Rules
and Regulations
Purpose
The following rules and regulations have been adopted as a guide to the use
and management of the cemetery. The rules and regulations will help protect
all who have interest here. All lot owners of interment rights, visitors and
contractors performing work within the cemetery shall be subjected to said rules
and regulations, amendments or alterations as shall be adopted by the Board
of Directors from time to time.
GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
1. Rules and regulations of the cemetery and prices for burial spaces and services
are made by the Board of Directors, and become effective upon approval by the
Board.
The cemetery may, and it hereby expressly reserves the right, at any time, with
or without notice to lot owners, to adopt new rules and regulations or to amend,
alter and/or repeal any rule, regulation and/or article, section or paragraph
in these Rules and Regulations. Special cases may arise in which the literal
enforcement of the rule may impose unnecessary hardship. The cemetery, therefore,
reserves the right, without notice, to make exceptions, suspensions or modifications
in any of the Rules and Regulations when, in its judgment, the same appear advisable,
and such temporary exceptions, suspensions or modification shall in no way be
construed as affecting the general application of such.
2. The cemetery retains to itself, for the benefit of all interment rights owners,
full and complete supervision, control and management of the land, buildings,
improvements, roads, walks, utilities, development, books and records, and the
full and complete authority, rights and privileges to make, change administer
and enforce all rules and regulations and restrictions not inconsistent with
the laws of this State herein this cemetery is located.
3. All lots in the cemetery are sold in accordance with the provisions of the
laws of the State of Michigan and shall not be used for any other purpose than
as a burial place for deceased human beings. All lots are sold with permanent
maintenance provisions.
4. Lots must be paid in full before a burial is made. Full purchase price must
be paid before a certificate is issued.
5. Visiting hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday from
April 1 through October 31. Visiting hours are 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays
and holidays from April 1 through October 31.
Visiting hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday from
November 1 through March 31. Visiting hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
on Sundays and holidays from November 1 through March 31. Any person found on
the cemetery grounds after closing will be considered a trespasser.
6. The cemetery issues to each owner of lots, crypts or niches a Certificate
of Ownership describing the location and naming the owner or owners of the said
location. The naming of more than one owner is indicative of joint ownership
in common with rights of survivorship.
The issuance of such Certificate is the cemetery’s sole form of recognition
of ownership. Possession of the Certificate by a person whom is not listed on
the Certificate is not in itself evidence of ownership. Purchasers of lots,
crypts or niches simply acquire the right of burial.
7. The owner of interment rights hereunder may dispose of same by will, or should
the owner die intestate, such interment rights shall pass according to laws
of this State governing intestacy. Provided however, the cemetery shall not
be bound by such transfers unless and until an exemplification of record of
same has been presented to it and such change has been recorded on the books
and records of the cemetery. Any plot, crypt or niche in which there are no
burials, entombments or inurnments may be transferred to a new owner, providing
the original Certificate of Ownership is submitted to the cemetery together
with proper transfer agreement, upon payment of transfer fee in accordance with
the cemetery’s established schedule of charges.
8. Lot owners are prohibited from allowing interments to be made on their lots
for compensation. Only veterans and their spouses are permitted to be interred
in the Garden of Valor.
9. If a lot owner sells or transfers title to his or her lot, as provided by
these regulations, he or she must pay any and all indebtedness due the cemetery
before such transfer of title will be allowed.
10. All lot owners are required to notify the cemetery of any change of address.
All notices required to be sent, shall be sent to the last recorded address
and such notices shall be deemed adequate.
11. No person, other than employees of the cemetery, shall be allowed to perform
any work within the cemetery without management approval.
12. The cemetery shall direct all improvements within the grounds and upon all
lots before and after interments have been made therein.
13. Charges for work and services performed by the cemetery or for materials
purchased from the cemetery will be at rates as approved by the Board of Directors.
14. The cemetery will take all reasonable precautions to protect lot owners
and their property within the cemetery from loss, damage or injury, but it shall
not be responsible for any loss, damage or injury.
15. The use of the cemetery lands as a thoroughfare will not be permitted.
16. The right to use automobiles or other vehicles in the cemetery is authorized
solely and exclusively for the purpose of transporting person(s) to visit burial
plots. The speed limit within the cemetery is fifteen (15) miles per hour. Parking
and/or driving on any gardens or grassy areas is prohibited. For purposes other
than those mentioned, special authorization must be obtained from the cemetery.
17. Bicycles, skates, snowmobiles, motorcycles, horses, etc., may not be used
on cemetery lands except with the approval of the cemetery. Dogs are not permitted
except when kept on a leash or in a vehicle.
18. Bringing alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs into the cemetery is strictly
prohibited.
19. The cemetery shall have the right to enter upon or use any adjoining lot
or lots to carry out its duties as to interments, erection of monuments or markers,
etc., without prior notice to the lot owner.
20. No signs, notices or advertisements of any kind shall be allowed in the
Gardens unless placed by the Cemetery.
21. Peddling of any kind or soliciting the sale of any commodity, other than
by the cemetery, is prohibited within the confines of the cemetery.
