Crematory Debate Draws Crowd

After hearing hours of passionate pleas from residents, the Corona City Council debated late into the night Wednesday about allowing a mortuary and crematory to be built next to a housing subdivision and shopping center.

This controversy is the latest in a string of battles that have erupted across the nation when mortuaries have tried to build crematories near residential neighborhoods. Despite the practice’s growing popularity -- nearly half of Californians who died in 2001 were cremated -- new crematories often face community opposition.

Thomas Miller Mortuary, which was established in Corona in 1891, wants to build a 16,222-square-foot mortuary and crematorium on about two acres in South Corona. Planning officials say it will look like a European-style estate house, with a steep roof and a wrought-iron gate.

In exchange, the Miller family would develop the adjoining 4.5 acres into a park. The tract was long envisioned as parkland, but the city has not had the funds to preserve it and began seeking a public-private partnership about three years ago.

The proposal, which was approved by the Planning Commission on a 3-1 vote in October, was appealed to the City Council by citizens concerned about emissions, odors, noise, health hazards and property values. There are about 150 homes near the proposed site on Ontario Avenue. At its closest point, the crematory would be 215 feet from a residence.

At Wednesday’s hearing, about 200 residents packed the council chambers and spilled onto the lawn of City Hall.

Brent Wheeler, who lives near the site, called the proposal “a sweetheart deal with a longtime business family.”

“We do want the community park that was promised to us 15 years ago, but not this way,” Wheeler said.

Residents gathered more than 1,500 signatures, picketed the site and threatened to recall council members who voted for the plan.

“Don’t forget what happened to Richard Nixon and Gov. Gray Davis,” said Manock Chichgar at the hearing.

Some residents spoke in favor of the proposal, saying it is the only way to get a long overdue park in the area.

“We can’t have all the parks we want. This public-private partnership is the future of the parks in our city,” said Steve Nolan, a resident and parks and recreation official.

Mortuary officials say opponents of the development have misperceptions about crematory operations.

“People just haven’t been educated about it,” said Chris Miller, general manager of the mortuary. “People have a fear of death. No one ever wants to see me, but they’ll eventually need me.”

The crematory will control emissions and odors, Miller said. He added that they have agreed to extra conditions, such as conducting no more than 300 cremations a year initially, not cremating bodies that weigh more than 350 pounds (which can cause smoke) and limiting the burnings to daytime hours while most residents are not at home.

Miller said the city desperately needs another mortuary in addition to the two currently in Corona. When his family moved to the city in 1969, there were about 18,000 residents. Today, there are 138,000.