Board grants special exception for columbarium at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

The Laconia Zoning Board of Adjustment granted a special exception June 16 allowing Good Shepherd Lutheran Church to install an above-ground granite columbarium within existing landscaping.

Bruce Wilhelm, property committee chair and financial secretary for Good Shepherd, described the unit as roughly 77 inches tall by 77 inches long by 19 inches deep, with 25 niches that can hold urns for up to two people per niche. The board treated the request as a cemetery use under state law and applied the special-exception criteria in Article 5, section 235-26, concluding the request met standards for location, safety and impact on municipal services.

During deliberations the board clarified this approval authorizes the use; building, fire and state regulations apply at the time of construction. The board noted that if the church later installed additional columbarium units they would not necessarily need to return to the zoning board for the use, though construction and safety reviews would occur through the building and fire departments. A motion to grant the special exception (application ZB2025-065) was made, seconded and approved by voice vote with no recorded public opposition.

The board recorded its findings on the special-exception criteria, including that the use is authorized by ordinance, would not overload municipal systems, and is appropriate at the church site.