A controversial plan to site a pet crematorium near Highland Elementary School has sparked heated debate in the Town of Lloyd, drawing sharp opposition from some residents and strong pushback from the applicant’s attorney.
Justin Bogdanffy’s plan to build Heavenly Heart Pet Cremation within a few hundred feet of the school has mobilized a group of parents and locals known as “Let Kids Breathe.” They cite concerns about air pollution, health risks to children, and the crematorium’s proximity to residential areas and school grounds. The group has spoken out at public hearings and challenged the project’s zoning classification.
Tensions recently escalated after Bogdanffy’s attorney, William Hurst of Albany-based Young Sommer, issued a sharply worded statement accusing residents of inflammatory behavior. He compared their tactics to those seen during the January 6 riot in Washington, DC, claiming they substituted “emotion for evidence” and spread misinformation. Hurst called the backlash “extreme NIMBYism” and defended the project’s compliance with environmental regulations.
Let Kids Breathe fired back, calling Hurst’s remarks undemocratic. “That’s not NIMBYism, it’s democracy at work,” the group said in a statement to the press.
The project’s future hinges on whether it qualifies as a “service business” under town zoning rules. In July, the Zoning Board of Appeals declined to make a determination, passing the issue to the Town Board. The board has since tabled two proposed zoning changes: one to restrict crematoriums to light industrial zones, and another that could ban them entirely from Highland.
Town Supervisor David Plavchak said the code never anticipated crematoriums and hinted the board might restrict or prohibit them altogether. Two key meetings are set: the ZBA will revisit the classification on August 14, and the Town Board may vote on zoning amendments August 19.
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