Laserfiche WebLink
Metadata
Document management portal powered by Laserfiche WebLink 9 © 1998-2015 Laserfiche. All rights reserved.
MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, August 23, 2010 <br />7:00 o'clock p.m. <br />(S. #10 -3483 CITY OF ORONO —AMENDMENT TO RESIDENTLIL ZONING DISTRICTS TO <br />ALLOW INTERNMENT OF CREMATED REMAINS AS ANACCESSORY USE TO PLACES OF <br />WORSHIP, Continued) <br />Owen noted Staff has raised two issues regarding this project, with one of the issues being setbacks. <br />Good Shepherd's intention is to construct an in ground inurement garden and they were wondering if <br />those setbacks would apply. Owen noted that Staff's report only addresses columbaria. <br />Curtis stated the intent is for a minimum for a 10 -foot setback for an above - ground or in ground <br />columbaria. <br />Owen indicated their church has five to six funerals a year and that approximately three to four of those <br />would result in the remains being buried on church grounds. Owen stated their inurement garden would <br />be very low impact and that they currently hold church picnics that have a larger impact on the neighbors <br />than what this project would entail. Owen encouraged the City Council to approve the zoning text <br />amendment. <br />Judy Starkey asked as it relates to Orono's zoning laws, whether it would be permissible to take human <br />remains and scatter them about the grounds. <br />Mattick indicated he is not aware of any regulation that would prevent that. <br />• <br />Starkey stated the second issue relates to a pet memorial garden that they currently have and they • <br />encourage their members to have their pet's name put on a brick located in the memorial garden and to <br />scatter the ashes within the garden. Starkey asked whether that could be done with the pet remains. Their <br />church has discussed placing an urn where the pet remains could be placed. <br />Mattick stated people are allowed to scatter cremated remains on their own private property but that if <br />churches are encouraging people to scatter remains on church property, there are zoning regulations <br />against that. Mattick stated he is not aware of whether pet remains can be placed in an urn on church <br />property under current zoning laws. <br />Loren Davis, Pastor of Good Shepherd, stated he has been asked in the past whether a tree could be <br />planted on church property and the remains of a church member buried underneath it, which is what <br />started this conversation five to six years ago. Davis stated in his opinion there should be an'ordinance <br />regulating this since more people are choosing cremation versus the full body burial and that concerns <br />regarding the remains have been raised. Good Shepherd currently has three sets of cremains in their safe <br />at the church. Davis encouraged the City Council to continue with this process. <br />Davis noted there is a church in Mound that has a garden that allows for the placement of cremains and <br />that Good Shepherd would like to accommodate that need. Davis indicated they would like to construct <br />the garden in a wooded area to allow for privacy. <br />Zubay stated their process started in much the same way as Good Shepherd and that they also are storing <br />remains at their church while they are undergoing this process. Zubay indicated the committee has done <br />some research and visited other columbarium. Trinity Lutheran Church has drafted a 12 -page contract <br />• <br />Page 4 of 18 <br />