Some neighbors of Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery are rallying opposition to the Kane'ohe graveyard's expansion, set for a public hearing this week, but the owners say they have addressed all concerns raised by the public.

The cemetery's owners want to expand, developing 35.6 acres of conservation land to provide burial space, mausoleums and cremation sites. But to do that, they must obtain the approval of the state Land Use Commission to rezone 56.5 acres of conservation land to urban use, because cemeteries are not allowed on conservation land.

The commission will spend one of its two days of hearings in the community to take testimony, including at 9 a.m tomorrow at Windward Community College's Paliku Theatre.

The panel also meets on the project at 9 a.m. today at its Downtown office in the Leiopapa A Kamehameha building, 235 S. Beretania St., Room 204.

Grant Yoshimori, a cemetery neighbor, said he's trying to get the word out with sign-waving rallies and fliers.

Despite the cemetery owners' effort to reduce the size of the project and address concerns of the community, some residents still oppose the expansion.

"Our goal is to try to keep the land zoned in conservation district," Yoshimori said. "If we can show a large enough opposition to the LUC, we hope they will factor community sentiment into their decision."

The original project called for a 20-lot subdivision, one-acre archaeological preservation site, 28,000 burial sites, roads, mausoleums and a 10-year flood-control plan.

After meeting with the community, the owners cut the 20-lot subdivision from the plan, increased the cultural preservation site to 9.4 acres, promised a 50-year flood-control plan, and offered to allow cultural practitioners access and plant 300 native trees, among other concessions, cemetery manager Jay Morford said.

"Our process from the beginning was to embrace the community," he said. "We've welcomed their concerns. We want to be a good neighbor to them. We've conceded on everything."

Morford said the company wants to grow not just for its own profit but to meet the future needs of the community. Eventually the cemetery will run out of space, he said.

Yoshimori said the biggest concern now is the zone change from conservation to urban, which he said opens the door to other problems — including flooding, runoff, pollution, chemicals leaching from grave sites, and loss of the view plane and the protective conservation zoning.

"It's zoned conservation," he said. "Let's keep it conservation and all of those issues will go away."

Morford said he believes the company has appropriately addressed all of the concerns raised.

"I appreciate their concerns and their opinions, but we obviously are on different sides of what we feel is important," he said. "I think providing families continued choices and options is important for having the families together."