The residents are disappointed with the City of Snellville, because when Commercial Zoning was approved for the area, it was approved with conditions. So residents thought that the space would only be used for business offices like a law firm or an insurance office. They didn't really expect a business that burns human or animal remains to be built there, so imagine their dismay.
The crematorium has not yet obtained their license, and the residents plan to fight it. One of their major concerns is air quality, and that there is a school bus stop nearby.
If you are interested in filing a complaint you can go to this website:
https://secure.sos.state.ga.
2098 East Main Street Snellville, GA 30078 is the address.
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I'm not sure about what the health concerns are regarding crematories. I think modern crematories are probably blanketed with laws and regulations that make the process pretty safe, but still - I don't know if I would personally want to LIVE next to one...what do you think about it?
Would you want to live next to a cremation facility?
I am a resident that lives very close to this crematory and we are absolutely disappointed with the City of Snellville for approving this business to be placed on a lot of land that is maybe half an acre. The most upsetting thing is the crematorium vehicle access will only be a driveway off of Abington Drive, a residential street and the only way to off load the bodies is to open a roll up garage door which then the retort (furnace) is in full view of every car driving by. The city approved this without even considering the welfare of its residents who live so close, the children who wait for the school bus directly across the street, or the thousands of people who drive west on 78 who will have a full view of everything when that door is open.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely absurd! Being a former resident of the neighborhood in which this business is trying to place themselves, I am completely appalled to hear of this. This is no place for a business of this type being as there are so many children in the area which would have to be exposed to the constant reminder of death. How desensitizing!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhile I understand the need for having such a facility, I don’t understand how it could be located within a neighborhood where the lot size is less than ½ acre, it’s driveway off a residential street and directly across the street from a major bus stop.
ReplyDeleteNot only is my concern for the children’s well being from witnessing the unloading of dead human bodies and the emissions that this type of facility will omit, I am also concerned about the property value of my daughter, son-in-law and grandson’s home. If this business was there prior to the homes being built that would have been their choice. I mean let’s face it, would you KNOWINGLY purchase a home that has a crematorium located within 50 yards of your front door?
In addition, this is a location that I pass daily driving to work and home each day. There are also 2 schools that are located less than ½ mile from this location.
Does the city of Snellville have no regard for its residents, and are only wanting the revenue that ANY type of business will bring in.
I used to live near this neighborhood and I have friends with little children who still live there. I went to South Gwinnett High School, as did my two daughters, which is not far down the road from the proposed site for the crematorium. I cannot believe the Mayor and City of Snellville would consider letting a business of this type, build so close to families and schools. We only have to remember the scandal that involved a crematorium in Noble, Georgia and realize this same type of tragedy could take place so close to a neighborhood. There are health issues, not to mention emotional and psychological issues that could be impacted due to a business of this nature operating at the beginning of a residential area. PLEASE, reconsider your decision in allowing a crematorium to operate at this site.
ReplyDeleteI am completely speechless and extremely disappointed! I can NOT believe the City of Snellville would approve this business to be built so close to residents.. much less directly across the street form a major school bus stop for school age children to witness these "deposits".
ReplyDeleteHow do you explain to a 5 year old what is going on at the "house on the corner"? Why so many bags that look like bodies are being dropped off.
Where is the discretion that just about ALL other crematories express? How many other crematories will you drive past when you are able to see the furnace in plain sight! Pu-Lease!
I have friends in this area and I drive past this "house" everyday to get to and from work. I do not believe this is the best site for this business. Please reconsider the operation of this business at this particular site. If anything, for the sake of the young children in this area.
First a response to Angela. I don't think what happened with the crematory in North Georgia is at all pertinent here. How many hundreds if not thousands of crematories are there in this country and this has happened once. This is a not a routine occurrence with these types of facilities. There are far more likely negative uses of this building not as a crematory than what happened in Walker County.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I gotta admit I don’t know what to think about this one. Rationally, I can see that this is not a very intrusive use of the property so long as there is proper screening. There should be no odors, fumes, or smoke if the technology works as Mr. Nuzum says (and I suspect that it does - filter of emissions is a fairly common technology these days). However, at the same time I definitely see how living near a crematorium could be a tad bit ghoulish. Also, I think valids points have been made about kids being exposed to this and how you explain to them what goes on there. You know that even if parents try to shield them, as older neighborhood kids figure it out, the pranks and scary “ghost” stories will start up and get to the younger kids.
