Oakwood Cemetery expansions plans in DeKalb approved

DeKALB – The DeKalb City Council this week approved a plan to expand Oakwood Cemetery at 611-615 N. First St. in DeKalb Township.

The township government had sought a special-use permit from the city to expand the cemetery with 0.82 acres of vacant land adjacent to First Congregational United Church of Christ, 615 N. First St.

DeKalb Township Supervisor Mary Hess said she’s excited on behalf of the township to embark on the project for many reasons.

“One [reason] is that the majority of the project is funded by a donor,” Hess said. “This is coming at a very low cost to taxpayers. The second thing is that this is going to provide a benefit for our community in the sense that year after year, more people are choosing to be cremated. We’re going to provide some alternatives for burial cremains, and those will be at various levels of affordability.”

In a pair of 6-0 decisions, DeKalb city leaders put their support behind the petitioner’s request to allow the cemetery’s expansion. Alderpersons Carolyn Zasada and John Walker were absent.

The improvements to the added land may provide a number of new amenities to the cemetery, including walking paths, a memorial plaza, new trees and columbaria, city documents show.

The expansion is expected to be completed in two phases, officials said.

The expanded cemetery area will not feature any additional burial plots, city documents show.

Hess recently said the existing cemetery area still has space to accommodate burial plots.