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Planning staff presents cemetery text amendment; commission postpones decision to July 15 after discussion
Summary
Planning staff presented a draft cemetery text amendment that would standardize rules for public and private cemeteries; commissioners raised questions about minimum acreage, landscaping requirements, and tree standards and voted to postpone action until July 15 to allow review and suggested edits.
Planning staff presented a proposed cemetery text amendment to the Morgan County Commission on July 1 that would unify public and private cemetery definitions, set approval and landscaping standards, and identify site-specific requirements for private cemeteries.
Josh (planning staff) said the draft removed a strict public/private distinction — because state statute allows municipalities and private organizations to operate cemeteries — and proposed minimum acreage and landscaping standards. Planning Commission reviewed the draft on June 12 and recommended approval to the county commission with minor clarifications; staff said one clarifying addition requested was to require consideration of existing landscaping during construction.
Commissioners raised several substantive questions during the discussion: whether the proposed five-acre minimum for private cemeteries is appropriate for all areas of the county, and whether the landscaping standards (including a requirement that half of trees be evergreen and minimum shrub spacing) are workable in some dry locations where trees do not establish easily. One commissioner noted Mountain Green Cemetery and other local cemeteries are smaller than five acres and requested flexibility for case-by-case approvals. Josh said staff could add language allowing the commission to approve smaller acreages in specific cases.
After public hearing was opened and closed with no public comments, Commissioner Fackrell moved to postpone the item until the July 15 meeting so commissioners could review the text and provide written suggestions to staff; Commissioner Blocker seconded. The motion passed. Staff invited commissioners to meet with planning staff in the interim to provide suggested edits.
