5c5ac44f2cc57 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 Georgia 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_05 Location The location of the interview Alpharetta, Fulton County, GA Date May 2010-September 2013 Summary Enter a brief description of the case (no more than 600 characters). This should be one or two sentences. The Islamic Center of North Fulton (ICNF) was founded in 1998 in Alpharetta, GA, holding worship in an existing structure on the 4-acre property. Since then, it has expanded from an original 25 members to serve over 600 people. The center agreed not to expand the original structure in 1998 and again in 2004, when the adjacent property was bought for the imam’s residence, until 2010, when they applied for city permission to replace the worship space with a new mosque and fellowship hall. After a heavily-attended public planning commission meeting, the City of Alpharetta voted unanimously to deny the application. The main concerns cited were increased traffic and failure to honor previous commitments not to expand. The ICNF sued the city under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, and the U.S. Justice Department and other organizations also became involved in the case. Ultimately, a compromise was negotiated, which allowed ICNF to move forward with construction following a reduced plan and additional conditions. Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 1265 Rucker Road, Alpharetta, GA 30009 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. MFG+CM Alpharetta, Georgia Coordinates Enter the coordinates for the location, if they are available. 34°05'02.1"N 84°19'27.7"W Proposed Project Replace 2,500-square-foot worship facility with 12,032-square-foot mosque and 1910-square-foot fellowship hall on 4.2 acre property in residential area. Imam’s residence on adjacent property to remain the same. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. North Fulton Islamic Center, Imam Asad Khan Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Zoning Hearing (High Public Attendance), U.S. Justice Department Investigation, Center Sues City of Alpharetta in Court Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Center is approved to build a 6,300-square-foot mosque and a 1,600-square-foot fellowship hall, totaling approximately 57 percent of the original proposed area. Additional condition not to expand again for the next 15 years. Project is finished by 2016 Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The Islamic Center of North Fulton (ICNF) is located in the city of Alpharetta, GA, north of Atlanta. The center was first created in 1998 when the congregation of 25 moved into a modest, ranch style home on a four-acre lot (Anti-Defamation League 2011, May 3). The group submitted a special use zoning application as a religious institution, although zoning requirements imposed on religious groups are not meant to be a proxy to deny the practice of First Amendment rights. This application was approved and the congregation moved into the home to utilize it as a worship space with condition that the congregation would not expand the worship structure. In 2004, the center added an adjacent property on Rucker Road for the imam to reside in through another special use permit application. At that time, the center was part of Fulton County and not under the jurisdiction of the city of Alpharetta. Both the mosque and imam’s residence were approved by the county’s Board of Commissioners. Prior to approval of the addition of the imam’s house, some members of the congregation met with neighbors in order to assuage their concerns about the expansion (Islamic Ctr v Alpharetta 2012, Jan 5). Furthermore, nearby Fairfax Homeowners Association wrote a letter to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners expressing their insistence that the addition of the imam’s residence be grandfathered in to the prior agreement of non-expansion (ibid.). The Board of Commissioners took this letter into consideration and approved the request with the same condition as the original 1998 approval that this structure as well would not expand in the future (ibid.). A year later, the city of Alpharetta annexed the Islamic Center of North Fulton (Ellis 2010, Apr 26). By 2010, the congregation sought to renovate and expand the worship building to replace it with a much larger building at approximately 12,000 square feet and add a 1,900-square-foot multipurpose building (ibid.). This proposal was already scaled down from the congregation’s original desire to build 19,600 square feet in construction after neighbors expressed concern that the construction was too large (ibid.). The altered proposed-two-story main building would include a “gymnasium, library, administrative offices and prayer space” (ibid.). The congregation had grown enough that it was difficult to accommodate all members in the existing structure for any activities besides worship. Thus, the congregation wanted to have facilities for other purposes, such as offices and places to host community events. Although under the new jurisdiction of Alpharetta instead of Fulton County, the updated proposal was immediately