However, here is the rub in this situation. Mr. Nuzum is following the law. He has apparently done what he has supposed to do to operate his business. He has invested $250,000 in renovating this house for the operation. Even if the city could stop him, who is going to be responsible for that large sum of money? You cannot expect Mr. Nuzum to just swallow it because he has not violated any ordinances. As far as I am concerned Snellville should be on the hook for $25,000 if the Chick-fil-a curb cut is never able to be used. Now this would be $250,000. Just how much money does Snellville have to throw around?
I gotta admit, this is one of the trickiest land use questions I have ever come across.
I live across the street from this building. Why did we not know about this before it happened? Of
ReplyDeleteall places this could be why here in the middle of our neighborhood UNBELIEVEABLE why not next ot he funeral home on westeriaor or by the hospital. Makes sense to me. IN SHOCK
Mr. Nuzum is not an idiot, he is a smart business man that did his research. The city of Snellville is the real responsible party here. They are the ones that have allowed this crematorium to be placed literally in people’s backyards. While it is easy to blame the owner, one must really look closer at the situation here. I find it very interesting that the Chick-fil-a was denied opening an entrance to their business off a residential street after construction was complete and the business paid approximately $40,000 and this was approved by whom? Mr. Jason Thompson acting planning director for the City of Snellville…was it the Mr. Thompson that approved without checking with other council members as to whether or not a permit should be granted to such a type of business at this particular location? Don’t you think that a public hearing would have been in order here at the VERY least let the council discus it? The Mayor was quoted as saying “Who would have figured they would put a crematorium at a location like that, right on a major highway,” Mr. Mayor, you are totally missing the point here. The fact that it is located “right on a major highway” is not the point of major interest… The point is that it is literally in people’s backyards, and remember we are not talking about houses that are on even 1 acre of land, we are talking less than ½ acre. Mr. Nuzum has offered to do more landscaping, perhaps put up a privacy fence, oh that will remove it from the backyard, if you are working with the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. And when did Mr. Nuzum talk to the neighbors regarding this? After they noticed the “chimney” protruding from the roof and came over to inquire about it? Everything that I am seeing regarding fumes or smoke is “according to Mr. Nuzum”. Did the city do any checking into this or go on face value? Is Mr. Nuzum planning on removing the teeth with mercury amalgam fillings, so as to limit the amount of mercury that is omitted into the air? Or is he going to find that “disgusting”? What about the reports that show that there is as 4% higher risk of stillbirth and 5% risk of life threatening brain abnormality, anencephalus, among babies whose mother lived near to a crematoria? Did the city think to check into this? I am not “grossed out” at the thought of cremation, being buried in a box or buried at sea. This body is just that, a body.
ReplyDeleteI feel for the people that live in this neighborhood. I wonder if a realtor would consider it important to disclose to a potential buyer that there is a crematory in the neighborhood. I read that this neighborhood is about 30 years old, but even if the residences have only lived there for one year, they were not given a chance to voice their concerns. I do not live in Snellville, but am concerned about the lack of concern that they have for the residence of their city.
This is the most disturbing thing Snellville has done lately. There are some great senior citizens living in Abington Park who don't deserve this lack of concern for their well being or the complete decline in their property values. I do hope Snellville citizens remember this at the next election. Evidently none of these people want to be re-elected. Many of the residents of Abington Park put these people in office, including myself. No one would should have to have a crematorium in their backyards. And this is a cut rate facility, they charge half what the decent funeral homes do, so they will be cremating 24/7.
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely disgusting. What is even more bothersome is that taxpaying citizens were threatened with arrest if they "got out of line" at last night's city council meeting.
ReplyDeleteI am so angry that the "nice man" Nuzum has such blatant disregard for the people who LIVE in the houses in this NEIGHBORHOOD.
With all the rundown, EMPTY, vacant businesses there are in Gwinnett County, you can't tell me that there would be a more appropriate place to site a crematorium than a residential neighborhood.
This is disgusting. Pure and simple - disgusting. I don't care that it's "legal". There's legal and there's decent. Mr. Nuzum may be a "nice man" as we're told over and over, ad nauseum, but he surely has shown that he has no decency.
"Nice men" do not put crematories in neighborhoods and a Real mayor and city council members doing their job do not let this happen.Yes, every BODY is some BODY
ReplyDeletein Smellville...very well said!