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Open Space Committee recommends town not allow dispersal of cremains in preserves
Summary
After debate, the Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee voted to recommend that the town not permit dispersal of cremains in its open-space preserves; the recommendation will be forwarded to the town for consideration.
The Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee voted to recommend that the town not allow dispersal of cremains in its open-space preserves, after members debated the optics and precedent such a policy would set.
The motion recorded in the meeting states: "The OSC recommends that the town of Los Altos Hills does not allow dispersal of cremains in the open space preserves." Eric (committee member) moved the recommendation; members expressed concern that allowing single exceptions would create a precedent and that any request of this type deserved a firm town-wide policy rather than ad hoc decisions.
Committee members discussed alternatives, including asking the requester to withdraw the immediate request and pursuing a town policy later. Some members noted private and cultural practices that favor dispersal in natural settings, but the committee said it preferred a clear, consistent position for Town Council consideration.
Why it matters: The committee'9s recommendation, if adopted by the Town Council, would set a formal municipal standard about the use of public open spaces for human remains and could affect how similar requests are handled in the future.
Next steps: The committee will inform the requester of its recommendation and forward the recommendation to the Town Council for any further ordinance or policy action.