met with pushback from the surrounding community. Neighbors in the surrounding residential area claimed that the proposed larger structure would not “fit in”, and they expressed concerns about increases in traffic, especially on Fridays when prayers have the highest turnout (ibid.). This was despite the fact that the center conducted a traffic report as part of their renovation proposal, and it found that services on Fridays will only add “about 52 roundtrips more at the peak hour, from 161 trips to 213 trips” (Hurd 2010, Mar 23). Prior to appearing before a determining body, the ICNF hosted a community meeting on March 16th, 2010, only a few weeks before their appearance in front of the Alpharetta Planning Commission on April 1 and City Council on April 27 (Hurd 2010, Mar 23). This meeting and the scaling back of the center’s application did little to persuade the city to approve the application. On May 6th, 2010, the Alpharetta Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of the construction request in a 7-0 decision (Ellis 2010, Apr 26). During this meeting, the Planning Commission heard testimony that noted that the current facilities were not serving the congregation fully. One commission member, Will Gurley, described his decision by saying that the congregation’s previous commitment to not expand either the worship space or imam’s house when they were approved by Fulton County were “‘important [ones] that neighbors relied on’” (ibid.). The plan went to the Alpharetta City Council on May 24 with the recommended denial of plans (ibid.). Then, the City Council voted 6-0 to reject the expansion proposal (Fox 2011, May 9). The City Council denied the Special Use rezoning application by citing again that the center was not honoring its promise made years ago not to expand its facilities and by claiming that the congregation could still exercise its right to practice religion freely in its existing space. In June of 2010, following the City Council decision, ICNF sued the City of Alpharetta for religious discrimination under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000, or RLUIPA (U.S. Department of Justice 2012). This law prohibits municipalities from favoring certain religions over others and requires that such a decision that denies religious group requests based on zoning requirements are done in the least “restrictive way to accomplish a compelling government interest” (Fox 2011, May 9). About a year after the City Council’s decision, the federal Justice Department announced that it was investigating the city’s decision under RLUIPA (ibid.). In June of 2011 the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish non-government organization, filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of the Interfaith Coalition of Mosques in the U.S. District court for North Georgia (Anti-Defamation League 2011, May 3). This briefing sided with the ICNF, claiming that the city of Alpharetta unlawfully rejected its construction plan (ibid.). The case went to court, and “Senior U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester dismissed the suit” in January 2012 because the city supposedly did not violate the federal law (Rankin 2013, Feb 13). The City of Alpharetta was granted summary judgment, which meant the case was determined not to need a full trial. Following this, the ICNF appealed to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the ICNF, criticizing the district court for using inappropriate standards to evaluate religious discrimination and “substantial burden” of religious exercise (U.S. Department of Justice 2012). The DOJ argued that ICNF effectively demonstrated that the permit denial substantially inhibited their religious exercise and the district court “should have examined all of the surrounding factors to determine whether religion was the motivating factor of the County's decision” (same as previous). The center’s plan of expansion was within the “mid-range of comparative worship facilities in the city”, which have been allowed to expand multiple times, noted Nathaniel Pollock from the federal Justice Department (Rankin 2013, Feb 13). However, the city claimed that they were not placing significant burdens on the ICNF to practice their religion or discriminating based on religious grounds, simply that they imposed “‘inconveniences’” in a routine zoning case (ibid.). Thus, a panel of three federal judges gave the city of Alpharetta and the ICNF 120 days to reach a settlement or the court would rule on the case (ibid.). This pattern of attributing all denials of the ICNF’s proposals to zoning requirements dates back to their original proposal, when a former city council member said that the case was unrelated to religion-- “‘If this were a Southern Baptist Church or a QuikTrip … it would not make any difference whatsoever’” (Ellis 2010, May 7). However, the amici brief also stated that the “proposed mosque compares favorably in terms of size and effect to the two churches located on the same road...these two churches located on the same road have ‘been allowed to expand multiple times’” (U.S. Department of Justice 2012). In May 2013, the ICNF was vandalized