A crematory is to be constructed adjacent to a funeral parlor west of Recker Road and north of Main Street in Mesa.
The Mesa Planning and Zoning Board on June 14 voted unanimously to approve a site plan review and special use permit for the building at Sunflower Cremation and Burial facility as part of a consent agenda with other items.
A retort machine used for the cremation process costs nearly $250,000, Kent Volkmer, owner, said at a study session of the Mesa Planning and Zoning Board.
The night before, a preliminary design review including the look and landscaping of the crematory was done at a meeting of the Mesa Design Review Board.
The site plan calls for a new 2,800-square-foot accessory addition to the rear of an existing funeral home, Staff Planner Cassidy Welch said at the design review board’s June 13 meeting.
“The site will maintain access from both Main Street and 57th Street,” she said. “As part of the proposed development, it does include some modifications to the landscaping on the site. The material includes (concrete masonry unit) of different colors.”
Plants include medicinal aloe, creeping natal plum, desert willow, bush morning glory, Aussie bluebells, pink Texas sage, swan hill fruitless olive, Texas ebony, Chilean mesquite and yellow bells. Existing shrubs to remain include oleander, carissa, prickly pear and cassia, according to the landscape plan.
Richard Moore of RMA Design Group is the applicant. Sunflower Funeral Holdings LLC is the owner.
There will be no cremation odors or smoke outside the facility, Moore said at the design review board meeting.
“This is essentially a utilitarian building in really an industrial area of the city. I know there’s been some concerns expressed about the nature and use of a crematory, but this is essentially an eight-to-five operation. You’re not even going to know that the cremations are taking place. Everything is self-contained in terms of use, smoke and odor,” he said.
The building can contain four retort machines manufactured and provided by Matthews Environmental Solutions and used for the cremation process in a controlled area, cooler for remains delivered for cremations plus a small office, restroom and conference room, according to a written project narrative.
The retort machine consists of an insulated metal housing with a firebrick secondary chamber. It has a system that controls the smoke and odor with no direct ventilation to the exterior of the cremation facility. As a result, no hazardous or noxious odors are sent to the exterior and public areas, it states.
“Access to this new building will be controlled by Sunflower staff and only staff will be occupying the building with the rare occasion in which visitors will be allowed in briefly to witness cremations. Visitors, when allowed, will be accompanied by Sunflower staff and will be able to view the cremation in the conference room where only one of the retort machines is visible. Operating house will be weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” the narrative states.
The all-volunteer Mesa Design Review Board is unique in that its composition is set by the zoning ordinance to include two architects; two from other design professions such as landscape architecture, engineering, urban planning, interior design or other design-related background; one contractor or developer; and two residents, according to the city’s website.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Richard Dyer Managing Editor | East Valley @RHDyer
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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