HUNTLEY — At the Jan. 9 Village Board meeting, trustees unanimously voted in favor of approving a Special Use Permit and a Final Planned Unit Development (PUD) for the construction of a new pet crematorium with a second-floor caretaker residence on Lot 2 of the Wing Pointe Resubdivision of Lots 2 and 3.
The petitioner, DeFiore Properties LLC, had previously come before trustees at the June 13, 2024 meeting to present conceptual plans for the new facility, which were received well by the board.
Aerial view of where the new pet crematory will be located at upon completion of its construction. (Image provided)
According to the Jan. 9 meeting agenda packet, the petitioner is proposing to develop a new 4,622 square-foot pet crematory, named DeFiore Furever Friends, on the 0.97-acre Lot 2 at the southwest corner of Huntley-Dundee Road and Haligus Road. In addition to the pet funeral home, there will be a 1,075-square-foot garage and a 1,885-square-foot second-floor caretaker residence.
The building is positioned in line with the existing funeral home and features a drop-off lane with a 20-foot canopy overhang. Other notable features include an outdoor seating area that is planned within the large landscaped island located in the parking lot and a dedicated pet walking area that will be enclosed by a four-foot-high decorative fence at the rear of the building. The proposed Furever Friends structure is designed to generally align with the DeFiore Funeral & Cremation Service building located directly west of the subject site.
Despite an overall positive response from the Village Board at the conceptual review of the plans, at the Plan Commission public hearing, the petitioner did run into some concerns from nearby residents who expressed their worry over the proximity and buffering of the commercial development to their properties.
Despite the temporary setback, the petitioner and homeowners were able to reach an agreement that satisfied all parties involved. After the public hearing, the Plan Commission unanimously recommended approval of the petition by a vote of seven to zero, subject to some conditions.
Similarly to the conceptual review of the petitioner’s plans, the Village Board had nothing but positive comments to say regarding the final plans. While there is no official date as to when the new pet crematorium will open, residents in the area can agree that it is a much-needed service.