by an unknown person, likely an elderly white man (according to witnesses) who wrote “London justice” and “Where is justice” in white paint on a sign at the entrance of the Center. The phrases seemed to be in response to the fatal attack of a British soldier by two Muslim extremists in east London just days earlier, which prompted anti-Muslim attacks in the UK. The Council on American-Islamic Relations asked for authorities to investigate the vandalism as a hate crime (Bikya News 2013, May 28). In September of 2013, three years following the initial plans for expansion, extensive “court mediation” resulted in a “compromise” to expand the structure. This new request reduced the intended expansion size to two buildings totaling 7,900 square feet as opposed to the originally planned 12,000 square foot, single-building expansion. A Planning Commission member noted specifically that he voted against the previous request for expansion, but that he “[felt] good that both sides have worked in mutual agreement to provide something balanced for worshipers and residents.” On September 5th, the Alpharetta Planning Commission voted 5-1 in approval of this revised plan. The agreement included 25 conditions, including a requirement of a police officer to direct street traffic during Friday services, a security fence around the property to prevent vandalism, and an agreement to not build anything else for 15 years (Copsey 2013, Sep 8). The community held a fundraiser for the project in May 2014. There is little information regarding the physical construction of the expansion, but construction finished approximately in May of 2016. References Enter list of sources cited using the proper format. Local Coverage <ul> <li>Copsey, Jonathan (2013, September 8). Alpharetta Planning Commission approves Islamic Center. Milton Herald.</li> <li>Hurd, Hatcher (2010, March 23). Islamic Center of North Fulton seeks expansion. Appen Media Group. Web.</li> </ul> Regional Coverage <ul> <li>Ellis, Ralph (2010, April 26). Some Alpharetta neighbors oppose growth of facility- Increase in traffic cited as reason for hesitance. -Leaders want to replace old building with larger, more modern one. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved from NewsBank.</li> <li>Ellis, Ralph (2010, May 7). Alpharetta board rejects Islamic center expansion. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Web.</li> <li>Fox, Pat (2011, May 9). Feds investigating Alpharetta mosque decision. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Web.</li> <li>Rankin, Bill (2013, February 13). Alpharetta, Islamic center return to mediation. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Web.</li> </ul> National Coverage <ul> <li>S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (2012). City and Town Engaged In Systematic Religious Discrimination, Suit Alleges. Religious Freedom in Focus, 52(June). Web.</li> <li>Pew Research Center (2012, September 27). Controversies Over Mosques and Islamic Centers Across the U.S.</li> <li>Interfaith Coalition Acts to Protect Rights of Georgia Mosque (2011, May 3). Anti-Defamation League (USA). [Press Release] Retrieved from NewsBank.</li> <li>Islamic Ctr v Alpharetta. (2012, Jan. 5) Retrieved from scribd.com/document/79534359/Islamic-Ctr-v-Alpharetta.</li> </ul> International Coverage: Bikya News (2013, May 28). CAIR asks FBI to probe Georgia mosque vandalism tied to London attack. Cairo, Egypt. Available from NewsBank. 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 Fulton County, GA Description An account of the resource A documented account of Case No. GA_05, occurring in Fulton County, GA. 30009 from May 2010 to September 2013 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Annie Chappell, Madeline Jones, Megan Lagerquist, and Emily Plumb Approved Built DOJ Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Mosque Planning and Zoning Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/0fa362eaf0261a815ed305d6474eae64.png ce4894f458d8580053f07c6e5b0e20b3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Virginia Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) VA_02 Date 2012 Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Islamic Center of Richmond Location The location of the interview Glen Allen, VA (Henrico County) Year Year the case began. 2012 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 Glen Allen, VA Description An account of the resource The Islamic Center of Richmond seeks and receives permission from Henrico County to expand its current facility into a two-story, roughly 30,000-square-foot structure to house a mosque, a daycare center and a school. Shortly after construction begins in May 2012, a resident who lives near the center filed an appeal of the county’s decision to approve the expansion, citing traffic and parking concerns. At a public hearing in June 2012, residents voice concerns about traffic, safety and lighting. County officials state that the plans met all county requirements and that they will continue to monitor the project’s compliance with county regulations. Approved Built Expansion Legal Campaign 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/15dcdddf3bfb5fd021560627652dbee6.jpeg 63bde76cc2a3c3a6e3517856dacfca99 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 Maryland 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. Md_04 Location The location of the interview Bel Air, MD (Harford County) Year Year the case began. 