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Smithfield council weighs limits, cremation sections and fees as city cemetery nears capacity
Summary
City staff told the council the municipal cemetery has fewer than ~140 immediately available plots; councilors asked staff to draft rules to open parts of an undeveloped middle section while protecting remaining space through residency limits, higher nonresident fees and a cremation-only area.
City staff reported that Smithfield’s existing cemetery has fallen to roughly 130–140 available plots and urged the council to set guardrails before opening a larger undeveloped area.
"If we open that section tomorrow, we will blow those out," Justin Lewis said, describing an option that would add about 602 plots in a middle section but warned the city is not prepared to manage a rapid sales surge without policy limits. Lewis told the council an east-side expansion would add about 3,048 regular burial plots and 1,350 cremation plots but carries an engineering estimate of about $1,068,000.
The council discussed three main pathways. Staff recommended a conservative approach that opens the centrally located section (D1/D2) in phases, makes D2 a dedicated cremation-only area and keeps the remainder closed pending a formal plan. Several council members favored residency-based limits — for example, allowing purchases by city or county residents only — or restricting purchases so a plot may only be bought at death (or when a spouse dies) to slow speculative buying.
Council members and staff also debated adjusting fees for nonresidents, with staff noting nonresident fees were raised a few years ago and could be increased further; Justin Lewis estimated current year-to-date burial-fee revenue at just under $42,000 and said the cemetery budget for the fiscal year is $171,000, covering one full-time and one part-time employee plus grounds maintenance. One councilor suggested a multi-tier fee schedule (city resident, county resident, out-of-county) and pilot the rules for a set period before widening them.
The council asked staff to research legal risks associated with age-based or "spouse-only" purchase restrictions and to provide comparisons with other local cemeteries, including resident vs. nonresident pricing. Lewis said developing the east expansion would likely take about a year (excavation, irrigation/asphalt and sprinkler systems) and would not be pursued without funding.
Next steps: staff will draft a formal proposal — including proposed fee changes, residency definitions, and the technical feasibility of stacking or in‑ground versus above‑ground memorial restrictions — and return to the council next month for action.
Ending
Council members emphasized caution and a preference for a phased opening that preserves long-term capacity while giving residents near-term options. The council directed staff to return with draft rules and comparative fee data at the next meeting.
