The Grand Island Planning Board recommended approval of a special‑use permit and a rezoning recommendation that would allow Bridal Fellowship to site a one‑acre cemetery behind its church on Baseline Road. The board voted to recommend the special‑use permit and to recommend changing the large church parcel from R‑1D to R‑1A while leaving a smaller, separately deeded frontage parcel unchanged (transcript SEG 039–SEG 646).

The action followed questions from board members and nearby residents about whether the cemetery request would lead to a rezoning of the entire property or to long‑term subdivision. Ron (planning‑staff speaker, SEG 046–SEG 066) warned that rezoning only the rear parcel could create split zoning and called it "spot zoning." Pastor Calvin Van, who identified himself as the church pastor ("Calvin Van," first quoted at SEG 156), said the cemetery proposal is limited to a single one‑acre portion of the property and is not intended to use the entire parcel: "It's only that 1".

Board members discussed options including rezoning the whole large parcel to R‑1A to reduce the risk of future subdivision and to make accessory uses such as a fellowship hall easier to site. Board members also noted that, under current town code, a cemetery requires a special‑use permit and that the town board must approve such a permit. The chair framed the boardrecommendation as two distinct steps: recommending the special‑use permit for the cemetery and recommending rezoning the large parcel to R‑1A while leaving the smaller frontage parcel as is.

The record shows concern among neighbors that the cemetery could be sited near Baseline Road; the pastor and planning staff repeatedly clarified the cemetery would be behind the barn and limited to the one acre set aside for that purpose. Pastor Van also described church growth needs and said the congregation might eventually seek a fellowship hall adjacent to the church, but that the cemetery plan now is limited and not intended to be sold or subdivided.

The board moved forward with a recommendation to the town board: approve the special‑use permit for the cemetery and change the zoning of the large church parcel to R‑1A, leaving parcel B unchanged. The transcript records members saying "Aye" during the vote, but it does not include a detailed roll call or numeric tally in the planning board record provided.

What happens next: the board will forward its recommendation to the town board for final action on the special‑use permit and rezoning. The planning board also discussed whether a long‑term overlay or code revision to authorize cemetery accessory uses for churches would be a better permanent fix; that issue was raised as a policy suggestion but the immediate action was the special‑use permit and rezoning recommendation.