Parties Reach Agreement On Towne Lake Funeral Home

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The parties behind a proposal to build a funeral home near a busy Towne Lake intersection have announced a development they believe should satisfy the concerns of residents who’ve expressed opposition to the project.

In a statement emailed Thursday evening, State Senator Bruce Thompson said Hendon Properties and Cherokee County Commissioner Brian Poole, who is seeking to build the funeral home, have come to an agreement ”on the method to best address the concerns of the residents of Towne Lake.”

That solution: the property where the funeral home is slated to be built will be deed restricted “to permanently prevent a crematory from ever being constructed at this location,” Thompson, an investor in the business, said.

“We have spent days exploring the most comprehensive approach to ensure a crematory will never be present on this property,“ Thompson said. “All the parties involved desire to be good corporate partners with the community and we appreciate the patience and opportunity to build strong lasting relationships with this community.”

When reached on Friday, Thompson said the restriction will take place once closing is complete on the property. Poole, who represents District 3 on the commission, said closing should take place “soon.”

“I have been working with Hendon Properties for at least one-and-a-half months trying to find a solution that would satisfy everyone involved,” Poole added.

Hendon owns the land along Eagle Drive near Rose Creek Drive, which includes several acres and is home to Aldi, NTB and Autumn Leaves of Towne Lake.

Thompson added he believes this approach is more effective than going through the zoning process, as a zoning classification could always be implemented in the future to allow for a crematory.

He added Towne Lake residents should be pleased with the decision, and thanked the community for its patience while stakeholders, property owners and entrepreneurs worked behind the scenes to find a solution.

This latest development comes on the heels of the Cherokee County Commission on Tuesday voting to impose a 60-day moratorium on accepting applications related to crematories.

See also:

• County Imposes Moratorium on Crematory Applications
• Towne Lake Residents Continue Push Against Funeral Home
• Brandon Beach Seeks To Expand Distance Requirements For Crematories
• Amid Outcry, Poole Seeks Another Location For Funeral Home
• Towne Lake Residents Fight Proposed Funeral Home, Crematorium

The resolution calling for the moratorium applies to applications for land disturbance permits for crematories on properties zoned general commercial or office-institutional and petitions to rezone land to either office-institutional or general commercial for the construction of a crematory.

That moratorium was implemented following several weeks of community protests and vocal opposition to Poole’s proposal, which initially included plans to build a funeral home with a crematory component.

Residents who’ve expressed opposition to Poole’s plans held regular protests at the site of the proposed development and discuss their concerns on the HEADS UP Woodstock - Neighbors Against Poole Funeral Home and Crematory’s Facebook page.

Following the widespread outcry, Poole decided to move the crematory to another location while moving ahead with the funeral home at the same location.

The organization on Friday said it will release a statement on the development this weekend.

Return to Patch for updates.

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Image via Shutterstock