SEBASTIAN — The Sebastian Cemetery on US 1 could be expanded by 1.4 acres if the City of Sebastian ultimately approves the $300,000 purchase of the property immediately north of the cemetery.
“It’s unexpected,” City Manager Al Minner said of the land offer. “But it’s a good opportunity.”
Minner told the Sebastian City Council at Wednesday night’s meeting that the parcel is the only available property onto which the city could expand the cemetery in the future.
He and City Clerk Sally Maio – both of whom manage the cemetery – estimate the current cemetery has 10 to 15 years of burial space left. Purchasing the 1.4-acre parcel for expansion could extend the cemetery’s life another 50 years, according to Minner.
The property’s current asking price is $375,000, he told the council, but he had negotiated the price down to $300,000 pending the council’s approval.
He said the city would not be able to purchase the property for such a price a decade from now.
Vice Mayor Don Wright agreed. He said he had checked the property’s historic values and found that, at its peak, the property was assessed at more than $750,000.
This is a “pretty good purchase,” Wright said, noting that he is optimistic that land values will begin to climb in the future.
The Sebastian City Council unanimously approved Minner’s recommendation to put down a $10,000 refundable deposit on the property and further research the viability of the site for cemetery expansion.
If the property checks out and meets the city’s needs, the city could expect to close on the purchase by June 10.
