A new mortuary and crematorium are planned in Hermiston.

Brian and Beverly LaFollette, who own Burns Mortuary in Pendleton and another mortuary in Burns, requested a conditional-use permit to build a mortuary at the corner or East Evelyn Avenue and South Highway 395. The proposal is for a two-story building with 9,000 square feet on the ground floor and 1,000 square feet of second-story office space, said Clint Spencer, city planner.

The LaFollettes are excited about coming to Hermiston and see no problems complying with the conditions the Planning Commission set. Brian LaFollette grew up in the funeral home business with his father in Burns. The family bought Burns Mortuary of Pendleton in 2006.

“I think it will be a family atmosphere,” Brian LaFollette said. “It will be compatible with the neighborhood.”

Planning Commissioners Derek Caplinger and Tami Rebman voiced their concerns about traffic issues. While the LaFollettes are not asking for direct access to Highway 395, Caplinger’s concern was about traffic crossing the highway to reach the Hermiston Cemetery, which is just across the highway. He believes there will be impacts to traffic with the funeral home right on the highway. Rebman was interested in getting traffic flow information from Oregon Department of Transportation before the city issues a building permit.

“We would have police escorts to help get across or we will come to a place with traffic signals,” said Beverly LaFollette.

Planning Commissioner Gary Quick said he thought the traffic flowing across the highway would not take up a lot of time – perhaps 3-4 minutes to cross Highway 395 to the cemetery.

“I don’t see it being a major impact,” said Quick.

David Hadley, attorney for the LaFollettes, said he thought the mortuary would be compatible with the existing residential area and the two churches next door and across the street.

“We would be willing to make the property attractive,” Hadley said.

He added that Pastor James LaFollette (no relation to the applicants) of the Oasis of Hope Church thought the mortuary would benefit the community.

Dan Burns, funeral director for Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, said he was surprised the LaFollettes are building a new mortuary in town – if only because many funeral homes around the state are closing and being sold for the land only. He said for 60 years Burns Mortuary has served the Hermiston area, and the family is proud of the service it provides to the community.

“A funeral home in Walla Walla was sold for the property and the mortuary closed,” said Burns. He cited two to three funeral homes in the Portland area that have been sold for the property and closed.

“We just don’t see a new mortuary being built because of the cost of materials,” Burns said.

The planning commission voted unanimously to approve the conditional-use permit provided the LaFollettes comply with the 11 conditions, which include a landscape plan, a traffic flow study, prohibition of outdoor storage of hazardous materials and the underground storage of gasoline and diesel fuels, new parking spaces, and installing sufficient facilities to ensure all storm water drainage is retained on site.