January 2014
ICM Cemetery Approved
In January, the BZA approved the burial site after looking at information from a geotechnical study taken before the county planning commission approved a site plan four years ago and a traffic analysis by the state Department of Transportation done after site plan approval.
The county BZA also placed five stipulations on the ICM cemetery: 1) that grave sites be limited to 1,500; 2) that no monument be taller than a foot; 3) that no grave be deeper than 5 feet; 4) that the special exception would expire if the property were sold to a non-religious entity; and 5) the cemetery layout and gravesite records would have to be kept by the ICM.
March 2014
Cemetery Approval Challenged in Court
Plaintiffs opposed to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro graveyard approval seek a court order “to halt the construction and improvement of the cemetery.”
The plaintiffs cited adequete notice, soil contamination, traffic concerns, and pending letigation as reason to void the cemetery permit.
June 2014
ICM building Litigation finally over
Litigation against the mosque’s opening finally comes to an end on June 2, 2014 when a bid by an opponent to appeal the ruling of the Supreme Court is rebuffed and the court declines to hear the case. At this point, the four-year litigation has cost the county nearly $350,000 dollars in legal fees.
July 2014
Judge dismisses mosque cemetery lawsuit
A judge dismissed a lawsuit against the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro cemetery approval Thursday, and a supporter of the plaintiffs indicated the case may be over.
“The Rutherford County Board of Zoning Appeals did not act illegally, arbitrarily or capriciously by approving the special-use exception permit for the cemtery,” Summers ruled. “The special-use permit issued to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro is valid as issued.”