Funeral home rezoning request stirs up neighbors

Several neighbors spoke out in opposition to a rezoning request for a parcel of land at 735 N. Bridge St. at the Elkin Planning Board meeting held Monday.

The home located on the property, and majority of the parcel in question, is currently zoned as highway business but the backside portion is zoned for residential. The property is owned by Gary York who has signed documents for Hasten Wall to represent him. Wall is requesting that the back portion of the property be rezoned as highway business. Wall is planning to purchase the property for the purpose of building a funeral home.

Town Planner Sarah Harris noted that current practices would be for the entire parcel to be the same zoning. She also noted that the portion already zoned as highway business would be available for the purpose of a funeral home. Wall is requesting the rezone for the back portion of the property to be changed to match the highway business designation of the front of the property so it could be used for a parking lot for the proposed funeral home.

Harris told meeting attendees that the public hearing was for the purpose of asking questions about the project. A public hearing at the July 8 town meeting will allow for opinion-based comments on the proposed project and rezoning.

Questions that arose from the public comment portion of Monday’s meeting included how a funeral home might affect neighboring property values, the increase in traffic for the residential neighborhood directly behind the property, and overall suitability for a funeral home in that location.

Neighbor Dave Brendle said, “do we need another funeral home in Elkin when we have two funeral homes, that’s my main concern.”

Brendle also expressed concern about runoff and possible erosion from a parking lot.

Mark Curtis, who said he can see the property from his home nearby, asked if the town had considered how a funeral home would affect the property values of the neighboring homes. He also said it was a “very peaceful neighborhood” and expressed concerns about increased traffic a funeral home would bring to the neighborhood.

Whitney Laws, another neighbor to the property, questioned the location for the project. She said the “whole draw of Elkin was it’s a fun city” with hiking, restaurants etc.

“Having a funeral home is just depressing. . .I don’t necessarily want that in my backyard,” she said. “If you wanted to build a sushi restaurant or something more fun I’d be up for it, but this is really depressing and I will do everything I can to make sure it doesn’t get built.”

Harris reminded those speaking that this time was for questions about the projects not personal opinions, which prompted an outburst from Curtis.

“We do have free speech and you work for us,” he shouted.

The planning board did vote that the rezone would be consistent with the future land use plan, which prompted an outburst of ‘nay’ from Curtis.

Planning Board member Alfreda Abrams spoke up to remind those in attendance that the planning board must make decisions based on the land use plan and if the zoning lines up with town policy.

“It’s not like we’re trying to debate. We have to go by what the policy is,” she said.

The town board will hold a public hearing on the rezoning request at its July 8 meeting.