The Neighborhood Dispute over an Undertaking Parlor
Property owners in Everett protest the conversion of a building into a funeral home, sparking a debate over land use and residential dignity.
The story, cleaned up
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The Woodmen of the World are facing local controversy over a new business venture. Neighbors are objecting to the installation of an undertaking parlor, arguing that residents should not be forced to live next to such a facility. The lodge defends its move, claiming the property is in the business district, but critics view the dismissal of their concerns as a callous disregard for the community. The paper suggests that the building would have been better suited as a rooming house, noting that a family's comfort is not merely a matter of zoning law.
“No family relishes the idea of having an undertaking parlor next door and to tell the objectors that they are in the business district and have no kick coming, is rather begging the question.”
Everett's housing and land-use debates today often pit neighborhood character against commercial growth, echoing this 1910 conflict where citizens asserted that 'business district' labels don't override the human need for a peaceful home environment.
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