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Speak Out
Know the limitations
In response to the Sunnyvale Sun's recent articles about the crematorium that has been added to the existing business of Wyant and Smith Funeral Home Inc., I want to address some of the statements of owner Mr. Smith.
In The Sun, referring to his total investment of $180,000 into a crematory to expand the services he can offer his clients, Mr. Smith said, "I'll never come out ahead on this deal." When Smith says he will not profit from his investment, it is hard to believe he has not considered its long-term payback.
Perhaps it is possible Smith does not realize that his use permit to operate the crematory furnace is transferable upon sale. This will allow the new owner to burn as many as 550 bodies per year, nearly five times the current rate. With this in mind, if Mr. Smith decides to retire (or his estate decides to sell), a prospective buyer, such as the large national funeral home corporation Service Corporation International, will consider the crematory furnace and its permit a valuable asset.
According to Mr. Smith, "This mortuary has not been expanded." Preferring the word "enhanced," he describes the installation and operation of a 2-million-BTU/hr crematory furnace with an afterburner as "enhancing the personalized service he has always offered."
The result of this word game is that our community will suffer the unpleasant effects of living close to a crematory that did not previously exist. According to our city's code, a grandfathered business in a residential area cannot expand; it can, however, be enhanced.
The truth is, I can't fault Smith for trying to expand his business. The people that let the citizens of Sunnyvale down were our city council members by refusing to limit the number of cremations that Smith can process in our community. If the intention of Smith and our city council's actions is not to allow an expansion of the business, then why not limit the allowable cremations per year to the current number?
Mr. Smith, you say the people of Sunnyvale have been good to you. I ask you, why not return the favor and give them something back--limit the number of cremations per year? I also appeal to the city council members to be reasonable--find some middle ground on this issue and limit the use permit to the current levels.
Conrad Garcia
Sunnyvale
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
