Snellville crematory issue in media again

In 2008, a crematory moved into a Snellville neighborhood, prompting an outcry from residents and a year-long legal battle between the city and business owner. Snellville settled the case but has since outlawed crematories from all zoning districts.

Excerpted from: 'NO way hes going to put a crematory in my neighborhood.' by Shane Blatt, AJC

Situation now: The building that was to be a crematory in Snellville looks like an ordinary empty house facing US-78/Main Street, the lot sometimes overgrown with weeds.

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Snellville reaches settlement with crematory operator

"The settlement, which includes a cash payment of $120,000 from the city’s insurer GIRMA to Nuzum, effectively closes the book on one of the biggest controversies in Snellville history. The City Council gave final approval to the deal in a vote Monday night."

Snellville, crematory operator settle - by Shane Blatt, AJC

Crematory Vote Delayed

Snellville defers action on crematory issues

Atlanta Journal Constitution - GA, USA

By SHANE BLATT The Snellville City Council postponed voting on two issues related to a controversial crematory Monday night. Council members delayed taking ...

Vote on crematory delayed

Atlanta Journal Constitution - GA, USA

By Shane Blatt The Snellville City Council postponed voting on two issues related to a controversial crematory Monday night. Council members delayed taking ...

Crematorium Must Cease Business by 5 pm Today

Snellville to crematory: Shut down now
Atlanta Journal Constitution - GA, USA
By SHANE BLATT The city of Snellville is ordering a controversial crematory to cease operation by 5 pm today. City Manager Russell Treadway said police ...

More Regulations Proposed for Crematory

Snellville City Council member Kelly Kautz made a motion during Monday evening's council meeting for the City of Snellville to enact an ordinance to regulate and measure the emissions that are released from the Cremation Society of the South facility at US78 and Abington Road. The motion was seconded by Council Member Warren Auld. The new ordinance would apply to this crematorium and all future facilities of this type within Snellville's city limits.

Looks to me that this will serve two purposes:

• It will alleviate the fears of residents that the emissions from the crematory are harmful. Yay! This will free us up to smoke cigarettes on our front porches without worrying!

• It will eventually raise the taxes of all residents, because the money to pay for all these new regulations has to come from somewhere.

I think Kautz and Auld mean well on this issue -- I really do. I think they are trying to negotiate a resolution that will help their constituents feel better about all the mess-ups at City Hall.

But in my opinion, to create more regulations just opens up a big can of worms and more cost to 18,000 residents to make perhaps 1,000 of those residents happier. Good investment? What do you think?

Related Links:

Snellville sees no legal way to stop crematory
Atlanta Journal Constitution - GA, USA
By BETH WARREN Two Snellville city officials delivered some
news Monday night that dozens of residents gathered at City
Hall didn’t want to hear: They see ...

Debate Continues in Snellville Crematory Controversy
MyFox Atlanta - Atlanta,GA,USA
Citizens gather at a hearing in Snellville concerning the opening
of a crematory near their neighborhood. ATLANTA (MyFOX Atlanta)
-- ATLANTA (MyFOX Atlanta) ...

Crematory Granted State License

The Georgia licensing board approved license to Chris Nuzum on Tuesday night. Residents blasted the City Council Monday night, concerned that the crematorium will release toxins into the environment. City Manager Russell Treadway is investigating the environmental effects, and will report his findings to the Council later this month.

Crematory operator Mr. Nazum plans to open the new Cremation Society of the South location on US78 in Snellville next month.

Related Links:

Crematory Owner Gets State License - Atlanta Journal Constitution, August 13, 2008

Owner gets license to open crematory near homes
Atlanta Journal Constitution - GA, USA
By BETH WARREN A crematory owner cleared a major hurdle Tuesday by obtaining a state license to open a business near homes in Snellville. ...

City Council Meeting Will Address Crematory Concerns

Rick Badie asks,

"I see the Snellville City Council is to address the new crematory tonight. City Manager Russell Treadway is scheduled to give a presentation on whether there could be an environmental impact if the city allows the Cremation Society of the South to open near some homes.

What do you think the report will say?"

...More from Rick Badie's AJC Blog

Rick Badie Tours a Crematorium

Rick Badie, a columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, has toured Chris Nazum's (Cremation Society of the South) Marietta location and has concluded that the crematory opponents are "all smoke." ....More

Study of Environmental Impact of Crematorium will proceed

Environmental Impact Study of Snellville
Crematory Gets Go Ahead
MyFox Atlanta - Atlanta,GA,USA
ATLANTA (MyFOX Atlanta) -- The Snellville City Council voted Monday night to perform an environmental impact study on the long term effects of having the ...

Warren Auld Urges Zoning Inquiry

"Mayor Pro Tem Warren Auld, a civil attorney, said the controversy may merit a formal probe by a citizens panel. He has asked City Attorney Michael Williams to verify whether the city's
charter would allow the independent review.

A citizen-led investigation isn't needed, Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer said Tuesday.

He said new City Manager Russell Treadway is already tracing the history that allowed the Cremation Society of the South to transform a former house on U.S. 78 into a crematory."

...More from the AJC

Snellville Job Opening: City Planning Director

After crematory flap, city seeks new planning director
Atlanta Journal Constitution - GA, USA
By BETH WARREN On the heels of zoning and permit snafus blamed,in part, on city planners, Snellville officially began searching for a new planning director ...

Residents Collected Money To Hire Attorney in Crematorium Snafu

More than 150 residents gathered in Snellville Sunday, collecting money to hire an attorney.

"If they can get organized they probably will sue us," Jenkins said. "They've got a point. The city would be hard pressed to say we don't have any fault here."

...More from AJC

Snellville Crematory Darkens Childhood Memories

Former Snellvillian Strickland Maney has written a blog post called "An Open Letter to the City of Snellville" about the crematorium in business right behind his parent's house, and how it clouds his childhood memories of home. Check out the pictures.

Related links:
The Crematory Next Door
Crematorium Protesters Called "Cry Babies"
200 Residents at City Council Meeting Treated to Free Scolding
How Do You Accept Responsibility?

200 Residents at City Council Meeting Treated to Free Scolding

I expected the crematorium's plans would be considered a "done deal." Here are a couple snippets from the AJC article for you, and to read the whole thing, see the clickable link at the end of this post. I smell lawsuits regardless.

"Warner said an attorney cautioned him on the loophole, but he never expected one to pop up.

City leaders weren't sure how the crowd would react to the controversy, so extra police were stationed at City Hall.

Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer also took some extra steps to
keep things calm, immediately announcing some ground rules.
"We ask you to maintain some decorum," he told the standing-room only crowd. "It's going to be a long night."

"I ask for no public attacks, no name calling," he said to anyone
who planned to speak. "We do have the press here.
No calling out or shouting. We have some police here."

....

[Councilman][Tod]"Warner said an attorney cautioned him on
the loophole, but he never expected one to pop up.
But he also spread the blame.

"Shame on you," he told the crowd. "You never show up
for the decisions that we have to make until they're in your backyard."

Crematorium a done deal, unhappy neighbors told - AJC

AJC Writes about the Crematory Next Door

AJC Writer/Blogger Susan Gast has written a
great post about the crematorium
that Cremation Society of the South is preparing to open for business in August 2008 at the corner of Abington and US78/Main Street in Snellville.
Check it out if you would like more details on the situation.

Click Here for UPDATE on Snellville crematory July 14, 2008