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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING � <br /> Monday,August 16,2010 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> recommending they be an allowed accessory use but require a separate conditional use permit unless an <br /> outdoor place of inurnment is part of the initial conditional use permit for a place of worship. <br /> Because what is being proposed is not a cemetery,the possibility exists that in the future the property <br /> ceases to be a place of worship. Staff recommends that the religious organization be required to make <br /> provisions for disposition of the cremated remains,regardless of where they are located, in the event that <br /> occurs. <br /> Cremated remains in urns within niches are easily physically relocated. When urns and remains are <br /> placed directly in the earth,physical relocation becomes more difficult. The Planning Commission <br /> should discuss the acceptability of this arrangement and if it would be more acceptable if the urns and <br /> ashes were placed as Good Shepherd Church proposes,at a shallow depth and within a closely de�ned <br /> area,rather than being placed separately as in a cemetery. There are also niches that can be placed <br /> horizontally,but they do not allow the earth burial of ashes. <br /> Scattering of ashes on land so there is no defined burial or inurnment location can occur on any property <br /> with the consent of the owner. Since it has no land use impact, Staff does not propose to regulate it. <br /> Planning Staff recommends approval of the zoning code text amendment. <br /> � <br /> Leskinen commented she is unclear regarding the language contained in Staff's report stating it would not <br /> be open to the public. ' <br /> Turner stated it would somehow be restricted to church members or relatives of church members in order <br /> to prevent it from becoming a public site. <br /> Curtis stated the church can set those restrictions. <br /> Feuss asked if the storing of remains would be limited to church members. <br /> Turner stated that is a question the Planning Commission should address. <br /> Kang commented in her opinion that should be decided by the church. <br /> Chair Kang opened the public hearing at 6:57 p.m. <br /> Dave Owen stated he is here on behalf of Good Shepherd Church. They would encourage the Planning <br /> Commission to allow cremated remains to be stored on the church property. Their interest in this goes <br /> back six or seven years and a number of ineetings have been held where they looked at different options. <br /> Good Shepherd Church has developed a rules and procedures document that the church members would <br /> sign. Plans have been developed and they have a contractor who is ready to construct the project. <br /> Owen stated they also have had conversations with Trinity Lutheran Church and St.Edward about where <br /> they are in this process. Good Shepherd is further along than the other churches. There is a demand for <br /> this type of project since new cemeteries are not being constructed. ' <br /> Owen stated they did receive some comments from David Lee Funeral Home regarding this proposal that <br /> he would like to provide to the Planning Commission. In the third paragraph of the letter,David Lee <br /> Page 4 <br />