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Local cemetery groups and commissioners urge county action as Mountain Green plots near capacity
Summary
Local cemetery volunteers told the commission Mountain Green plots are nearly sold out and asked the county to explore land and funding options for a new cemetery.
Representatives from Mountain Green area cemeteries told the Morgan County Commission they face limited capacity and asked the county to help identify land or incentives for a future burial site.
Vicky Benson and other community volunteers said Mountain Green Cemetery is essentially sold out and the church‑owned parcel that currently supports burials will serve only existing purchased plots; they described residents’ interest in keeping interments in‑valley and preserving local burial access. Benson said private operators previously contacted (for example, larger private cemetery firms) were not willing to take over an existing full cemetery but might consider developing a new, purpose‑built cemetery.
Commissioner discussion focused on options: forming a cemetery maintenance district (a public mechanism started by petition, which can fund maintenance through a local levy), encouraging developers to dedicate land for a cemetery as part of new subdivisions, or pursuing a private operator or mortuary to buy and develop suitable property. Commissioners noted the county code already treats cemeteries as quasi‑public uses in several zones but agreed code language could be clarified to make permitting and incentives more straightforward.
Financial and operational context: Mountain Green leaders described historic practice of charging modest fees (recent plots were reported at about $1,000 in‑county and $1,500 out‑of‑county) and said perpetual‑care income has not built a substantial capital reserve to buy new land. Commissioners suggested a coordinated, multi‑stakeholder approach—developers, churches, private mortuaries and the county—to spread the upfront cost for acquiring suitable, buildable land. County staff and commissioners agreed to investigate options including text amendments to zoning code, outreach to potential private mortuary partners, and the feasibility of a cemetery district petition initiated by residents.
Ending: Commissioners asked staff to review zoning rules for cemetery siting, consider a text amendment clarifying public versus private cemetery definitions and report back with options (including potential land sources and funding mechanisms) that could be used to secure an in‑valley burial site for future needs.
