HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-02-25 ad Hoc Cemetery Site Committee MinutesAd Hoc Cemetery Site Committee
Meeting Minutes: February 25. 1993
Present: Virginia Adams, Bryan Hodgkins, Karol McLaughlin, Joyce Miller, Ruth
Stanieich
1. Discussed the potential of landfill on John Street as a possible cemetery site.
Committee: concluded that the land is very valuable as real estate.
2. Discussed Batchelder Field.
a. Access for equestrian use
b. Board of Cemetery Trustees should endorse the selection of Batchelder
Field.
c, Board should endeavor to keep the horse corral.
d. Fixture expansion of Batchelder Field.
3. Reviewed the Cemetery Siting Priority List from Bob heating, Director of
Cemeteries.
a. Information contained was very useful to the committee.
4. Discussed preparation of our Committee Report for presentation at Town
Meetin g.
a. Date to consider
i. Town Meeting starts April 12,1993.
ii. March 25, 1993: reports must be into Town Hall for inclusion
at Town Meeting.
iii. No later than March 20, 1993, have a brief committee report,
including a matrix chart listing of the pros and cons of all
sites reviewed. A site visitation evaluation must also be
included.
iv. Copy of our reports to be sent to Board of Cemetery Trustees
before Town Meeting.
aa, Don Nadeau - Conservation Administrator
W Jim Biller - Conservation Committee
meeting adjourned 9.30 PM
Neat meeting: Thursday, March 4, 1993 at 7:00 PM J own Hall
Respectfully Submitted,
Ruth Stanieich, Chair-person
OFR
Town of Reading
%
4 16 Lowell Street
`moo ~a Reading, MA 01867-2687
s39'INCORR0
CEMETERY DIVISION
FAX. (617) 942-9070 (617) 942-9086
February 10, 1993
Ruth A. Stanieich '
9 Orchard Park Drive
Reading, MA 01867
RE: Cemetery Siting Priority List
The following priorities should be considered in determining a
site for a new cemetery:
1. Cemetery Site/Acreage
The proposed Cemetery should be approximately ten (10) acres
or more. The Cemetery size is directly related to both it's
logistics and longevity. It is not feasible to develop a
piece of.land with the necessary roads, water, drainage
systems, etc. with a longevity of less than forty to sixty
years. For the Town of Reading, a ten (10) acre site, the
equivalent of the Forest Glen Cemetery, would last approx-
imately sixty years.
2. Site Location
The Cemetery should be located in a readily accesible area
of Town. It should also be in proximity to the other three
Town cemeteries which have to be constantly maintained. It
is necessary for families and Funeral Directors to be able
to readily locate the cemetery. The site should be on awell
maintained thoroughfare in a neighborhood not isolated where
vandalism or thievery to grave sites or visitors would be
likely to occur.
3. Cemetery Site Topograph
The site should be as dry as possible although drainage can
be installed where necessary as long as the site is not con-
sidered wetland. The drier the site the less costly this
drainage would be. The site should be as free from severe
grade changes, such as steep slopes or hills. Rolling or,
flat terrain can be utilized with much less cost. The site
should be as free from rock and ledge as possible as this
could be a factor making the site totally unsuitable. The
cost to develop would be too great.
4. Cost of Land
As the Reading cemeteries do not have funds for the purchase