https://usmc.oxomeka.org/files/original/bc9e8736b3acab37ebb7becf710a1024.png df9347e25abffa073037b0da625a739b 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 Hasan Siddiqui of Tyrone Township addresses residents at the Nov. 14 Tyrone Township Planning Commission meeting. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived https://www.tctimes.com/news/muslim-run-cemetery-plan-revised-noise-traffic-burial-practices-addressed/article_99c21386-2c85-11e8-8a2f-f34ba4315e32.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 This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024).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) Case No. Mi_09 Location The location of the interview Tyrone Township, MI Year Year the case began. 2017 Address Enter the full address, if it is available. 7155 Denton Hill Rd, Fenton, MI 48430 Plus Code Enter the plus code for the location, if it is available. P77V+CF Fenton, Michigan Proposed Project Development on 10 acres of land; original plan for 3,847 gravesites, later reduced to about 1,500. Proposed By List the entity (legal entity or community name) that proposed the project. <a href="https://rawdacemetery.com/">Rawda Cemetery</a> Type of Opposition Public Campaign, Vandalism, Legal Action, Local Ordinance Public Campaign Outcome Rejected, Approved, Approved with Modifications On June 19, 2018, the Board voted 5-0 to approve the special land use permit for the proposed 1,500-plot cemetery. Narrative Enter the narrative about the case here. In November 2017, Hasan Siddiqui submitted his initial plan for a ten-acre cemetery with a maximum of 3,847 gravesites on his family-owned property in Tyrone Township, MI, open to everyone, regardless of their faith. On November 14, 34 residents attended the Tyrone Township Planning Commission’s meeting to discuss the proposed cemetery project, voicing their concerns about groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and excessive noise (Jagielo, 2017, Nov 17). Every property in the surrounding area is on a well, and neighbors believed that a traditional Muslim burial in which bodies are wrapped in a shroud and placed directly into the earth with a stone placed on top would negatively affect their water supply (Jagielo, 2018, Mar 20). In response to the residents’ concerns, Tyrone Township planner Brian Keesey stated that there is no definitive evidence of cemeteries' positive or negative effect on property values (Jagielo, 2017, Nov 17). No vote was taken at the Planning Commission meeting. The next month, Livingston County took soil borings and studied the flow and direction of the water to determine the cemetery’s effect on the neighborhood’s groundwater (Controversial “green cemetery” approved, 2018, Jun 22). Afterward, the cemetery was cleared as being safe. County regulations state that burial sites must be at least 75 feet from a residential well, which the site exceeded (Jagielo, 2018, Sep 6). In March 2018, Siddiqui submitted a revised proposal to the Planning Commission, which reduced the size of the cemetery to 1,589 graves, increased the amount of open space, located burial sites farther from the road, and established set hours of operation to ensure that heavy machinery would not be operated in the evening (Jagielo, 2018, Mar 20). The Planning Commission sent the proposal to Livingston County officials to clarify if the revised plan met county requirements. On June 19, the Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the special land use permit for the cemetery (Controversial “green cemetery” approved, 2018, Jun 22). Despite the approval, it was reported that opposition towards the cemetery continued at subsequent board meetings and in the local press (Jagielo, 2018, Sep 6). After obtaining state approval and developing the land, the <a href="https://rawdacemetery.com/">Rawda Cemetery</a> has been built and is fully operational. References <ul> <li style="font-weight:400;">Controversial “green” cemetery approved in Tyrone Township. (2018, June 22). Tri-County Times. <a href="https://www.tctimes.com/news/controversial-green-cemetery-approved-in-tyrone-township/article_13b14bd0-763c-11e8-aaed-2bb430c8593f.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Jagielo, T. (2017, November 17). Community debates proposed Muslim-run cemetery. Tri-County Times. <a href="https://www.tctimes.com/news/community-debates-proposed-muslim-run-cemetery-concerned-that-muslims-are-buried-in-shrouds-not-vaults/article_dc88074e-cbc7-11e7-8acf-dbb82a6206c8.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Jagielo, T. (2018, March 20). Muslim-run cemetery plan revised. Tri-County Times. <a href="https://www.tctimes.com/news/muslim-run-cemetery-plan-revised-noise-traffic-burial-practices-addressed/article_99c21386-2c85-11e8-8a2f-f34ba4315e32.html">Web</a>.</li> <li style="font-weight:400;">Jagielo, T. (2018, September 6). Would you live next to a “green” cemetery? Tri-County Times. <a href="https://www.tctimes.com/news/would-you-live-next-to-a-green-cemetery/article_684eadde-b10d-11e8-b5d8-53e1d6f474cf.html">Web</a>.</li> </ul> Last Updated Date revised. June 12, 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/. 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 Title A name given to the resource Tyrone Township, MI Description An account of the resource In November 2017, the Tyrone Township Planning Commission held a public meeting at which a Muslim developer’s proposal for a green cemetery was discussed. The proposal drew critique from residents primarily concerned with the potential impact on groundwater. After commissioning an Environmental Impact Report, the developer submitted a revised proposal to the commission in March 2018. The revised plan lowered the number of burial sites, increased open space, located burial sites farther away from the property line, and established limited hours of operation. The Township Board unanimously approved the revised site plan in June 2018, though opposition continued at subsequent board meetings and in the local press. Approved Built Cemetery Public Campaign