Grace Episcopal Church plans new cemetery in North Massapequa, drawing neighborhood concerns

They've been a great neighbor for years, forever, and this is just excessive. Neighbors who live near Grace Episcopal Church have concerns about a new plan to develop a cemetery on the front lawn. We recognize there is always the need for the church, for resources, and to do things for the community, but something of this magnitude is well beyond what is reasonable. Residents say a cemetery in their neighborhood will change the community. We're going to do anything we can to try to stop it because it's heartbreaking to us. The church's zoning attorney says there's currently a church cemetery across the street, but it's running out of space. The new 716-plot cemetery would be situated along Merrick Road. I want them to know that we took all their concerns to heart at the outset. The attorney says there will be no upright tombstones, only stone markers embedded into the ground. We're also going to add landscaping along Cedars Shore Road, so it'll be a visual buffer. A public hearing was scheduled for Thursday evening at the town's planning advisory meeting, but the attorney asked to adjourn the meeting and plans to set up a civic association meeting first. We can tell them what we propose so there are no misunderstandings, and they can tell us what their concerns are. While some residents are unhappy with the delay, others say extra time is important. I think we need more time for our residents to examine and express their support or their unhappiness with it. In Nassau County, Jenna Rae Gartner, News 12.