Greenwood police have charged Byas Mortuary's owner-operator Paulette Byas with operating a funeral home business in a residentially zoned area.
Byas, arrested Thursday on the misdemeanor charge, denies the accusation. Police acted on an affidavit and complaint filed by a citizen.
"I'm not doing services in the house," she said this morning. Byas, 39, of 601 River Road, has petitioned the city of Greenwood for a special-use exception to use her home, River Oaks, as a funeral home and wedding chapel.
In June, she was turned down by the Planning Commission, and in July, she asked the City Council to overturn the commission's decision.
Ward 3 council member Ronnie Stevenson said today the council did not act on Byas' request.
He also said the council recently approved a change in ordinances that specifically gives the council authority to overturn the commission's decisions to both deny or approve requests. Previously, he said, the council only acted when the commission had approved a request.
Byas said she has been waiting for the ordinance to be changed.
Byas Mortuary, she said, is associated with a family funeral home business based in Indianola. She said all embalming conducted by the mortuary takes place in Indianola.
"All I am looking to do is have visitation here," she said. Funeral services are held at churches.
Byas is black, as are the families who employ the mortuary. "It's very uncommon for black people to have funerals in the funeral home," she said.
She acknowledged she wants to use the house as a "multi-purpose chapel" for other ceremonies such as weddings.
Byas was released on bond. She said she was given a Greenwood Municipal Court date of Nov. 9.
