Aldermen OK Geneva funeral home parking lot expansion, variances

GENEVA – Aldermen approved a special use Aug. 2 for Malone Funeral Home to continue operating at 324 E. State St. as a funeral home, to expand its parking lot and voted to grant several variations on setback, lot coverage and lighting.

Funeral homes are allowed by special use in the State Street business district, where the funeral home is located. But the funeral home, which has been in business there since 1964, does not have the required special use.

Owner Dennis Malone requested a special use to bring the existing operation into use conformity with the zoning regulations, which the City Council granted.

Malone had also sought to demolish a vacant house at 314 E. State St. in order to add 21 parking spaces to the funeral home parking lot, which currently has 49 parking spaces.

Malone also sought a variance to reduce the street yard parking setback to 8.5 feet from 30 feet and to increase the lot coverage to 74.5% from 70%.

He also sought a reduction in the required interior parking lot landscaping to 4.2% from 10%; lighting standards as the parking lot lighting does not match the city’s standards.

The Planning and Zoning Commission had approved all these variances including that he resubmit proposed light fixtures closest to the East State Street corridor so they more closely match the street lighting.