Gwinnett County residents mobilize to halt proposed crematory funeral home

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — A community group, the Centerville Highway Corridor, LLC (CHC), is rallying residents across Gwinnett County to oppose a crematory and funeral home along Centerville Highway, citing health risks, heavy traffic and property value decline.  

The group is urging residents to attend the Gwinnett Planning Commission’s public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m., where commissioners will consider proposed updates to the county’s special use permits for crematories. The in-person meeting will be held at the Gwinnett Justice & Administration Center – Auditorium, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville. The meeting also will be available later online at GwinnettCounty.com (Search: Planning Commission meeting-Public Meetings, 10.7.2025).

 The CHC says the proposed development would pose health risks from crematory emissions, a massive surge in traffic in the area and hurt property values, a potential loss in property value of up to 55K per home.  

“This is no longer a neighborhood issue—it’s a Gwinnett County issue,” said Isaac Coleman, a spokesperson for CHC.

“Every resident should have confidence that development near their homes is reviewed openly and transparently. The community’s response has made that clear—and now we need every district’s voice in the room.”

In response to growing public concern, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 18 approved a 45-day moratorium on new crematory applications while the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) undergoes public review.

The proposed UDO changes could:

• Reinstate the Special Use Permit processfor crematories.
• Include pet crematoriums under the same environmental and health standards.
• Establish a 1,000-foot bufferbetween funeral homes and nearby residences.

“These are positive steps,” said Coleman. “But they need public support to become permanent.”The Planning Commission’s public hearing on the proposed UDO changes is a critical next step, said Coleman. So far, no building permits have been granted to the developer, he said. 

Meanwhile, the CHC has filed a legal challenge in Gwinnett County Superior Court, arguing a zoning variance was approved without proper community input. The project, proposed for t 3662 Centerville Highway, would sit adjacent to the Laurel Falls & Trillium Forest communities, which include about 400 homes. 

“Gwinnett County is at a turning point,” said Coleman. “Together, we can ensure that growth serves people—not just projects. Join us on October 7 and make your voice count.” 

The CHC has released a community video summary explaining how residents discovered that crematories—once subject to Special Use Permits (SUPs) and public hearings—had quietly been reclassified as a “by-right” use in C-2 zoning, eliminating community notice and input.  

The new video summary is now available at
The Centerville Highway – Funeral Home and Crematory Challenge
and on the CHC Facebook page.

For more information about the CHC, email: centervillehighwaycorridorllc@gmail.com