This petition is respectfully submitted on behalf of the undersigned residents of the Inland Empire area who support approval of the proposed Crescent Gardens Cemetery.

As residents of this region, we believe it is important that our community provide respectful and dignified places for families to lay their loved ones to rest. Inland Empire is home to a diverse and growing population, and the availability of cemetery space is becoming increasingly limited across the region. The Crescent Gardens Cemetery will help address this need by providing additional, affordable burial options for families throughout the Inland Empire.

The proposed cemetery will also serve a significant local need for the Muslim community in Riverside County and the broader Inland Empire, where an estimated 120,000 Muslims currently reside. Many families must currently travel long distances to find burial spaces that allow them to observe their religious traditions. Providing a local cemetery ensures that residents of our region have access to appropriate burial options close to home.

Importantly, the developer of Crescent Gardens has listened to community feedback and made meaningful changes to the project to address concerns raised by surrounding residents. In particular, longstanding Muslim burial practices have been modified. Under the revised proposal, all burials will utilize sealed burial vaults—like those used in traditional cemeteries—ensuring that remains are fully enclosed and do not come into contact with the surrounding soil or groundwater. This safeguard is in addition to the geo-technical barriers of impermeable bedrock soil, long distance away from wells and other water sources and engineered detention basins for surface water containment and treatment.   This burial method change demonstrates the developer’s willingness to work collaboratively with neighbors and to ensure the project meets both community expectations and environmental safeguards.

The project has also undergone extensive review and analysis. It has been carefully planned to comply with all county and state stringent regulations, including environmental review and supporting technical studies which have been reviewed by the County of Riverside.

Cemeteries are among the quietest and most respected land uses in any community. The Crescent Gardens project has been thoughtfully designed to fit within the surrounding area while providing several benefits to the neighborhood, including:

• Consistency with County zoning and land use designations
• Preservation of the area’s open space character 
• Limited daytime traffic with 143 on-site parking spaces and additional side parking on internal roads
• Infrastructure improvements, including upgrading Garfield Road to an 8-inch water line which increase water pressure for rapid fire response
• Garfield Road improvements and internal circulation roads within the cemetery
• Extensive landscaping to enhance visual character and provide fire buffers
• A stormwater drainage solution that will manage flows on-site and help protect neighboring properties
• Regional trail access through the eastern portion of the property where gravesites are not planned
• Wildfire safety measures, including clearing unmanaged brush and creating defensible space
• Serving as a fire break between surrounding residences and open wildland areas
• A potential temporary emergency staging area for fire response if needed
• Extension of water lines to fire hydrants east of Garfield Road
• Extension of a private access road east of Robert Street to improve access near the SCE transmission lines

Taken together, these features demonstrate that the project has been thoughtfully designed to benefit both the community it serves and the surrounding neighborhood.

The Crescent Gardens Cemetery will provide a peaceful, well-maintained green space that reflects the values of respect, dignity, and community that Inland Empire residents share. By approving this project, the County will help ensure that families of all backgrounds have access to appropriate burial options while also delivering infrastructure, safety, and environmental improvements to the surrounding area.

For these reasons, we respectfully urge the Riverside County Planning Commission to approve the Crescent Gardens Cemetery as proposed, including the improvements made by the developer in response to community feedback.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

A quick note for everyone signing:

After you add your name, Change.org may show a screen asking you to “chip in” or become a member.
That part is completely optional — it is not required to sign, and it does not support our Crescent Gardens Muslim Cemetery project.

Your signature is already counted the moment you click “Sign.”
Thank you for standing with us.

FAQ for Petition Signers

Do I have to pay anything to sign?

No. Signing is free. Change.org sometimes shows a donation or membership screen, but you can simply close it. Your signature is already recorded.

Why does Change.org ask me to “chip in”?

That message is part of how Change.org funds its own platform. It’s not connected to our cemetery project.

Does my signature still count if I skip the payment screen?

Yes. Your signature is confirmed as soon as you click “Sign.” You don’t need to donate or join anything.

Where does the money go if I do chip in on Change.org?

It goes to Change.org, not to us. They don’t pass those funds to petition creators.

Can you turn off those prompts?

Unfortunately, no. Change.org shows the same fundraising messages on every petition, and petition starters cannot remove or edit them.

How can I support the Crescent Gardens Muslim Cemetery directly?

At this time, Crescent Gardens is not requesting any financial contributions. We are only asking for your signature and your support.

How to Request a Refund or Cancel

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