Herndon’s Chestnut Grove Cemetery running out of adult burial sites, more planned

Within the next six to nine months, the inventory of burial sites at Chestnut Grove Cemetery in the Town of Herndon will be maxed out.

That’s why the town is embarking on an expansion of burial sites within the existing cemetery property, according to Cindy Roeder, the director of the town’s parks and recreation department.

“There is currently a site plan under review, and we anticipate that will be approved in the near future and construction to prepare the site will begin shortly after,” Roeder told FFXnow.

The town expects to add burial sites that are enough to handle capacity for the next 15 to 20 years. The cemetery currently has an abundance of options for cremation and mausoleum burials, according to the town.

“In order to sustain the cemetery options and continue to serve the Herndon community, the development of this section is essential,” Roeder wrote in a statement.

The project also includes cleaning the underbrush and scrub trees, stormwater management, and planting new trees along the boundary with neighboring homes. Once that is completed, work to prepare burial sites will begin.

Roeder expects the project to take around two years.

According to a presentation before the Herndon Town Council yesterday (Tuesday), the project will likely begin sometime this month.

Budgetary materials note that a “favorable cash position” exists to complete the project, but the town needs to ensure it can cover the costs until the expansion is completed.

A November 2024 completion date is estimated, according to the town.

The cemetery is a community heritage resource that spans 25 acres. The Chestnut Grove Cemetery Association, which operated the cemetery from the early 1950s, deeded the cemetery to the town in 1997.

Photo via Google Maps