5 10 101 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/3989e53bccc08dcee4bb485c5fa83e45.png 0be794a5c9eb1e06942a23bc627ad587 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 This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024).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) FL_05 Location The location of the interview St. Lucie County Date 2013 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. 9JCR+59 White City, Florida Proposed Project Cemetery: Petition to rezone more than five acres of property located at the intersection of Midway Road and Christensen Road for use as a cemetery with approximately 2,600 burial sites Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Baraka Center of the Treasure Coast Inc. (aka <a href="https://www.icfp-fl.com/cemetery.html">Baraka Center Muslim Cemetery</a>) Year Year the case began. 2013 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 5065 Christensen Rd, Fort Pierce, FL 34981 Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Approved with condition to bury bodies in sealed vaults Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In St. Lucie County, Florida, a proposal to construct the Baraka Center Muslim Cemetery in a residential neighborhood met with opposition from local residents. Still, it was ultimately approved by county commissioners in a unanimous vote. On June 20, 2013, the St. Lucie County Zoning & Planning Commission recommended to the County Board of Commissioners the rezoning of the Christensen Road property from AR-1 (agricultural-residential) to I (industrial) and the issuance of a conditional use permit for a private cemetery (St. Lucie County Planning & Zoning Commission, 2013, Jun 20). During the July 2 meeting of the County Board of Commissioners, residents opposed the project, citing concerns about the aesthetic and emotional impact of living near a cemetery. They also raised practical concerns about increased traffic and potential environmental impacts on nearby wells from Muslim burial practices (Hait, 2013, Jul 2). In response, the Muslim community addressed the visual concerns by committing to using trees and bushes to screen the cemetery from view as much as possible. Despite the opposition, the County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the project, imposing the condition that bodies be buried in sealed vaults to alleviate environmental concerns. Now operational, the Baraka Center Muslim Cemetery serves the wider Muslim community of the Treasure Coast area. It is listed on the website of the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce (ICFP), one of the oldest Islamic communities in the area. In 2013, during the controversy, the ICFP's mosque was located nearby on Midway Road. In a tragic turn of events, on September 11, 2016, the mosque was set on fire and partially destroyed by an Islamophobic arsonist (Detman, 2016, Sep 12). In February 2017, the ICFP acquired a new property, a former church complex, on Oleander Avenue in Fort Pierce. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Detman ,G. (2016, September 12). Arsonist torches Pulse nightclub killer's mosque in Fort Pierce. CBS 12 News. <a href="https://cbs12.com/news/local/fire-destroys-mosque-in-fort-pierce">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Hait, Ari. (2013, July 2). Muslim cemetery approved in St. Lucie County. ABC-25 WPBF. <a href="https://www.wpbf.com/article/muslim-cemetery-approved-in-st-lucie-county/1317892">Web</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">St. Lucie County Planning & Zoning Commission. (2013, June 20). Planning & Zoning Commission public minutes. CivicClerk. <a href="https://stluciecofl.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1638/overview">Web</a>.</li> </ul> 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 St. Lucie County, FL Description An account of the resource In June 2013, St. Lucie County commissioners approved a rezoning application for a Muslim cemetery over the opposition of local residents. Added traffic, potential groundwater contamination, and the character of the residential neighborhood were among the concerns expressed at the commission's public meeting. The Muslim community addressed concerns by agreeing to place bodies in sealed containers and plant trees and bushes as a green fence around the cemetery property. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Approved Built Cemetery Public Campaign https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/f01b672fcefada7be1f65a7897fba8bc.jpg e82a52b20a2279a8cb4e1af388b09401 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.facebook.com/Islamic-Center-of-Henrico-Masjid-Al-Falah-1507292772815596/photos/a.1507294112815462/1507294119482128 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_01 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 7705 Impala Dr, Richmond, VA 23228 Date 2008 Location The location of the interview Richmond, VA (Henrico County) 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 Richmond, VA Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In 2008, the Islamic Center of Henrico submits a proposal to rezone a 5.2-acre lot to build a 10,000-square-foot mosque and community center. Mosque opponents raise concerns about increased noise and traffic. After Henrico County denies the application, the center sues the county, alleging religious