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Conditional Use Permit No. 2005-33 February 13, 2006 Page 7 Analysis of the Issues Originally established in 1911 by Mr. Oliver Halsell, the Fairhaven Memorial Park and Mortuary is one of the oldest and most respected cemeteries in Orange County. Its original mausoleum, built in 1916, was one of the first constructed in California. Since its initial founding, the cemetery has continued to expand its property holdings and the services it provides including the construction of additional mausoleum space. The subject property has been owned by Fairhaven since approximately 1956 and has long been planned for use as an expansion site for the cemetery. This expansion is being requested so that the cemetery may continue its mission of providing "caring and dedicated funeral planning and a lasting memorial in an environment of warmth and beauty." The proposed project is consistent with the General Plan land use designation of Open Space, which anticipates cemetery uses. The proposed construction of approximately 12,596 square feet of mausoleum and chapel space is well below the amount of square footage that could be constructed on the site per the Open Space FAR of 0.2. The property, zoned General Agriculture (Al), allows cemeteries, mausoleums and crematories as conditionally permitted uses within the Al zoning district (SAMC Sec. 41-201.5). The proposed project meets or exceeds all of the City's development standards. Chief among the issues to be considered with the proposed expansion was the need for the project to be sensitively integrated into the urbanized environment that has developed around it. With the existing cemetery to the south providing a pleasing mature landscape edge along Fairhaven and the existing single family homes to the north, it was important that the new cemetery be planned in such a way as to be an enhancement to the area. The 35 -foot landscape setback along the majority of Fairhaven Avenue, extensive use of landscaping throughout the interior of the project and especially along the northern perimeter, the decorative entry along Fairhaven Avenue and the inclusion of a new sidewalk all serve to sensitively integrate this project into its existing setting. Public Outreach On August 29, 2005 representatives of Fairhaven Memorial Park hosted a community meeting to discuss the proposed project with the homeowners adjacent to the property on the north. Those who attended were