What you can, can't do on your own property

Chandler Inions, The Lebanon Democrat, Tenn.
·2 min read

Apr. 26—Starting a small business on your property can involve some hoops to jump through as two Wilson County residents found out on Thursday.

The Wilson County Board of Zoning Appeals heard a case from Eli White and Jennifer Reeves, who wish to open a pet crematorium business in the Hunters Point area of Lebanon. The board approved the use of the crematorium but instituted a one-year agreement that will have to be revisited moving forward.

White and Reeves officially requested to offer pet-crematory services in an existing accessory structure located on the property at 2000B Burford Road, just off Highway 231 North, by the Cumberland River. White owns the property, and many of the surrounding properties are occupied by his family members.

The board of zoning appeals chairman, Rusty Thompson, said that in his estimation, the request was walking a fine line between permitted uses. While the A-1 agricultural zoning permits home occupations to operate, the request in White's case involves industrial equipment.

Thompson warned that approval of a business that could be labeled as industrial should be required to operate out of an industrial-designated space. By allowing that kind of business to open in a non-industrial zone could potentially dilute the commercial value of land in industrial zones.

Reeves indicated that they want to offer the cremation service at the site but did not intend to actually host or welcome on-site patrons. As Reeves explained to the board, the vast majority of time, when an animal is euthanized, the operation is conducted at a veterinarian clinic.

There are also mobile veterinarian clinics that can travel to an individual's home or residence to perform the operation. Reeves indicated that she would work to establish relationships with the veterinarians so that she could go to them directly on a case-by-case basis.

The board opted to grant Reeves' and White's request on a limited, one-year agreement, which would have to be revisited. At that time, the board of zoning appeals would reexamine the impact to the surrounding area, as well as the extent to which the business has grown.