HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Amendment to a Special Use Permit to Add Cremation Services to an Existing Funeral Facility at 414 Lincoln WayCITY OF AME;S, IOWA E
ZONING BOARD OF ADJ USrl,, ME
IN THE MATTER OF 'FIIE APPLICATION
OFGRANDON FOR AN AAJENDMENTTO A
SPECIAL USE PERMIT, § 29.1503, AMES
MUNICIPAL CODF', TO ADD CREMATION
SERVICES TO AN EXISTING FUNFRAL
FACILITY ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED
AT414 LINCOLN WAY
FACTS
CASE NO. 12-21
GEOCODE NO. 09-11-101-030
DECISION ,XL ORDER
The applicant Owns and operates Et Cuncral 1101110 I)LII-SLIallt to a Special IJse Permit this Board
granted in 2007. The property is located ill all 110C(I-11oliway Oriented Commercial) zorull"
district. The applicant has provided all of' tile conventional services associated with a Funeral
CaCillity, HICILIdirl" CrClllatlOu, but when that service has been requested, the actual crematiou
takes place at another facility which has cremator. This is often located in another county, so it
necessarily entails travel and additional time to Furnish that service. Cremation is bellh,
I-CCILICStCd more and store fre(ILICIltly, and with that trend, this business would like to add a
cremator to their premises to better serve their customers. Performing cremation on -site Was not
contemplated under the terms of' the Orl(-'111al special use I)CI-Illit, so file owner is seeking
modification of -their perrnit to allow this. The cremator is a specialized piece ot'eqLlil)l]]Cllt and
is of'stitlliclent size that a small addition to the I'Lineral parlor is necessary to house it. ThIS Will
be located at the SOLItlICaSt corner ol'the building, immediately cast ol'the garage. This location
is the farthest from street view and is the least obtrusive location on the property. The site
presently has rt long, narrow OLltbtlI kfirl(' HI that area, but this will be removed fur the addition.1, -
The addition will be built Of" 1IOfl-COIIIbUStIt-)IC concrete block with exterior firilslics that are
compatible with the existing structure. The equipment requires a f1LIC, and its llel,,Illt at tallest
will be about one 600t above the tallest point of' the CX]Stlflg Structure. ']-'Ile OWJICr has I)CCII III
contact with the Iowa Department of'NatUr,11 Resources, which is the agency that I-CoLllatcS air
quality. IDNR will Issue a COIlStrLlCtjOlI permit only after an assessment has been made to
determine the impacts ol'the proposed Cacillity. The owner advised that the IDNR's preliminary
finding has been imadc, based Oil the rualuffaCtUrCY's data, all(] oil that basis, this proposal appea
rs I I
to meet their standards. 'I"he owner spoke to concerns about smoke and odor fi-oril this fiacility
and explained that the bodies are burned at a very high heat and with a 2-stage burner. There
"I
The f)I-OCCSS COIISUI-IICS �1 high au'101.1111, of natural gas
may be a plume of'stearri ill certain SCaSOJIS. I zn
and requires considerable combustion air. The utilities SLIpf)IiC]-S lIaVC been contacted about tile
siring of the ,-,,.is and electric services aracl Indicated that prescrit service sizes are adequate.
WlICII questioned about certification to operate this cqLlll)l'llCllt, the owner advised that this is
obtained at III(ILIStry olTered schools. He will be obtaining that certification and, thereafier, will
be present oil site for all cremations. MaIlItClIauCC Will be (1011C 0101,11111 1 contracted Service
provider.
I)FfINION
The Board hears the evidence concerning this PrOPOSCd Use and examines the standards
applicable to Special [Jse Pcrrints both generally and for conn-nercial zones. III this instance, the
Board finds that a funeral home continues to be consistent with L"Ind Use Policy plan and the
character of the area. The building addition is designed to he as li-iconspiCUOLIS as Possible and to
In --1
be consistent with the appearance of the existing facility. The addition of on -site crelilatioll will
not require any additional public Services Or other Infrasil-LiCtAlrC. The LISC Should not be
hazardous as the specific features which may be potentially hazardous, like high heat and
emissions, are addressed in the design and construction of the eqLlll)lllCllt and structure SCI*Viflg it.
The processes and CCIL]ll:)IIICIlt incorporated in this proposal should not produce any additional
noise, traffic or glare, nor any excessive fumes, odors or smoke. The IDNR has to permit the
facility, so the Board has that additional check on the air duality. In light of the evidence
presented, the Board finds that (-,li-anting, this additional service at this bLISHICSS Is appropriate.
ORDER
WHEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the applicant is Granted an amendillent to tile
2007 Special t,.,)se Permit, section 29,1503 ofthe Aines MLIllICIpal (.bode, to allow the addition of
a human crernator to I funeral uneral borne, conditioned oil the filing with tile City of the facility's
permit from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, all f(:)r the property located at
414 1-incoln Way.
Any person desiring to appeal this decision to a COLII-t of' record nlay do so within 30 days after
the filing of this decision.
I I .)one this 24 th day of October, 2012.
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Jill Ripper-er Elizabeth Erbes
Secretary to the Board (,'hall'