Veterans and general cemetery approved for hills of east Anaheim

A veterans and general cemetery in east Anaheim was unanimously approved by Anaheim’s City Council last week.

Known as the Gypsum Canyon Cemetery Project, the approved plan calls for a 238-acre cemetery in the open space of east Anaheim alongside the Riverside (91) Freeway and just east of the 241 toll road.

“This will be hallowed ground in Anaheim,” Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said. “Our veterans have been selfless in protecting the freedoms we cherish. This cemetery will be a symbol of our community’s enduring respect for our veterans and ensure that their legacy will be remembered for generations to come.”

The plan calls for a general public cemetery operated by Orange County Cemetery District on 126 acres alongside a veterans cemetery on 157 acres operated by the California Department of Veterans Affairs, or CalVet.

The Orange County Cemetery District, which manages the 158-year-old Anaheim Cemetery and other burial sites across the county, is leading the project with county and potential state and federal funding.

Anaheim expects to provide electrical service and possible water service to the site with reimbursement for extending service lines to the cemetery.

The cemetery could see construction in 2026 and open for burials by 2027 with additional development playing out over decades.

After initial grading, the cemetery would be built in 10- to 20-acre sections based on need.

The public cemetery would operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with visitor hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The cemetery would be closed on most holidays with ceremonial events expected at the veterans cemetery on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

To limit area traffic, burials would take place from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. weekdays, before traffic along the Riverside (91) Freeway is heavily congested with afternoon commuters.

There would be no wakes or cremation services at the cemetery.

The approval clears the way for Orange County’s first veterans cemetery and will provide a closer option for those interning or visiting gravesites of passed loved ones who served in the military.

Today, the closest veterans cemeteries are the Riverside National Cemetery, Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego and Los Angeles National Cemetery.

The public cemetery would also provide a final resting place nearby for loved ones of Anaheim families and those across Orange County, where public cemeteries are running out of burial spaces.

The City Council approved a series of items including requests to build and run a cemetery, updated zoning and planning documents and an addendum to a prior environmental analysis done for the area, which was once considered for a housing development known as Mountain Park.

To take effect, the council’s approval requires a second procedural vote set for Aug. 13. From there, ordinances as part of the approval require another 30 days before they take effect.