I’ve been following this story for what feels like forever, and I wanted to bring you up to speed on it. As a former zoning reporter (humble brag) and as someone who covers the industry, I’m fascinated by the anti-crematory movement. Often, they’re fearful reactionaries, who create the kind of din that drowns out any sane discussion.
This story started with something of a potential misstep by our main character, funeral home owner Frank Duca. According to Mark Walker, a former town inspection official who now has Walker Consulting Services (an independent building code official and third-party enforcement contracting company) Duca was warned off of trying to build a crematory eight years ago. Walker’s former position is now contracted out to Allsafe Building Code Services.
“Warned off” might not be the exact way to put it. Duca asked about expanding and Walker told him no, without having a hearing or suggesting alternatives. Duca disagreed with Walker’s reading of the statute at the time, and explained why, according to the emails that Walker saved and provided to the local newspaper. Still, this was pre-COVID, so having a crematory wasn’t as critical a piece of Duca’s business as it would become. He let the matter drop.
Earlier this year, Duca submitted blueprints to the borough for an addition to the funeral home, listing routine features like a new preparation room, garage, storage space, cooler, hallway, and updated sewer connections. The borough approved those plans and issued a building permit.
At some point, someone noticed an opening in the roof made to accommodate a cremator. After a brief public kerfuffle, the town issued a stop-work order on the building.
The Rise of the NIMBYs
No sooner did the ink on the stop work order dry than a secret society calling itself Cambria for Responsible Development emerged, claiming to represent a group of concerned citizens. In reality, it’s an LLC established essentially at the same time as the initial complaint about the hole. No members of the community have publicly identified themselves as being with or part of this “group” but the entity took charge of the narrative.
The group and apparently exists solely to send disinformation mailers.The fliers alerted neighbors to the unapproved roof opening, and accused Duca of attempting a bait-and-switch to introduce an industrial crematory without prior zoning approval. By rallying public sentiment, launching an online advocacy portal, and urging attendance at local council and zoning board meetings, Cambria for Responsible Development transformed what began as a routine municipal building permit dispute into a high-profile community fight over residential zoning enforcement.
For his part, Duca denies any subterfuge. As he’s pointed out, no one “sneaks” an 8,000 lbs machine through a neighborhood. His explanation, while plausible, does have an air of asking forgiveness rather than permission.
According to Duca, he realized he’d like to try an add a crematory and decided to have an opening left in the roof for future expansion. It could be repurposed as a skylight, he said, if he failed to get the proper approvals. Frankly, with Walker no longer providing a roadblock to approval, he thought Veronica Burket, the Westmont Borough Administrator, might allow him to seek the variance that would allow him to open the crematory.
At Loggerheads
Because the funeral home is in a residential zone, local zoning rules prohibit a commercial incinerator without special approval, which has an almost Catch-22 aspect to it. You see, Duca can’t apply get clearance from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, until he can assure them that it is legal to install one. Without that clearance, though, the anonymous disinformation campaign will continue to make specious claims about health and safety.
After lots of press and speculation, Burket agreed to allow the Westmont Borough Zoning Hearing Board to meet on the matter. The next meeting is set for Nov. 24.
Expectations for the upcoming public hearing are high. Community interest has exploded so much that Burket decided to move the meeting. Instead, officials are preparing to host the hearing at the Westmont Grove recreation center on Edgehill Drive to accommodate the expected crowds. Board members will hear resident concerns about the traditional NIMBY issues – property values, environmental concerns, etc. – against the funeral home’s request to expand its on-site services.
