Neighbors near grave focus on new laws
Published 12:00 am Friday, July 26, 2002
Residents at the Lazy Acres subdivision met Tuesday night in a meeting that attendees described as not only productive but helpful to others who may be faced with the same situation.
The issue discussed at the meeting was the burial of Blake Michael Allison, 20, a victim in a car crash who was recently buried in his parents backyard.
Sandy Jones, a resident who lives nearby the house, said that when she looks out her second floor window, she is able to see the gravesite, something that she and other residents did not want or expect to see.
Jones, when interviewed by the Times-Journal about the meeting, said she did not harbor any antagonism towards the parents.
“I just want to make it clear that I really do feel for these people,” said Jones, referring to parents Leonard and Marion Allison, whose property borders Lazy Acres. “It is not their fault that their son died, and I really do have sympathy for them.”
Added Jones, “I really do wish there was some law in place, though, that would have directed them to do it some other way. When their son died, they weren’t thinking, because there wasn’t time to think. If there was some law that could do that for them, it would make it much easier on everyone.”
Both Jones and Dallas County Commissioner Roy Moore, who attended the meeting, said that the meeting was not meant to remedy the present situation, but rather to make it easier for other residents who are faced with the same situation.
“Really the purpose of the meeting is to get some sort of legislation passed to let neighbors know before something like this happens,” said Moore.
Moore said that such legislation should force property owners “to make a [legal] record of the burial with the tax assessor so that future property owners [who purchase the property] would know that the [gravesite]” was there.
Said Moore, “I think if people are forced to make a record of it, that would probably deter more of them from doing it.”