2020 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 2215 Creswell Rd, Bel Air, MD 21015 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. GP3M+FX Bel Air, Maryland Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://hic-md.org/home">Harford Islamic Center</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications The Harford Islamic Center received the required permits and is in the process of converting the existing barn-structure into Masjid Ibrahim. Proposed Project The project consisted of a 12-acre section of a larger 55-acre property zoned for rural residential use. An existing barn on the property was to be converted to a 60-seat mosque. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. The Harford Islamic Center wanted to build a mosque in the town of Bel Air to serve its small congregation of about 28 families. In late February 2020, the congregation was in the initial phase of creating a proposal to subdivide a 12-acre parcel out of a larger 51-acre plot and convert an existing barn structure into a mosque for a maximum of 60 worshipers. Access to the mosque was proposed from Quail Creek Ct., a small residential road. Before the proposal was sent to local authorities, the Harford Islamic Center received vocal public opposition to the project, including vicious online threats. Representatives from CAIR worked with the Harford Islamic Center to address anger in the community (Anderson, 2020, Mar 3). On March 1st 2020, the police were notified of threatening online posts and comments directed at the congregation and their project. Some of these posts encouraged citizens to take up arms in protest and threatened to burn down the center (Anderson, 2020, March 3). Harford County Executive Harry Glassman issued a statement saying, "We do not tolerate violence against anyone and expect our citizens to be a model of civility for the state and the nation" (Anderson, 2020, March 4). At the Development Advisory Committee meeting on March 3, 2020, many residents distanced themselves from the hateful comments as they continued their opposition to the project on the grounds of residential aesthetic, precedent, and traffic. The proposed use of Quail Creek Ct. as the primary access to the property was of particular concern. Residents of the neighborhood held that since the property also bordered Creswell Rd (State Highway 543) it was inappropriate to use the entrance on Quail Creek Ct. Some residents cited a declaration of covenants signed by the previous owner in the 1990s and edited in 2005, which showed the intention to limit land usage to residential only. The Developmental Advisory Committee stated that these were private documents and therefore not part of the county review. The Harford Islamic Center received the required permits to subdivide the property and convert the existing barn structure into what will be known as Masjid-Ibrahim. References <ul><li style="font-weight:400;">Anderson, D. (2020, Mar 3). Plans to build mosque in Creswell area of Harford County draw outcry, threats on social media. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/harford/aegis/cng-ag-creswell-mosque-0304-20200303-no4tqy6sjnhpvmp4wxnymafm6e-story.html">www. baltimoresun.com</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Anderson, D. (2020, March 4). Development meeting on proposed mosque in Harford County draws standing room only crowd Wednesday morning. The Aegis (Bel Air, MD). Retrieved from <a href="https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/1798077D5003B758">NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current</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 Harford County, MD Description An account of the resource In early 2020, the Harford Islamic Center faces vocal opposition and online threats in response to its plan to convert an existing barn in a rural zone of Bel Air into a mosque. At a subsequent public meeting of the Development Advisory Committee residents speak out against the project but generally avoid anti-Muslim rhetoric. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bryce Bentinck Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Approved CAIR Mosque Public Campaign Under Construction 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/1ecb99548dec63f455ebdcd3bc7d56d6.png 965e0779c4063fba116d14e6d3935070 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_10 Location The location of the interview Hillsborough Township, NJ Year Year the case began. 2016 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 26 New Amwell Rd, Hillsborough Township, NJ 08844 Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.mcscmasjid.org/">Muslim Center of Somerset County</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/. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory Universtiy Title A name given to the resource Hillsborough Township, NJ Prior Church Use