A piece of land off the 101 Freeway, long known as the Boething Treeland Nursery, could soon become a cemetery – and some nearby residents are already voicing concern.
The 30-acre property, located between Woodland Hills, Hidden Hills and Calabasas, was sold last year to Dignity Memorial, one of the nation’s largest funeral providers. Company officials say their plans would create a small-scale cemetery with limited hours and minimal impact on the surrounding community.
“This is probably the most sensitive and least impactful use of the property,” said Aaron Green, a spokesperson for the project. He added that the cemetery would likely host no more than one or two services per day, typically scheduled outside peak traffic hours.
Because the land is already zoned for cemetery use, the project can move forward without lengthy public hearings or a full environmental review – a process that has angered some residents. Earlier this week, a group hired attorney Scott Tepper to press for more oversight.
“My clients are not NIMBYs,” Tepper said. “They understand a property owner can do what they’d like as long as it’s safe. But at this point, we do not believe this property is safe.”
Tepper argued that the site should undergo testing to determine whether the soil is contaminated and, if so, be cleaned up before development proceeds.
Green responded that the company intends to handle the soil safely regardless of what is found. “We’re gonna have to handle the soil … in a very safe and thoughtful manner,” he said.
Plans are expected to be submitted to the city next month. Legal experts note that opponents may face an uphill battle since the zoning is already in place.
“Despite the understandable concerns from neighbors, I just don’t see how they’re gonna get past the already zoned-by-right element in all of this,” said attorney Allison Triessl, who is not connected to the project.
Opponents say they plan to appeal directly to city officials and the local councilmember. Dignity Memorial has said it intends to engage with residents once the proposal is filed. If approved, construction would not begin until at least 2026.
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