CHATHAM COUNTY, N.C. -- Just off U.S. Highway 64 in Chatham County is a sign advertising 36 acres of land for sale. The land is undeveloped and zoned residential and agricultural. Land owner and realtor, Colin MacNair said its closeness to Highway 64 makes it a prime location to develop housing. It also is currently home to a graveyard.

 

 

“If it is developed in to a residential nature, it would be developed into larger tracks, maybe two to six or 10 acres in size,” said MacNair.

 

If anyone buys the land, they will also be getting the grave yard that comes with it. But if they plan to build homes on the land and decide not to keep the grave yard, it won’t as easy as digging up the bodies and having them relocated to another burial site. Chatham County Environmental Health Director, Andy Seigner said there is a long process that must take place before a new property owner can have the bodies removed.

 

“They will have to notify the next of kin. If they don’t find the next of kin, they are required to run an article in the local paper for four consecutive weeks,” said Seigner.

 

Whether or not the new land owner gets in touch with the next of kin, the owner still has to get permission from the county commission. Once the commission gives approval to remove the bodies, the health department gets involved to make sure the bodies don’t pose any health risk to the general public. Health officials are required to be on site to witness both the removal and relocation of the graves.

 

So anyone who can afford the $1.4 million asking price for the land will either keep the cemetery or pay lawyers, advertisers and the county to have the bodies legally removed.