A pet crematorium is expanding near two of New Hanover County’s fastest-growing corridors.
Site plans have been submitted for a standalone pet crematorium near the corner of Market Street and Gordon Road
in Ogden, according to county documents. The site, located at 228 Old Dairy Road, is zoned for heavy industrial development. Back in July, the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an amendment to the county’s Unified Development Ordinance to allow for crematoriums in the district.
The UDO amendment was brought forward by property owner RS2 Enterprises, which has operated pet crematorium Perkins Goodbye Hugs in the Dutch Square industrial park for over a decade. The business is currently permitted under a historic application of the zoning ordinance that classified crematoriums as industrial use.
At a Planning Board meeting on June 4, Perkins Goodbye Hugs owner John Best said that the business currently occupies a 1,300-square-foot unit in a Dutch Square triplex and rents offsite storage for inventory. The new site is approximately 250 yards away. The future building will include a 2,160-square-foot pet crematory with an additional 2,166-square-foot space for warehousing. Under the amended UDO, the development is considered by-right and will not go before the Planning Board or Board of Commissioners.
Best said that the business has not had any complaints and does not emit undesirable odors.
When the county adopted the UDO in 2020, crematoriums were included as accessories to funeral services rather than a standalone industrial use. County staff found that most jurisdictions in the region allow crematoriums in industrial districts.
Staff said that standalone crematoriums are considered low traffic generators, as full-service funeral homes draw more cars. Funeral services are not permitted in industrial districts. The amendment prohibits funeral services as an accessory to standalone crematoriums to prevent increased traffic generation in industrial areas. It also established a parking requirement of 2.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of office space, as well as two parking spaces for transportation vehicles.
Best said that most of the company’s business involves picking up and returning animals from multiple local veterinary hospitals. Customers rarely visit the site directly.
Daniel Sheehan covers New Hanover County for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New rules clear way for pet crematorium off Market Street