discrimination. In March 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice opens an investigation into the county’s denial and subsequently files a separate federal suit, noting that the county had never denied a zoning application submitted by a Christian church. The lawsuits are settled out of court after the county approves a new rezoning application for the mosque property in August 2011 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ezoza Eshova, Madeleine Kleinerman, Indar Ramlal, and Kenneth Wingate Approved Built DOJ Islamic Center Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Planning and Zoning Public Campaign REL383_SP22 https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/fc37ebd01d1fe2b6f0d133f559875771.jpg 548c2f21b8e7e625c5c65375509c633e 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://fredericksburg.com/news/local/site-work-starts-for-first-mosque-in-culpeper/article_cd2dd633-7b78-5d80-82c7-f7786deb4dd7.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 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_07 Location The location of the interview Culpeper, VA Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 14434 Rixeyville Rd, Culpeper, VA 22701 Year Year the case began. 2016 Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. Narrative In January 2016, The Islamic Center of Culpeper (ICC) was looking for a place for a new worship facility. Since 2013, ICC had held prayers and educational activities for children in a small house with inadequate facilities. In 2016, the community made a $1,000 down payment for one acre of land within an R-1 zoning district, where religious facilities were permitted use. The ICC intended to demolish a dilapidated structure on the property and replace it with a small mosque that could hold up to one hundred people for religious gatherings. Mohammed Nawabe, President of ICC, then contacted the Zoning Administrator and Acting Planning Director, Sam McLean, to inquire about the proper forms required to build a mosque on the land. The health department told Nawabe that the community would need a pump and haul permit because the property did not have access to the county sewage system. ICC's application was scheduled for discussion at the County's Board Meeting on March 1, 2016. Before the meeting, Kurt Christensen, a local Republican leader, sent several emails to county officials and local media concerning ICC's application (Johnston, Mar 1, 2016). In response to questions from a local reporter, Christensen subsequently admitted that using the property for "Islamic" activities had been a motivating concern (ibid.). At the March 1 Board meeting, the County Attorney requested additional time to review the ICC's application. This caused the Board to table the permit request for 30 days until its next meeting on April 5 (Islamic Center of Culpeper v. County of Culpeper, 2017). Public opposition intensified after the March 1 board meeting. In addition to emails and phone calls to county officials, anti-mosque residents publicly displayed a banner that said "No Islamic Center" along with the April 5 hearing date and Chairwoman Fritz’s name and contact information (Islamic Center of Culpeper v. County of Culpeper, 2017). On April 2nd, Chairwoman Fritz emailed County Administrator Ergenson about the emails and phone calls she received regarding the mosque project (ibid.). The Board took up ICC’s application for a pump and haul permit again at its April 5 meeting. County staff recommended approval of the permit. During the Board's discussion, three Supervisors spoke out against approval, remarking that pump and haul permits should be granted only in emergencies and that ICC’s application did not constitute sufficient evidence of hardship. In the end, the Board voted 4-3 against the approval of the application. People in opposition to the ICC application cheered and applauded the denial. Subsequently, the County took steps to prevent ICC from its plan to build a mosque by imposing two consecutive 120-day moratoria on any new pump and haul applications in August and November 2016, thereby preventing ICC from re-applying. In January 2017, the Board's Rules Committee established an onerous new pump and haul policy, stating that "except in the rarest of circumstances and upon sufficient demonstration of extreme hardship conditions," the County does not support pump and haul as a permanent sewage solution. The new policy also required the Board to consider petitions for permanent pump and haul licenses case-by-case (Islamic Center of Culpeper v. County of Culpeper, 2017). The Board's On December 12, 2016, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Culpeper County, alleging that the County violated the terms of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act or RLUIPA (United States v. Culpeper, 2017). In March of 2017, the ICC, represented by Muslim Advocates, a national civil rights organization, filed a separate lawsuit against Culpeper County for discrimination (Islamic Center of Culpeper v. County of Culpeper, 2017). The ACLU also supported ICC’s legal case. Both suits claimed that the County's board members allowed anti-Muslim community members to influence the Board's decision. It had previously issued more than twenty similar permit requests with little discussion (Vote to settle mosque dispute is the right call for Culpeper, 