Natural burial ground proposed in Penn Hills
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Land Conservation Cemeteries, a local land restoration and cemetery company, wants to open the first green cemetery in Western Pennsylvania on 30 acres in Penn Hills.
Pete McQuillin, chief executive officer of Land Conservation Cemeteries, will seek a conditional use and a zoning amendment from the Penn Hills planning commission when it meets at 7 p.m. next Thursday in the municipal building.
Land Conservation Cemeteries is negotiating with two property owners to buy a 26-acre tract plus four additional acres for a green cemetery, which is a place for burials that have little impact on the environment.
The 26-acre property adjoins Penn Hills Community Park. The two tracts of land are contiguous and bounded by Plum Creek, which flows into the Allegheny River. Additional boundaries are Hunter and Return roads and Colorado Street.
The land is mostly woods but also has a large, grassy meadow. Much of the land is vacant except for a house and garage.
If approved, the cemetery would be called Penn Forest Natural Burial Park and open in the spring or summer of this year.
Plans call for it to be more than a burial ground.
"There's going to be a portion of this property - roughly 10 acres - that will be a dedicated wildlife refuge. There will be walking trails there for birders," Mr. McQuillin said.
"In the burial areas, we are going to put in trails that will be made of wood chips. There will be circular trails through the woods. We will remove fallen trees to give people safe access. We will plant trees and shrubs that are native to Pennsylvania," he said, citing such examples as oak, American elm and maple.
"My recommendation is going to be to approve it," said Chris Blackwell, principal planner in the Penn Hills planning department.
Council has final say on the request for conditional use and the zoning amendment. The planning commission has final approval on the site plan.
"All of the land, which is residential in character, is part of a conservation district. Cemeteries are a conditional use in a residential district," Mr. Blackwell said.
First Published January 20, 2011 12:00 am
