The Mohave County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 1 voted to table consideration of a special-use permit (BOS resolution 2025-200) for a proposed 10-acre private cemetery in the White Hills area, after questions from supervisors and a caution from county counsel about legal limits on conditions for religious land use.

Applicant Mohammad Farazigbar told the board the project would set aside 10 acres for burials serving the Muslim community, would be maintained by volunteers, include limited storage for equipment and would use donated land. "For now, we are keeping it for the Muslim community only," Farazigbar said.

Planning staff noted the planning commission recommended approval by a 5–3 vote. Commissioners asked whether previous cemetery approvals were similar; staff said prior requests tended to be family cemeteries occupying only small portions of parcels, while this application proposes use of the entire 10-acre parcel.

Attorney Davis reminded the board the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) constrains the county’s ability to impose substantial burdens on religious exercise and limits the types of conditions the board may lawfully place on religious land uses.

Supervisor Borelli moved to hold the item to allow additional research and follow-up; the board voted to table the permit and will revisit the application on Jan. 20, 2026.

Next steps: staff will gather additional information about the planning commission’s opposition votes, site-plan requirements, and possible maintenance arrangements for the cemetery and return the item on Jan. 20 for further consideration.