COLUMBIANA Funeral home's request is rejected

One councilman did not want to open a can of worms by changing the zoning.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
COLUMBIANA -- City council rejected the city planning commission's recommendation to rezone several properties in the area of Seederly-Mong & amp; Beck Funeral Home.
Owner Mark Beck requested zone changes for properties surrounding the funeral home at 154 S. Elm St. on Pittsburgh and Elm streets, from residential and light industrial to commercial.
City Law Director Dan Blasdell said Beck could return to the city planning commission at any time with a new plan, as soon as the next planning commission meeting (Sept. 9).
Beck wants to operate a monument sales business on property near the funeral home. Some residents opposed to the idea said the sale of monuments would include outdoor displays, and "we don't want tombstones in our front yard."
One woman said she found the notion of gravestones on the lawn in a residential neighborhood to be distasteful.
Beck said he could put the monuments inside as long as a sign outside would be permitted. He said he did not need all of the properties to be rezoned if that would be a compromise.
Future uses
Others opposed said they are concerned what the future use of the properties would be if all the area were zoned commercial. The commercial designation would allow for car dealerships, muffler shops and auto body shops, for example.
Beck said when he would decide to sell the business he would make the most money selling it as a funeral home.
Councilman Devin Witt said he was opposed, not in an attempt to keep Beck from doing business, but because he believes that allowing commercial zoning in a predominantly residential area would be "opening a big can of worms" to allow commercial zoned areas in other residential neighborhoods.
Beck said the commercial designation he is requesting is the same as that of the funeral home, and the same as Heartland Christian School across the street. The school building is the former Columbiana High School, which is zoned commercial and takes up six blocks, Beck noted.
Some residents suggested Beck operate the monument sales business from his other funeral home in North Lima. Beck said he wants to offer the monument sales as a convenience, since many of his customers are elderly and unable to travel out of town.
Voting
Witt, Councilman Geoff Parsley and Councilman Don Vignon voted against the proposal, Councilwoman Pat Keylor voted in favor, Councilman Don Leonard abstained and Councilman William Kimpel was absent.
Leonard said he abstained because he has worked with companies associated with Beck's business and, although he is retired, still has a financial interest in some of those companies.
tullis@vindy.com