CHOCOWINITY — A funeral home in Chocowinity is on the horizon.

Tuesday night, Terence and Tina Rountree brought a conditional use application before the board of Commissioners and requested approval for their business, Rountree Family Mortuary and Cremation Services.

Conditional use means the family would be allowed to open the business, but has to abide by certain rules for the town’s B1 district.

“I stand before you thanking you allowing us to get this far. Me and my wife, we are here to serve the citizens of Chocowinity, and not only that, we are here to abide by rules,” said Terence Rountree, owner of the Rountree Family Mortuary and Cremation Services.

The family defined a funeral home as: “a facility used for the preparation of the deceased for burial and for visitation and for the conduct of memorial and funeral services.” The town requested that there would be no cremations done in Chocowinity, there would be adequate assembly area for offsite funeral processions and there would be one parking spot for every three seats in the viewing room.

Keith Mason, Chocowinity town attorney, said the conditional use application is a time where the commissioners decided whether or not the business adheres to town conditions placed on the business.

“Town commissioners are called upon to serve as quasi-judicial body. Not a time for general grievances of whether or not this particular thing is a good thing or a bad thing, but to make sure it complies with the zoning ordinances,” Mason said. “Any decision the council makes will be based on evidence.”

Ben Rogers of Mid-East Commission presented four pieces of evidence to the board — an amendment the Rountrees submitted to allow a funeral home in the B1 district, a favorable recommendation for the business by the Chocowinity planning board, a letter to adjacent property owners and a posting that the property was available.

The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the conditional use application.

“We look forward being a blessing to the town of Chocowinity, not a nuisance,” Rountree said.