2017, April 29). On April 21, 2017, the County of Culpeper and the ICC settled the case. The settlement agreement required the County to approve the ICC's original application and pay ICC $10,000 for expenses resulting from the denial. However, the County did not have to admit any wrongdoing. In September 2017, the court dismissed the DOJ's lawsuit since the County had granted the needed permit to the ICC. The County agreed to take other steps to prevent further violation of RLUIPA (United States v. Culpeper, 2017). By January 2019, the Islamic Center of Culpeper had completed the site plan and raised about $107,000 for Culpeper County's first-ever mosque (Brophy Champion, 2019, Jan 4). By April 2020, mosque construction was nearly complete (Jennings, 2020, Apr 26). References <ul> <li>Brophy Champion, A. (2019, January 4). After resolution of federal lawsuit, Culpeper's first mosque is on course for 2020. Richmond Times-Dispatch: Web Edition Articles (VA). Available from NewsBank: Access World News – Historical and Current: https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88.</li> <li>Islamic Center of Culpeper v. County of Culpeper, Virginia. (United States District Court: Western District of Virginia, March 9, 2017). Available at https://muslimadvocates.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Court-Case_2017.03.09_ICC-v.-Culpeper_Complaint.pdf. </li> <li>Jennings, E. (2020, April 26). Culpeper mosque construction nearly complete. Free Lance-Star, The (Fredericksburg, VA), p. 3C. 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/17A961C6CB66B768.</li> <li>Johnston, D. (2016, March 1). Culpeper board delays vote on Islamic prayer house permit. TCA Regional News. https://login.proxy.library.emory.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/culpeper-board-delays-vote-on-islamic-prayer/docview/1769273608/se-2?accountid=10747 </li> <li>United States America v. County of Culpeper, Virginia. (United States District Court: Western District of Virginia, September 1st, 2017). https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/virginia/vawdce/3:2016cv00083/105798/120/</li> <li>Vote to settle mosque dispute is the right call for Culpeper. (2017, April 19). Culpeper Star-Exponent (VA). 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/163E5846EB42D440.</li> </ul> Proposed Project 5,000 square-foot mosque on a one-acre property, including a library, playroom, youth Room, prayer rooms, parking lot Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://islamiccenterofculpeper.org/">Islamic Center of Culpeper</a> Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Culpeper County granted the pump and haul permit and approved the site plan after settling ICC’s lawsuit against the county in April 2017. 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 Culpeper County, VA Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Lauren Dumesnil and Mary Yuan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In early 2017, the Islamic Center of Culpeper (ICC) settled its lawsuit against the County of Culpeper for denying a pump and haul sewage permit for a new mosque construction in a rural zoning district where religious land use was permitted by right. The U.S. Department of Justice had filed a separate lawsuit against the county alleging religious discrimination. ACLU Approved DOJ Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Legislation Mosque Muslim Advocates Planning and Zoning Public Campaign REL383_SP22 Under Construction https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/8892ed314591cf46f0e402c54ef4cb12.png e835a64985b11c7de00a2fdde65feafd 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.insidenova.com/headlines/muslim-group-sues-stafford-county-for-blocking-construction-of-religious-cemetery/article_7d6bfc7e-a9a6-11ea-b458-f3ff552df8a7.html Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) VA_09 Location The location of the interview Stafford County, VA Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 1508 Garrisonville Rd, Stafford, VA 22556 Year Year the case began. 2016 Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.amaacemetery.org/about-amaa/">All Muslim Association of America (AMAA)</a> Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. FGQ6+GF Stafford, Virginia Proposed Project cemetery on 29-acre plot of land with a maximum of 15,000 grave sites Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Legislation, Planning and Zoning Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications On September 25, 2021, Stafford County supervisors agreed to settle AMAA’s lawsuit. The county agreed to pay AMAA $500,000 and approve its cemetery. The Justice Department announced on October 14, 2021, that it would dismiss its lawsuit against Stafford County. