In the end, Mayor Jill Swain’s tie-breaking vote cleared the way for the operation of funeral home crematoriums in highway commercial districts in town.
The hot topic was brought to the town’s front burner through a request from Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home to change the town’s zoning ordinance to allow crematoriums in the specific zoning district. A public hearing at last month’s board meeting generated some ashes for the planning board to sift through and that board’s unanimous decision to alter the ordinance was presented to the board at Monday’s meeting.
The ensuing discussion gave commissioners Danae Caulfield and Charles Jeter the opportunity to vent some concerns about the ordinance change. Caulfield said the rules should include a larger minimum setback from neighboring property and Jeter took issue with the lack of regulatory enforcement of emissions included in the proposed wording of the ordinance.
Commissioner Sarah McAulay successfully lobbied for the removal of free-standing cemeteries from the list of businesses allowed to operate crematoriums and, after presentations from Caulfield and Jeter, alterations were also made to require a 50-foot setback from neighboring properties and to restrict the emission of any particles as well as any noticeable odor from the crematorium’s exhaust.
Caulfield, who argued for a minimum buffer of at least 100 feet, and Jeter, who reiterated concerns that vague enforcement guidelines could create the potential for problems with future operators, still voted against the ordinance change. McAulay and Ron Julian voted in favor.
Raymer-Kepner wants to add cremation services at its facility at the intersection of Sam Furr and Old Statesville roads in Huntersville.
Another fiery topic was the subject of a public hearing at Monday’s meeting. A proposed zoning ordinance change that would ease restrictions on solar panels on commercial buildings was outlined for the board.
The change, initiated in part by ABB’s plans to use about two-thirds of the roof space at its 250,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Commerce Station as a solar-powered energy source for factory operations, would simplify the permitting process for commercial uses of solar panels.
The change would eliminate most of the two-and-one-half month application, permitting and review process currently involved when plans for rooftop solar panel arrays are submitted.
Jeter balked at the change, saying the town’s procedures and guidelines had been carefully analyzed before they were put in place and that for most proposed commercial undertakings, a two-month evaluation process would not be much of a burden.
But others on the board said the issue could generate delays for potential developers. Commissioners did agree, however, that the location of the commercial use should be among the factors considered.
“I think the aesthetics part of this will need some tweaking,” Julian said at the meeting, specifically addressing the situation that could occur if a commercial building was located in a mostly residential area.
The board also heard the first presentation from Public Works Director Max Buchanan about the establishment of guidelines governing citizen proposals for street name changes.
Buchanan and Swain both vaguely referenced recent requests for street name changes and Buchanan asked the board to consider what type of approach – ranging from basic staff oversight to official board proceedings – commissioners favored for handling future requests.
“I’m just looking for direction from the board about how to deal with this,” Buchanan said.
“We need to adopt a formal policy so the procedures will be clear.”
Buchanan, who said there are various standards in place in neighboring jurisdictions, said it would take his department several weeks to put a plan together and the issue will be brought back to the board for consideration and additional input.
Also at Monday’s meeting, the board appointed Henry Stiene to a seat on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Stiene was one of five applicants seeking to fill the board seat formerly held by Joe Murgolo. The term will expire at the end of 2012.
