Grand Island board backs church's one-acre cemetery and recommends rezoning of main parcel

The Grand Island Planning Board voted to recommend the town board approve a special use permit for a one-acre cemetery behind Bridal Fellowship on Baseline Road and recommended rezoning the larger church parcel from R‑1D to R‑1A.

Board members heard from Pastor Calvin Ben, who said the church intends to set aside only one acre for burials, not the entire property. "It's only that one acre," he said, clarifying neighbors' concerns that cemetery use would extend to Baseline Road. Planning staff explained the existing code requires a special use permit for cemeteries and described options for zoning the rear parcel to limit future expansion.

The recommendation combines two actions: moving forward with a special use permit for the identified one-acre cemetery area and advising the town board to rezone parcel A to R‑1A while leaving the smaller deeded frontage parcel B unchanged for now. Board members said rezoning the whole parcel to R‑1A would generally prevent subdivision and encourage large‑lot development, which some members viewed as a way to reduce the risk of future, denser development.

The board made the motions and approved them by voice vote. The chair said the town board will consider the recommendations and the planning office will circulate redlined documents and follow up with the applicant on required site plans and any additional conditions.

The next procedural step is that the town board must act on the planning board's recommendations; no final municipal zoning change or permit has been issued by the town board yet.