The City Council last night in a vote of 3-2 passed an amended version of Bill 1909 allowing mortuaries and funeral homes to be allowed to apply for a Conditional Use permit within the C1- Neighborhood Commercial Zone, but not within the R1- Residential Zone. We have given you the background on this matter last week in our article HERE. Emotions have run high and this has been a highly charged issue so far.
Again, remember, this change is about the ability to submit a permit for use – it is not in fact that process happening now. It is the ‘right to play’. Based upon the feedback from the community that was overwhelmingly against the R1 allowance, the Council decided to amend the Bill to allow C1, but not the R1 designation.
The decision was not easy it seems for most of the council members – in fact Councilwoman Bridges said to us that she wrote and re-wrote her decision several times in prepping for this meeting. “It’s been a very polarizing issue in the community, and we’re fully aware of the fact that no matter who we decided, roughly half the community would disagree.”
I’m no expert, but one wonders if maybe the Planning Commission could have maybe done the same? Regardless, this particular matter has now been decided for now by the City Council.
The request has been brought forth by the owner of Boulder City Mortuary, Tyson Smith. During the meeting when the Bill was introduced, Tyson said, “he has searched high and low to find a location here in town over the last ten years. Every time a property comes up for sale I look at it to see if it’s suitable, and it’s been a challenge. Is Boulder City ever going to make us a funeral Mecca-hub? No, our growth ordinance prevents that from happening. But some of these important businesses do need to be located here in Boulder City without heading over to Vegas. We are not planning to or permitted to put a crematorium into town, so let’s please put that matter to rest. I want to see our Boulder City residents taken care of – it’s not about my pocket book, it’s about my passion to make sure that people are taken care of. I know it’s going to be in somebody’s back yard.”
Based upon the fact that funerals and mortuaries are not turn-key allowed in any area of Boulder City, plus the idea that having a local mortuary and funeral home is an essential business in Boulder City, Council members Bridges, Fox and Jorgensen all voted ‘Yes’, with McManus and Adams voted ‘No’.
So, some people in town got some of what they wanted, and others received none. It’s a potential compromise if we chose to view it that way, and at this point we can hope that whatever progresses down the way that as a community we can remain respectful in our discourse and monitor what evolves next.
