Bullitt County, KY
Description
Creator
Year
Proposed Project
Outcome
Narrative
In February 2013, the Bullitt County Board of Adjustments denied a conditional use permit to the Louisville Islamic Center for a cemetery project in Mount Washington. The Louisville Islamic Center hoped to use the permit to purchase 10 acres of land zoned agricultural to establish an Islamic cemetery for their community in nearby Louisville, Kentucky. Previously, the community had to drive 46 miles to Elizabeth, Kentucky, to bury their dead (O’Neill, 2013, August 24). The Bullitt County Board of Adjustments rejected the permit on August 16th to loud applause from the citizens in attendance. The Islamic Center decided to look for another property and received the necessary permits from the Louisville Metro Board of Zoning Adjustments in the neighborhood of Buechel in December 2013.
The property in Mount Washington was a piece of agricultural land that required a conditional use permit for use as a cemetery. Many nearby citizens opposed the project at the Board’s meeting. At the meeting, neighbors voiced concerns about increased traffic, groundwater safety, and maintenance of the community’s character (Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection, 2013, Feb 27). The property was located on a gravel road. The road was 15 feet wide, and at least 22 feet were needed for a road to be considered two-lane. The Louisville Islamic Center addressed some concerns, clarifying that fewer than 40 burials were in the community within the last 10 years. In support of the Louisville Islamic Center, attorney Greg Ehrhard addressed issues such as traffic (giving 20 feet of land to the town for widening the road) and maintenance of character (agreeing to an 80-ft setback from Hubbards Lane and a 6-ft white perimeter fence). He also cited the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). Beyond these concerns, citizens claimed the cemetery would be detrimental to their children in a variety of ways, that the beliefs of their community could not coexist with those of the Islamic faith, and that the cemetery would dishonor US veterans (Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection, 2013, Feb 27). The Board rejected the permit, with one board member stating that the cemetery was not harmonious with the surrounding neighborhood, one of the conditions for approval (Permit for Muslim cemetery, 2013, Feb 14).
The Louisville Islamic Center abandoned plans for a cemetery at the proposed site and began looking for a different property. Later, in 2013, the group applied for a conditional use permit for a cemetery on Action Boulevard in Louisville, KY. The land was adjacent to another large cemetery, and the case manager for the Louisville Metro Department of Codes and Regulations asserted that the cemetery and burial practices did not present any issues. The leaders of the Louisville Islamic Center met with neighbors of the property to address concerns over water quality due to casket-free burials. Neighbors had no opposition to the cemetery project when they were assured that burial methods were safe. Few residents attended the public input session, and none opposed the project. On December 16th, 2013, the conditional use permit was approved. The Green Haven Cemetery (GHC) remains operational to date.
References
- Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection of Islamic cemetery. (2013, February 27). Courier-Journal. Retrieved from https://islamophobiawatch.co.uk.
- O’Neill, T. (2013, November 24). Muslim community seeks cemetery in Ky. Courier-Journal. Retrieved from www.usatoday.com.
- Permit for Muslim cemetery near Mt. Washington rejected. (2013, February 14). WDRB News. Retrieved from https://www.wdrb.com.