A Buckhead condo community has agreed to care for a historic Black cemetery on its property, ending a nearly two-year court battle with descendants of those buried there.
A Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled last month that the Bluffs at Lenox Homeowners Association had neglected its obligation to maintain the Piney Grove Cemetery, which sits off Canterbury Road behind the townhomes. The HOA must now pay an undisclosed amount to the nonprofit Friends of Piney Grove Cemetery, which already works to preserve the site.
The cemetery, where more than 300 Black men, women, and children are buried, dates back to the 1820s and includes both formerly enslaved and free people. It remained in use until the 1990s.
Wright Mitchell, president and CEO of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, said the ruling has broader implications. “It’s not just a win for Piney Grove, but it’s a big win for similar cemeteries across the state of Georgia,” he said.
Volunteers and descendants accused the HOA of allowing the site to become overgrown with weeds and covered by fallen trees. “Very overgrown, inaccessible, and that’s why the descendants sued and ultimately were vindicated by the court’s ruling,” Mitchell said.
The property was rezoned in the early 2000s for residential development, with the condition that any future homeowners association would be responsible for maintaining the cemetery.
Jeff Hurme, a volunteer with Friends of Piney Grove Cemetery, said keeping the grounds clean ensures those buried there are honored properly. “These individuals gave their lives, we have a couple veterans here who served in World War II,” Hurme said. “I would think just coming from a family, I have had several family members in the military, and I’d want their lives and their service dedicated for eternity.”
The Bluffs at Lenox HOA did not respond to requests for comment in time for this story.
The cemetery will remain open to the public during the day, though the HOA will be allowed to restrict access at night.
