Council approves Aspen Hill Cemetery master plan, authorizes phase 1 and phase 2

The town council voted unanimously on Sept. 28 to approve both phase 1 and phase 2 of the Aspen Hill Cemetery master plan, a staff‑led design intended to extend burial capacity and modernize the site.

Johnny Ziem outlined the two‑phase approach: phase 1 focuses on improving and reconfiguring the existing cemetery footprint to add roughly 30 traditional burial lots and about 400 cremation lots, while phase 2 contemplates an expansion upslope that could yield approximately 270 traditional burial lots, about 800 cremation lots and a scattering garden. "If the council chooses to only approve phase 1 of the master plan, about 30 traditional burial lots and roughly 400 cremation burial lots will be added to the cemetery," Ziem said as he reviewed the plan.

Councilors pressed staff on how fixed the master plan would be at build‑out; Ziem and Halpin said the master plan is a high‑level framework and that exact lot placement, pathway layouts and final designs will be refined during platting and later design phases. Mike Halpin said phase 1 work could begin in the nearer term and described the plan as a guiding document that will be followed by plat amendments and design drawings: "Phase 1, you'll would like to see force spring. That'll be a plat amendment, abandonment, and readoption of new plat areas," he said.

Councilors also emphasized that any gates or entrance improvements were intended to be cosmetic and to preserve public access; staff said a pedestrian gate could be integrated and that the cemetery would remain open to visitors except when temporarily closed for maintenance.

Next steps: staff will proceed to detailed design and platting work, return with cost estimates and any required plat amendments, and seek grant/funding opportunities to implement the phases over time.