Landscape Management Systems Inc. plans to construct a new cemetery in Yona. In April 2005 LMS submitted an application for a zone change from a planned unit development to rural “A” zone for a proposed cemetery on Lot 154-4-R5 in Yona. The application was up for review by the Guam Land Use Commission at its meeting held on Aug. 30 2005 but was postponed until the meeting on Jan. 26.

At the meeting on Jan. 26 LMS’ application for a zone change and conditional use permit was approved with all application review committee conditions and permitting processes.

According to the application “The 15.39-acre property has frontage along Route 17 and is situated between the Windward Hills Memorial Gardens Cemetery [Our Lady of Peace Memorial Park] and a two-story Windward Hills Apartment complex.” The apartment complex is owned and managed by Tanota Partners.

Plans for the intended cemetery include:

A 464 square-foot administration building with a 250 square-foot admission office a 64 square-foot general work area and a 150 square-foot multipurpose room. There will be eight parking stalls located next to the administration building.

The restroom building will be 250 square feet.

The cemetery will have maintenance and service buildings which cover 1 446 square feet. Plans for the maintenance and service buildings include a 190 square-foot employee facility a 480 square-foot routine maintenance area a 336 square-foot parts and tool storage area and a 336 square-foot vehicle and equipment storage area.

There will be 264 cremains and 3 959 burial plots.

A 755 square-foot covered gathering place will also be constructed.

A 20-foot wide internal road would be developed to access the southern sector of the cemetery. The roadway would be widened to 30 feet along several sections to accommodate curbside parking for approximately 45 to 50 vehicles.

According to the application “Aesthetics are an important consideration; hence landscaping would include the use of large shade trees small to medium ornamental trees a water feature metal sculpture and a lookout area. The lookout area would provide a vista of the surrounding hillsides as well as overlook an existing wetland area that would remain intact.”

The application claimed the most significant effect the cemetery would create would be from roadside parking during special religious holidays such as All Souls Day. “This effect however would not be significant since only a few large events occur yearly ” the application said. During such events the documents indicate the cemetery would make arrangements with the Department of Public Works to allow for roadside parking along Route 17. LMS said the effect on traffic is not anticipated to be significant. Most of the traffic caused by the cemetery would occur three to four times a day during burials. The daily maximum potable water demand of 1 546 gallons would not adversely affect the supply system serving the area and about 1 288 gallons per day of wastewater would be disposed via an on-site septic tank and leaching field.

A representative of Our Lady of Peace Memorial Park was also at the meeting to object to the approval of the applications submitted by LMS. Among Our Lady of Peace’s concerns were soil erosion storm water flowing into its property and the validity of the applications. Our Lady of Peace claimed that LMS was not the owner of the property.

The question of ownership was brought up because the full purchase price of Lot 154-4-R5 is currently in escrow awaiting approval from the commission to authorize the construction of the cemetery. The purchase is conditional upon LMS getting proper re-zoning/variances from the government of Guam or legislative re-zoning/variances to allow LMS to use the property as needed.

Despite objections from Our Lady of Peace the commission approved the application. The approval however is dependent upon Gov. Felix P. Camacho’s approval of the zone change and it is subject to the presentation of ownership by LMS to the commission within a month or less.

Philip J. Flores president and chief executive officer of Our Lady of Peace Memorial Gardens Inc. and BankPacific told the Journal “If they got approval good luck to them.”

At the meeting the application submitted by Ravinder N. Dewan president of Bonanza Corp. for a zone change from R-1 [single-family dwelling] to R-2 [multi-family dwelling] for Lot 154-5-1 was denied but can be resubmitted. The zone change was for a proposed 42-unit development in close proximity to Perez Acres just north of the prestigious development. Present at the meeting were Perez Acres homeowners. The homeowners raised concerns which included the increase of traffic and flooding. The board suggested reapplication for a planned unit development.

Also discussed at the meeting was an application by Sun Woo Corp. to convert an existing 2-story residential unit into an office and staging area for the company’s equipment and materials in Barrigada. The commission approved the application with the condition and that no heavy equipment is transported in or out of the area.

The application by Todo Mauleg Sanitation to operate a retail store in Piti was tabled. Todo Mauleg’s original application was for conditional use and not zone variance so the application must be resubmitted as a zone variance application.

Mangachong LLC’s application for a zone change for Lot 154-5-1 in Yona from rural to commercial was approved with application review committee conditions. The application was for a proposed commercial development which would include a gas station auto service shop and convenience store. MBJ