Cemeteries as a land use in urban and regional planning
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Abstract
Cemeteries have both problems and opportunities which have not been considered by land use planners. These problems include the consumption of land that might have a better use, the concealing of below-grade resources, pollution, vandalism and others. The opportunities are that cemeteries have multiple land use potential.A survey of cemeteries in Delaware County, Indiana, brings clearness to policies for American planners. Some of that clearness is that the older abandoned cemeteries have potential for recreation, for open space preservation and for historic preservation. The modern cemeteries which are still receiving burials are living symbols of how society is currently dealing with death. These must be left primarily for this purpose. The future holds the best opportunities. The question for the future is not: "Where shall we put the next cemetery?" But, more clearly, there are two questions--each of which has a separate set of answers. One is: "How do we dispose of the body?" The other is: "How can we improve the memorialization of our loved ones while still respecting the land?"