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In May 2015, the All Muslim Association of America (AMAA), a nonprofit religious organization that provides low-cost burial and funeral services in the metropolitan region of Washington, D.C., purchased a property on Garrisonville Road in Stafford County, VA, with the desire to construct a large cemetery with up to 15,000 burial plots. AMAA’s Muslim cemetery on Brooke Road in nearby Fredericksburg, VA, had been operational since 1996, but there were not enough plots for future burials (Branscome, 2018, Apr 25). As a result, AMAA wished to build a new cemetery in Stafford County, as it allowed cemetery use “by right” in A-1 Agricultural Zoning Districts, which did not require review by the county’s Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors (Davis, 2017, Sep 20). In June 2016, a resident near the proposed cemetery site emailed then-Rock Hill District Supervisor Wendy Maurer, expressing concern about the impact on his well water (Baron, 2021, Sep 25). Stafford legislative affairs officer Anthony Toigo wrote to Maurer that as long as there were at least 100 feet between the homeowner’s well and the cemetery, it would not pose a risk to public health. The next day, Crystal Vanuch, a Planning Commission member and a cemetery site neighbor, emailed Maurer, suggesting a meeting with the county attorney to draft a new cemetery regulation for the Planning Commission to review. On November 9, the Planning Commission unanimously voted, 6-0, to recommend the adoption of a new ordinance banning cemeteries within 900 feet of public drinking sources of private wells, nine times the limit required by the Virginia Department of Health (Baron, 2021, Sep 25). The ordinance was unanimously approved by the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, 7-0, on December 13. In addition, any new cemetery proposal must go before the county’s Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors (Davis, 2017, Sep 20). While churchyard cemeteries, which are typically smaller than the proposed Islamic cemetery, and family graveyards were excluded from the ordinance, county officials said they did not consider the AMAA site to be a churchyard cemetery because the group did not intend to have a mosque on site (Olivo, 2020, Dec 2). The ordinance change was unbeknownst to AMAA, which made its final payment for the property in April 2017 (Baron, 2021, Sep 25). AMAA was not informed of the new ordinance until the fall of 2017 (ibid.). In April 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) launched an investigation into whether Stafford County violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by blocking AMAA’s proposed cemetery (Branscome, 2018, Apr 25). Despite the investigation, the Planning Commission met on May 23 to unanimously vote, 6-0, to leave the cemetery ordinance in place, saying the stricter requirements would protect public health (ibid.). In a highly unusual vote without all of its members present, the Board of Supervisors voted 3-2, with one abstention, on September 18 to keep the ordinance (Branscome, 2018, Sep 18). In December 2018, AMAA requested a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals to confirm its cemetery complied with Health Department regulations and would not be within 250 feet of any residence or 200 feet of any private well (Baron, 2020, Oct 15). In June 2020, AMAA announced it was suing Stafford County over its changes to the cemetery ordinance, alleging it prevented the nonprofit from being able to use its land by “imposing new and scientifically unsupported minimum distance requirements between AMAA’s cemetery and certain surrounding water sources” (Muslim Group Sues, 2020, Jun 8). Additionally, AMAA claimed that Stafford County had a history of discrimination against Muslim communities. In its complaint, AMAA describes a different Muslim group, AsSalam Memorial Garden, LLC (AMG), which had requested the construction of a small Muslim cemetery around August 2015. AMAA alleged that Stafford County did not consider the group’s cemetery as a “churchyard” and rejected AMG’s proposal because an ordinance required that perpetual care and endowed cemeteries be a minimum of 25 acres. Ultimately, AMG did not establish a Muslim cemetery in Stafford County. Following AMAA, the DOJ filed a lawsuit against the county on June 19, claiming the ordinance “has no legitimate health justification, imposes a substantial burden on the association’s religious exercise, and is not narrowly tailored to achieve a compelling governmental interest” (Feds sue Virginia, 2020, Jun 19). In response, county officials met in August to reduce the setback from private wells to 656 feet (Baron, 2020, Oct 15). In October, the Board of Supervisors voted 4-3 to rescind the ordinance (Olivo, 2020, Dec 2). The next month, Stafford County supervisors settled the lawsuit filed by AMAA, agreeing to pay them $500,000 and approve the cemetery (Baron, 2021, Sep 25). The DOJ dismissed its lawsuit against Stafford County on October 14 (U.S. Department of Justice, 2021, Oct 14). On October 15, 2021, it was reported that construction was set to begin on the cemetery (Kellner, 2021, Oct 15). According to AMAA’s website, the cemetery is under construction and is over 70% completed as of March 2023. AMAA plans to purchase an additional thirty to fifty acres of land between Ashburn and Manassas, VA, to construct another cemetery. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Baron, J.S. (2020, October 15). Stafford supervisors will consider repealing latest cemetery provisions. Fredericksburg.com.<a href="https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/stafford-supervisors-will-consider-repealing-latest-cemetery-provisions/article_0700d178-2cff-5d02-adce-a35c4e67e592.html"> Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Baron, J.S. (2021, September 25). Stafford supervisors vote to settle costly Muslim cemetery case. Fredericksburg.com.