Family seeks private cemetery on 47-acre Graham County parcel; planning commission forwards request

A family representative told the Graham County Planning and Zoning Commission they want to establish a family-only cemetery on a 47-acre parcel they inherited, and the commission voted to forward a favorable recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

The applicant said the parcel was bought by her parents in the 1950s and inherited after their deaths, and that local cemeteries "are filling up," prompting the family to set aside a portion of the land for burials. "My mom and dad got that land back in the fifties and we inherited it when they passed away," the resident said. When asked whether the cemetery would be family-only, she replied, "For right now, yes, sir."

Commission staff recorded that the family had followed required notification procedures and that no letters of opposition had been received. A commissioner moved "favorable to move it forward," the motion was seconded, and the commission voted in favor. Staff advised the applicant the matter will be heard again by the Graham County Board of Supervisors.

The commission's action was a recommendation only; final approval rests with the Board of Supervisors. The applicant and commissioners discussed no specific burial plan details at the meeting, and staff confirmed no opposition letters had been filed.

The commission did not set conditions at the meeting beyond forwarding a favorable recommendation; the Board of Supervisors will review the request at a later hearing.