At the Ruff Family Ranch in Riverside County, owner Blake Ruff is working to turn his property into a thriving organic farm. But he says a proposed project just steps away is threatening it all.
"Pretty much from here on, that's bodies, 20,000 bodies," Ruff said looking over a vacant property in Meadowbrook.
The nearly 85-acre site is the proposed location for Crescent Gardens Cemetery, run by the Muslim Mortuary & Cemetery Committee, which already operates four other cemeteries in Southern California. This one would be their first standalone Muslim cemetery.
Ruff says the type of burial planned raises concerns about his farm's water supply.
"I don't care what kind of cemetery it is. I don't care if it is religious, non-religious, private or public. I do not want dead bodies in my water, period," Ruff said.
According to a Riverside County Environmental Assessment report, the cemetery would use a "natural burial" process, which does not involve embalming chemicals or placing the deceased in a casket. Instead, the body is washed with soap and water, wrapped in a shroud, and placed directly on a bed of gravel in a sub-grade vault.
The project has drawn criticism, not only from Meadowbrook residents but also from Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Board Director Darcy Burke.
"We have grave concerns, no pun intended there, about what is going in there, how it's going to be managed and any mitigation that we've seen so far we think has been deficient," Burke said during a Canyon Lake Homeowners Association meeting last week.
A spokesperson with Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District said in a statement to Eyewitness News:
"Public health and safety is our top priority. Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District is reviewing Riverside County's permitting process for the proposed Crescent Garden Cemetery project. Our focus is ensuring the project includes safeguards to protect drinking water sources, especially Canyon Lake, which serves our community. We have provided detailed technical comments to the county and are reviewing the most current environmental documents. We will continue to review new information and provide additional comments as necessary. "
According to a county environmental assessment, groundwater in the area lies about 147 feet below the surface, with perched water 13 to 15 feet down. Once buried, there would be a six-foot earthen buffer between the graves and any perched groundwater.
In a statement to Eyewitness News, the Riverside County Transportation and Land Management Agency said:
"According to the geotechnical report, groundwater exists primarily at 147 feet below ground surface, although some perched areas may occur at 13-15 feet. The project would not violate water quality standards or waste discharge requirements or otherwise substantially degrade surface or groundwater quality. Impacts would be less than significant, and no mitigation measures are required."
In response, the Muslim Mortuary & Cemetery Committee (MMCC) told Eyewitness News: "We want to be good neighbors and a part of the community, and we agree with the County's response."
MMCC also stated it is conducting a study of other cemeteries in the country which are adjacent to lakes.
Still, some neighbors say the issue is also about the view from their homes.
"The psychological impact of having that right out your kitchen window," said Milvarene Monica Osterhout-McNeil.
Osterhout-McNeil says her home, perched on a hill, would not only overlook the cemetery, it would be inside its boundaries. The project calls for building an easement so she can exit her property.
"If you are looking at gravesites being dug every two to three days, you're looking at a field of over 20,000 burial sites that are going to be here," she said.
The proposal will go before the Riverside County Planning Commission, where residents will have an opportunity to speak during public hearings.