<a href="https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/stafford-supervisors-vote-to-settle-costly-muslim-cemetery-case/article_0251255e-5595-50c9-9be5-b3af93b130ef.html"> Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Branscome, J. (2018, April 25). DOJ launches investigation into Stafford’s handling of a proposed Muslim cemetery. Fredericksburg.com.<a href="https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/doj-launches-investigation-into-staffords-handling-of-a-proposed-muslim-cemetery/article_04262377-46c3-5a77-90ac-2b2cc54c53e3.html"> Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Branscome, J. (2018, September 18). Stafford leaders vote to maintain cemetery ordinance amid DOJ investigation. Fredericksburg.com.<a href="https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/stafford-leaders-vote-to-maintain-cemetery-ordinance-amid-doj-investigation/article_69a0c8c8-0576-59e8-987a-99e9391fbe88.html"> Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Davis, K. (2017, September 20). Planning Commission likely to revisit new cemetery ordinance after changes shut out Muslim cemetery. Available through<a href="https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=WORLDNEWS&docref=news/16708D3625B7D2A0&f=basic"> NewsBank</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Feds sue Virginia county over law blocking Islamic cemetery. (2020, June 19). Associated Press. Available through<a href="https://advance-lexis-com.proxy.library.emory.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:605K-0N21-DYMD-61TV-00000-00&context=1516831"> NexisUni</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Kellner, M. (2021, October 15). Stafford County settles federal discrimination lawsuit, allows Muslim cemetery in Fredericksburg. The Washington Times.<a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/oct/14/stafford-county-settles-federal-discrimination-sui/"> Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Muslim Group Sues Virginia County for Blocking Construction of Religious Cemetery. (2020, June 8). Muslim Advocates.<a href="https://muslimadvocates.org/2020/06/muslim-group-sues-virginia-county-for-blocking-construction-of-religious-cemetery/"> Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Olivo, A. (2020, December 2). Changing Virginia County faces discrimination charges over Islamic cemetery. The Washington Post.<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-muslim-cemetery-lawsuit/2020/12/02/5e4e1504-2aa0-11eb-8fa2-06e7cbb145c0_story.html"> Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">U.S. Department of Justice (2021, October 14). Stafford County to Allow Islamic Cemetery in Response to Justice Department Lawsuit. United States Attorney’s Office.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/stafford-county-allow-islamic-cemetery-response-justice-department-lawsuit"> Web</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 13, 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 Stafford County, VA Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Description An account of the resource In May 2015, the All Muslim Association of America (AMAA) purchased a property on Garrisonville Road zoned for cemetery use. However, in December 2016, the Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted to change the county’s cemetery ordinance to effectively prohibit the Muslim cemetery. AMAA was not notified of the ordinance change until the fall of 2017, which launched a U.S. Department of Justice investigation regarding religious discrimination in April 2018. Two separate lawsuits against Stafford County were then filed by AMAA and the DOJ until a settlement approving the cemetery was finally reached in September 2021, ending a six-year conflict. Approved (initial denial) Built Cemetery DOJ Lawsuit (RLUIPA) Legislation 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/18da713f881df0c736101edddf659291.jpg 9335ff9a0454244c1869b26d84a79d1f 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://www.facebook.com/AlHedayaIslamicCenter/photos/a.1410488695727615/2298300376946438">https://www.facebook.com/AlHedayaIslamicCenter/photos/a.1410488695727615/2298300376946438</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 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) Ga_02 Location The location of the interview Marietta, GA Date 2002 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 968 Powder Springs St, Marietta, GA 30064 Proposed Project mosque (70-foot minaret) Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://www.masjidhedaya.com/#">Islamic Circle of North America</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marietta, GA Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2002 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/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 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 Pennsylvania 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. PA_03 Location The location of the interview Bensalem Township, PA Date 2012 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 3743, 3805, 3825 Hulmeville Road Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Bensalem Masjid 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 Bensalem Township, PA Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University 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