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Huntsville Council approves plan to study new cemetery at town green-waste site
Summary
The Huntsville Town Council voted 5–0 to move forward with plans to convert part of the municipal green-waste facility into a cemetery, directing staff to pursue a rezone, survey, road improvements and water access. Council and volunteers discussed fill, flood risk and access costs.
Mayor Richard L. Sorensen and the Town Council voted unanimously May 15 to proceed with plans to convert a portion of Huntsville’s green-waste facility into a new municipal cemetery.
Councilmember Bruce Ahlstrom presented maps and preliminary steps, saying the project will require a rezone of the property from FV-3 to AV-3, a boundary survey and improvements to the access road. The council discussed using a neighbor’s right-of-way for entrance and whether to invest in road base before rezoning. Ahlstrom said improving the road would add general access value regardless of the rezone outcome.
Local cemetery digger and volunteer Lonny Bailey described soil and fill needs and early logistics. “They could also use loads of concrete and asphalt brought in to fill in the pit that's there,” Bailey told the council, noting he had already secured 230 loads of dirt from contractors and expected thousands of loads would be required. Bailey urged practical approaches to fill and suggested charging for dumping commercial loads to offset costs.
Council members raised practical concerns: a secluded south-side location across the river would require an expensive bridge replacement and posed flood risk, so the council favored the northeast entry and a berm separating the cemetery from the landfill. The next steps the council approved include surveying the property, pursuing the rezone, and preparing road-base materials to allow construction to begin once approvals are secured.
The motion to proceed with planning was made by Councilmember Sandy Hunter and seconded by Councilmember Bruce Ahlstrom. The roll-call vote was 5–0 in favor. The council did not set a construction schedule or budget; those items will return for future approvals once surveys and zoning reviews are complete.
