Planning Commission Agenda and Packet 2018 12 13

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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes October 11, 2018 Page 6 of 17 Danielle Butler, 716 Ponderosa Court, stated that the first neighborhood meeting was emotional and antagonistic. She stated that she was surprised that the proposal had gotten this far, because the neighborhood tried to tell the church that they did not want it in their neighborhood. She added that it would diminish her feelings about the neighborhood and the City. Harvey Benas 840 Owl Drive stated that a cemetery by any other name was still a cemetery and there should be another location and that it was inappropriate for a residential neighborhood. He was not willing to take the chance that property values would be affected by the columbarium. He thought it was disrespectful to people in the community to take that chance with their property values. Benas added that it was an eerie feeling to have in a residential neighborhood no matter how pretty the structure. People did not buy their homes to back up against a columbarium, they bought them thinking they would be up against a church. Gary Pawlas, 546 Hoptree Court, had found the Church to be a responsive group. He noted that the columbarium was not a cemetery. He stated that he had visited them in other places and stated that they were common and maybe it was time to change. The first proposal was not well thought out, but they improved the proposal. He stated that it would blend in. They listened to the concerns and addressed them in an effective manner. He added that the country was founded on religious expression. Guillaume Lessard, 384 Owl Drive, stated that he had lived next to a large cemetery for many years and it had been a calm, quiet neighbor. He stated that the traffic was not going to be an issue with so few memorials. He was in support of the proposal. Jennifer Lorenz, 727 Pine Needle Lane, lives in the neighborhood and stated that the columbarium is offensive to her family. She stated that the City was prohibited from considering the church and its beliefs over hers and her neighbors. She stated that it would change the demographics, traffic flow, and safety of the neighborhood. She stated that the traffic would increase in a neighborhood full of children. As a tax-exempt organization, the church would not participate in the repair of streets that would result from the proposal. She stated that she had never received any letters from the church even though she lives across the street from some of the neighbors who did. She added that in a parklike setting they were proposing to build a walled area that would increase illegal activities in the area. Brauneis asked for additional comments. Seeing none, he stated that the Commission recognized that this was an emotional issue that got at the core of life and death and thanked the audience for their participation. Moline asked staff what the rules were about burials on people's properties. Zuccaro stated that it was not addressed in the Code other than allowing a cemetery. Moline asked if the Louisville cemetery were at capacity. Ritchie stated that they had not checked capacity at the cemetery. 8