Milam Funeral Home Adding Pet Crematorium

NEWBERRY ‒ Newberry’s Milam Funeral Home is planning to build a pet crematorium at its current location. Newberry’s Board of Adjustment conducted a quasi-judicial public hearing on June 27 to consider the application for site and development plan for the 720-square-foot pet crematorium building ancillary to Milam Funeral Home at 22405 West Newberry Road.

Newberry’s Principal Planner Jean-Paul Perez said the request was for a pre-engineered metal building with roll-up doors. The property is located in the Commercial General (CG) zoning district and has a future land designation of Commercial.

“The funeral home is permitted by-right as a ‘service establishment’ within the CG zoning district,” said Perez. The pet crematorium is a use typically associated with and ancillary to a funeral home. “As such,” Perez said, “the proposed use is in conformity with the City’s Land Development Regulations.

The property abuts West Newberry Road/State Road 26, a corridor that is pending approval of an overlay district that provides regulations on landscaping and other design standards. The overlay ordinance was heard at first reading before the City Commission on June 13. While the ordinance for these regulations has not been formally adopted and enacted by the Commission, the business owner has agreed to comply with the regulations.

Perez said that the existing funeral home has a green standing seam metal roof with horizontal white wood cladding and is appropriately designed for the era in which it was constructed. He further said that matching the architectural treatment of the pet crematorium building with the funeral home will enhance the aesthetics of the property.

The pre-engineered building also has roll-up doors, which the overlay district regulations prohibit from facing the right-of-way. To be in compliance with the overlay district regulations, staff recommends the pet crematorium building be oriented so that the roll-up doors are not visible from the public right-of-way.

In addition, because the building will be occupied, it must comply with all life safety standards required by the Florida Building Code, National Fire Code and the City of Newberry Code of Ordinances. This includes, but is not limited to, exit signs, proper ventilation and egress and availability of fire suppression.

The property is currently serviced by septic and well. Perez said that if water and wastewater services are extended to the property, the owner must connect to City services within 12 months of notification of the availability and pay all applicable fees.

The Planning and Zoning Board heard this application at their June 14 meeting and specified the owner must comply with these conditions.

Perez said that staff recommends the Board of Adjustment approve Resolution 2022-30/SDP 22-09 with the owner’s compliance with the listed conditions.

Board Member Tony Mazon made a motion, which was seconded by Board Member Tim Marden, to approve the site and development plan as discussed. Resolution 2022-30/SDP 22-09 was unanimously approved.

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