Plan Commission approves Faith Lutheran’s phased columbarium with conditions

The Cedarburg Plan Commission on Feb. 2 approved a conditional‑use permit for Faith Lutheran Church to develop phased outdoor columbarium structures on its 8.29‑acre property at 6621 Wilson Street.

Mary, the city planner, told commissioners the proposal would be implemented in 80‑niche modules up to a 640‑niche maximum and that the structures’ limestone and granite materials are complementary to the existing brick church. Mary said the plan complies with zoning criteria but noted the church must submit a plan for perpetual care and maintenance and secure building permits before construction begins.

At a commissioner’s question about how perpetual care works, a representative (speaker 9) said the state statute requires that “25% of the niche sale income gets put aside for a care fund” and that the fund remain in place in perpetuity to pay for maintenance. Commissioners also raised accessibility and long‑term replacement concerns; one commissioner urged that the planner and building inspector review a site plan to ensure ADA clearance between niches.

A motion to approve the conditional‑use permit — with the planner’s recommended conditions and an added requirement that staff review ADA compliance — passed on a commission vote. The commission’s approval requires the applicant to provide the city with the perpetual‑care plan for formal inclusion in the conditional‑use document.

The commission also noted that any future modifications to the number, size or appearance of the columbarium structures will require plan commission review and that any substantiated material adverse impacts must be remedied by the permittee.

The commission moved on to other agenda items after the vote.