GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — Gwinnett County commissioners have approved a new rule requiring a 1,000-foot buffer between residential areas and any newly built funeral homes or crematoriums.

The decision comes after residents raised concerns about a proposed crematorium near a Snellville neighborhood. Resident Tia Severino, who supported the change, said, “Crematories belong in properly zoned industrial areas, not next to homes, schools, daycares, or assisted living centers.”

Another resident, Isaac Coleman, also backed the buffer, saying it “provides an essential scientifically sound margin of safety, dramatically reducing the concentration of potential airborne toxins.”

However, not everyone agrees with the new restrictions. Matt Reeves, an attorney representing a funeral home challenging the rule, argued that modern technology and environmental standards make such a buffer unnecessary. “Technology about funeral homes 15 years ago vs. now, as well as environmental regulations, are very different,” Reeves said.

He added that the new rule could make funerals more expensive for families in Gwinnett County.