Planning commission approves Sacred Groves green‑burial cemetery in Kneeland with conditions

The Humboldt County Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit and adopted a mitigated negative declaration for Sacred Groves, a proposed green‑burial cemetery near Kneeland, with conditions that require the applicant to record excluded areas and revise operational protocols.

Staff described the project as a low‑density green‑burial cemetery on privately accessed land off Kneeland Road. The project includes a 1,500‑square‑foot ceremonial shelter, a paved ADA‑compliant parking area, a portable accessible toilet, a fire‑suppression tank and a rain‑water catchment system to irrigate tree plantings in the first year. Burials would use unembalmed bodies in biodegradable materials; staff said there would be no above‑ground monuments.

Why it matters: Supporters told the commission the county currently lacks a local green‑burial option and that the site’s soils and ridge‑top location make it suitable. Staff and the commission discussed biological and cultural‑resource issues and the need to…