Zoning for the Dead

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For most planners, the death care industry in the U.S. is an unknown entity (Basmajian and Coutts 2010). A seemingly out of the way corner of the economy that does not often make headlines, it rarely factors into planning discussions. Yet the industry, and its footprint, is vast.

With a total valuation in 2022 of $40 billion, wide real estate holdings, and a quiet presence in the life of almost every household in the country, death care is, at this point, more than an economic sector (Business Wire 2023). It is a major institution in American life. It is also facing significant changes. The coming upheaval will impact planning, likely in ways that have not been considered. These changes potentially represent another high-water moment, not unlike the early 19th century, when the move to create new public cemeteries helped transform communities across the country (Sloane 1991).

This issue of Zoning Practice explores the relationship between death care and local zoning. It begins with an overview of the evolving death care industry before analyzing how communities define and regulate various death care uses through local zoning and other related codes.

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