City Manager Harold Stewart says zoning laws are part of the reason of why a crematorium will likely be built on West Pleasant Street. The property, formerly known as “Paddy’s Place,” is currently zoned as a commercial-two. That commercial designation is required for crematoriums.

Stewart says if that location had been designated as residential, it’s unlikely that it would have been approved to switch to commercial since it would likely be spot zoning. He adds that since the plan met all requirements for commercial properties, city staff brought the proposal to the Council, who made the decision to allow the sale. He adds that with the public hearing and the discussion, he thinks that the process worked well.