https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/bfa15ef5d529c3020560172e575f2dd4.png 30faf6e25db7baa9b1a75b2c683513f8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni. The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism. This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ryan Wang Title A name given to the resource Cemeteries Language A language of the resource English Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni. Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl Case Use this Item Type to create the case Item Pages for the U.S. Mosque Controversies site. Case Number Enter the case number in this field using the format: Case No. XX_00 (e.g. Case No. Ga_01) Case No. Ky_03 Location The location of the interview Bullitt County, KY Year Year the case began. 2013 Proposed Project The Louisville Islamic Center seeks to build a cemetery on a 10-acre plot zoned for agricultural use. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. Louisville Islamic Center Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign, Administrative Denial Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications Following the denial in Bullitt County, the Louisville Islamic Center receives the necessary conditional-use permit to form the <a href="https://moflou.com/ghc/">Green Haven Cemetery</a> in Louisville, KY, in December 2013. The cemetery remains operational to date. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In February 2013, the Bullitt County Board of Adjustments denied a conditional use permit to the Louisville Islamic Center for a cemetery project in Mount Washington. The Louisville Islamic Center hoped to use the permit to purchase 10 acres of land zoned agricultural to establish an Islamic cemetery for their community in nearby Louisville, Kentucky. Previously, the community had to drive 46 miles to Elizabeth, Kentucky, to bury their dead (O’Neill, 2013, August 24). The Bullitt County Board of Adjustments rejected the permit on August 16th to loud applause from the citizens in attendance. The Islamic Center decided to look for another property and received the necessary permits from the Louisville Metro Board of Zoning Adjustments in the neighborhood of Buechel in December 2013. The property in Mount Washington was a piece of agricultural land that required a conditional use permit for use as a cemetery. Many nearby citizens opposed the project at the Board’s meeting. At the meeting, neighbors voiced concerns about increased traffic, groundwater safety, and maintenance of the community’s character (Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection, 2013, Feb 27). The property was located on a gravel road. The road was 15 feet wide, and at least 22 feet were needed for a road to be considered two-lane. The Louisville Islamic Center addressed some concerns, clarifying that fewer than 40 burials were in the community within the last 10 years. In support of the Louisville Islamic Center, attorney Greg Ehrhard addressed issues such as traffic (giving 20 feet of land to the town for widening the road) and maintenance of character (agreeing to an 80-ft setback from Hubbards Lane and a 6-ft white perimeter fence). He also cited the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). Beyond these concerns, citizens claimed the cemetery would be detrimental to their children in a variety of ways, that the beliefs of their community could not coexist with those of the Islamic faith, and that the cemetery would dishonor US veterans (Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection, 2013, Feb 27). The Board rejected the permit, with one board member stating that the cemetery was not harmonious with the surrounding neighborhood, one of the conditions for approval (Permit for Muslim cemetery, 2013, Feb 14). The Louisville Islamic Center abandoned plans for a cemetery at the proposed site and began looking for a different property. Later, in 2013, the group applied for a conditional use permit for a cemetery on Action Boulevard in Louisville, KY. The land was adjacent to another large cemetery, and the case manager for the Louisville Metro Department of Codes and Regulations asserted that the cemetery and burial practices did not present any issues. The leaders of the Louisville Islamic Center met with neighbors of the property to address concerns over water quality due to casket-free burials. Neighbors had no opposition to the cemetery project when they were assured that burial methods were safe. Few residents attended the public input session, and none opposed the project. On December 16th, 2013, the conditional use permit was approved. The<a href="https://moflou.com/ghc/"> Green Haven Cemetery (GHC)</a> remains operational to date. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Bullitt County, Kentucky: Residents’ opposition fuels rejection of Islamic cemetery. (2013, February 27). Courier-Journal. Retrieved from<a href="https://islamophobiawatch.co.uk/bullitt-county-kentucky-residents-opposition-fuels-rejection-of-islamic-cemetery"> https://islamophobiawatch.co.uk</a>. </li> <li style="font-weight:400;">O’Neill, T. (2013, November 24). Muslim community seeks cemetery in Ky. Courier-Journal. Retrieved from<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/24/muslim-group-seeks-cemetery-in-ky/3694693"> www.usatoday.com</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Permit for Muslim cemetery near Mt. Washington rejected. (2013, February 14). WDRB News. Retrieved from<a href="https://www.wdrb.com/news/permit-for-islamic-cemetery-near-mt-washington-rejected/article_56e6d4a1-badd-5e87-9d7d-f5e51b3f7be7.html"> https://www.wdrb.com</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 8, 2024 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Bullitt County, KY Description An account of the resource In February 2013, the Bullitt County Board of Adjustments rejects the Louisville Islamic Center’s application for a conditional use permit for an Islamic cemetery on land zoned agricultural. Several citizens had voiced concerns over groundwater, traffic, and aesthetics. Later in 2013, the Louisville Islamic Center acquires land in nearby Louisville, KY to successfully establish an Islamic cemetery. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bryce Bentinck Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Oxford College of Emory University Built Cemetery Denied Planning and Zoning Public Campaign Relocated