Eagle Point, Ore., — Some home owners in Eagle Point are upset tonight about the way the National Cemetery is expanding and adding more grave sites.
Bulldozers have already started digging into the ground across the street from the cemetery, and while home owners say they have nothing against the VA, it’s the way they went about it.
“Can you imagine drinking a cocktail in your backyard and looking at a concrete wall?” said Maynard Flohaug, a member of the Homeowners Association in Eagle Point.
Hilsborough Estate residents in Eagle Point say they didn’t get adequate notice from Eagle Point National Cemetery about expansion construction behind their homes, especially a concrete monolith right in their backyards.
“When we found out they were building a 15 foot wall 30 feet behind our property… it was a little bit alarming…” said one resident, Vince Domenzain
Neighbors like Maynard Flohaug tell us, it’s not so much about the wall itself, but how directors went about it.
“Nobody is really objecting to the fact they have to build up here, what they’re objecting to is they’ve never been contacted. Not until last week when we saw contractors building.” said Flohaug.
The cemetery’s director Andrew Matthews says they started contacting residents before the project began, and that they have been transparent about it.
“We are not going to proceed with anything without making faith to, you know, a good neighbor effort… especially with the city of Eagle Point.”
And now many residents say they will have to accept the fact that if and when the wall is built, it will become part of their landscape.
“It’s an eyesore, it’s definitely going to affect some property values, not only ours but it will affect everything down the line.” said Domenzain.
The residents are hoping to reach a compromise with project managers about what their surroundings will look like.
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