Cemetery Identification and Protection
Summary
A neighbor of the damaged historic cemetery asked the county to document family cemeteries in GIS and create safeguards so development never disturbs graves again. The county found gravestones were disturbed during development but damaged years earlier; a preservation discussion item is coming next meeting.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 6
- Last 30 days
- 4
Rising — discussed at 5 meetings since Sep 8, 2026, up from 0 in the two months before.
Impact analysis
Unknown; an ordinance and mapping effort would carry staff costs.
Descendants, historians, and families with ancestors in small family cemeteries.
Families connected to the disturbed Bordeaux Cemetery burials.
Mentions & discussions (5)
Board of County Commissioners - Nov 2, 2026
The county launched a new form and online map letting residents report and look up cemeteries — 456 sites are in the database after 15 years of work, and officials suspect many more are out there.
Board of County Commissioners - Oct 19, 2026
The county has mapped 3,000-plus cemeteries and is building a public reporting tool after a developer disturbed a cemetery in the Horse Branch area.
Board of County Commissioners - Oct 5, 2026
After gravestones were damaged at the old Bordeaux Cemetery during land clearing for a subdivision, a resident urged the county to adopt an Ash County-style ordinance and map historic cemeteries into the development review process.
Board of County Commissioners - Sep 21, 2026
The county manager was set to lead a discussion on how Pender County identifies and protects cemeteries — a concern for families with historic family burial grounds on rural land.
Board of County Commissioners - Sep 8, 2026
A neighbor of the damaged historic cemetery asked the county to document family cemeteries in GIS and create safeguards so development never disturbs graves again. The county found gravestones were disturbed during development but damaged years earlier; a preservation discussion item is coming next meeting.
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