OC veterans cemetery would cost $123 million for first phase

Plans are coming into focus for Orange County’s first veterans cemetery, with state officials releasing a feasibility report that says it would cost $123 million to develop the first portion in Anaheim Hills’s Gypsum Canyon.

Orange County is the largest county in the state without a veteran’s cemetery and after years of planning for one in Irvine, the proposal has changed to using county property in the hills off the 91 Freeway. The Southern California Veterans Cemetery, which is proposed to be built on a 156-acre site, would end up having 216,676 total burials, with the majority of that for holding cremation remains, according to a final concept plan released Friday by the California Department of Veterans Affairs.

The proposed cemetery would be near the 91 and 241 freeways where currently there’s just open space.

The Orange County Cemetery district owns the 283-acre property and was already developing plans for a public cemetery when the decision was made to split the property with a veterans cemetery.

The concept plan released Friday gives details on the first phase of developing the veterans cemetery. Phase 1 wouldn’t have any crypts to bury caskets, and instead would have 15,532 spaces for cremation remains. Adding crypts remains an option though, but would cost an additional $6.7 million.

Nick Berardino, president of the Veterans Alliance of Orange County, celebrated the report’s findings, saying it shows that it’s feasible to build the cemetery and that it could be done quickly.

The project currently has about $45 million of support pledged from the county and the state. The state will apply for a grant with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help with construction, an announcement from Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva and state Sen. Tom Umberg said. Construction costs for the first phase are estimated at $66 million.

Berardino said he believes the savings from sharing costs with the civilian cemetery will help close the funding gap.

“Absolutely no question we will get past the funding gap,” he said. “We are so close now with the first phase and the cost savings.”

Once built out, the cemetery would have 64,141 crypts and 151,908 spaces for cremation remains. Access to the cemetery would be be via Gypsum Canyon Road and Santa Ana Canyon Road.

The cemetery concept calls for a double-allée of trees at its entrance gate and winding roads offering “a peaceful journey through the site.” The build-out for the cemetery would be in 10 phases over over 100 years. The cemetery is proposed to have a contemporary architectural style with views of the surrounding mountains, valley and city.

“In releasing the feasibility study for public analysis, the people of Orange County are able to see the progress we have made in securing a final resting place for the brave men and women who answered the call to serve our nation,” Quirk-Silva said in a news release.

Umberg said it was encouraging to see the project finally moving forward.

The Irvine Company previously owned the land and transferred it to the county as open space. The OC Board of Supervisors then transferred it to the cemetery district.

District leaders are now working with Anaheim officials to rezone and subdivide the property, which will need to be approved by city leaders. The public cemetery could begin construction work as soon as this summer, “which would be far earlier” than the state could develop the veterans portion, according to the report.