The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners Tuesday night will tackle the controversial topic of where crematories can be located, prompted by a standoff between homeowners in Towne Lake and a funeral home operator who wanted to establish a funeral home and crematory in the upscale neighborhood.
Among other changes, the proposed zoning ordinance alterations specify a crematory can be located in a general commercial area only if it’s an accessory to an adjacent funeral home. In addition, several conditions would have to be met including exhaust being located a minimum of 1,320 feet from residential, office and institutional property and required filtering to capture dioxin, hydrochloric acid, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and mercury emissions.
Commissioners in July approved a 60-day moratorium on crematory applications to give planning staff time to rework regulations.
Controversy erupted after Cherokee County Commissioner Brian Poole announced plans to build a funeral home and crematory in the Towne Lake neighborhood. After a community outcry over potential environmental and other concerns, he agreed to shift the crematory part of the project elsewhere.
About the Author
