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Planning board and local funeral director back alkaline hydrolysis option in zoning hearing
Summary
At a July 22 public hearing the Montgomery County Planning Board recommended support for ZTA 25‑09 to allow alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation) at funeral homes; a sustainable funeral director described energy and emissions benefits and urged favorable council action. The public hearing closed and committee review will follow.
Montgomery County held a public hearing July 22 on Zoning Text Amendment 25‑09 to permit alkaline hydrolysis — often called water cremation — as part of funeral, interment and crematory uses. The Planning Board recommended support for the ZTA and the council closed the hearing and said a Planning, Housing and Parks committee work session will be scheduled.
Why it matters: Supporters called alkaline hydrolysis a potentially lower‑carbon alternative to flame cremation and said it can be installed in existing funeral homes without changing neighborhood impacts. The technique uses water, heat and alkali to reduce remains and, according to a speaker representing a sustainable funeral business, uses about 90 percent less energy and produces no combustion emissions compared with traditional flame cremation.
What presenters said: Ben Burbur (representing the Montgomery County Planning Board) told the council the Planning Board supports ZTA 25‑09 and noted a climate assessment in the ZTA packet found mostly positive environmental impacts, subject to how widely the option is used. Lily Berkel (co‑founder, Willow Green Funerals; licensed mortician and funeral director) described experience helping to enact the Maryland Green Death Care Options Act at the state level and asked the council for favorable action; she emphasized the option’s environmental benefits and told the council installing the equipment would not change neighborhood impacts for funeral homes.
Process: The council’s staff invited written materials for committee consideration by the close of business on July 31, 2025. A Planning, Housing and Parks committee work session on the ZTA will be scheduled; no final council vote took place at the July 22 hearing.