INTERMENT&
FUNERAL REGULATIONS
22. Interments into a lot are restricted to those entitled to burial therein,
according to these rules and regulations.
23. The cemetery shall be in no way liable for any delay in the interment of
a body where a protest to the interment has been made, or where the rules and
regulations have not been complied with; and further, the cemetery reserves
the right, under such circumstances to place the body in the receiving vault
until the full rights have been determined.
24. The use of one grave space shall be limited to interments as follows, unless
otherwise permitted by the General Manager or Superintendent:
a) One adult burial, or
b) One adult burial and one infant burial, or
c) One adult burial and three urns of cremated remains, or
d) Four urns of cremated remains.
25. No burial of a casket over three feet in length will be made unless there
has been provided an outer container or receptacle of concrete or such other
material which the cemetery will deem to have comparable strength or resistance
to deterioration.
26. Funerals are to be at the cemetery by 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and
by 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Cremation interments on Saturday must arrive before
11:30 a.m.
27. No disinterment will be allowed without permission of next of kin, the lot
owner, the cemetery and the proper authorities in compliance with Section 333.2853
of the Michigan Cemetery Law.
28. The cemetery shall be in no way liable for any container, receptacle or
urn of cremated remains placed in any lot, crypt or niche. A permanent non-biodegradable
container is required for ground interment of cremated remains. The scattering
of cremated remains over a family lot is prohibited.
FLOWER & DECORATION REGULATIONS
29. The cemetery reserves the right to remove all flowers, wreaths or other
decoration from lots as soon as they become unsightly. The grounds will be cleared
of decorations twice a year. Spring cleanup begins March 1, and Fall cleanup
begins October 1. In order for a family to save any decorations placed on a
grave, the decoration should be removed prior to these dates. New decorations
may be placed beginning April 1 and November 1 respectively.
30. Fresh flower arrangements are allowed on lots in a permanent bronze vase
or a disposable vase. Silk flower arrangements are only allowed to be placed
in a permanent bronze vase.
31. Grave blankets and wreaths are allowed as winter decorations from November
1 to the Spring cleanup beginning March 1.
32. Items not allowed to be placed on a lot within the cemetery include, but
are not limited to, the following: plants, plantings, shepherd’s hooks,
standup decorations, coping, curbing, decorative rocks, fencing, hedging, grave
mounds, borders, or enclosures. No decorations of any type are permitted in
trees or plantings.
33. Flags may be placed on graves on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Flag
Day and Veterans Day. Flags should be kept to 12” by 18” in size
or smaller. Flags are subject to removal by the cemetery within ten (10) days
of the holiday.
34. Trees and shrubs are placed throughout the cemetery by the cemetery for
overall beauty and serenity of the grounds. Individual lots are not permitted
to have trees or shrubs. Any such tree or shrub not approved by the cemetery
will be removed without notice to the lot owner.
35. Certain lots embrace a tree that may interfere with burial space that otherwise
might be used for burial. In such a case the cemetery recognizes that right
to the retention of the trees as prior to the right of use of such space for
burial. Should any such tree die naturally, the cemetery will remove it at its
own expense.
36. Glass is prohibited at all times.
37. Devotional lights of all types are prohibited in the cemetery.
38. The cemetery shall have the right to remove all objects whose appearance
and condition warrant removal and/or violate the cemetery’s rules and
regulations. The cemetery also will not be liable for any flower or decoration
removed or lost by any cause.
MEMORIALS
39. All memorials must be made of the highest quality standard bronze approved
by the cemetery.
40. The cemetery shall have the authority to reject any memorial, which on account
of its size, type, design, inscription, quality, color and method of construction
is unsuitable for the particular lot or grave on which it is to be placed. The
cemetery reserves the right to prevent the placing or to remove any marker or
other objects which do not comply with the standards of the cemetery. Also the
cemetery reserves the right to require the purchase of any and all markers from
the cemetery or approved producers or retail dealers.
41. No marker will be accepted by the cemetery for installation unless a sketch
has been furnished, defining the dimensions, material content and lettering
and permission of the lot owner or proper agent of the person having burial
rights in the grave to be marked.
42. All fees or encumbrances due on a lot must be paid in full prior to any
memorial being placed on the lot, including any installation fees.
43. Bronze Corner markers are allowed on all lots and must be installed at grade
level.
44. In the event a memorial is placed where it is necessary to remove it for
an interment, or disinterment, the cemetery shall have the right to remove such
memorial without notice to the lot owner.
45. The cemetery may, at its own expense, without any liability, correct any
error that may occur in the placing of a foundation or memorial.
46. Memorials shall be set in accordance with the general plan of the cemetery.
Not more than two (2) memorials may be placed on a grave. One at the head and
the other at the foot, unless otherwise approved by the General Manager or Superintendent.
47. Photographs and porcelain material may be incorporated into any memorial,
upon approval by the cemetery. No protective glass or breakable material of
any kind will be allowed on the memorial.
MAUSOLEUM
48. All entombments or inurnments in the mausoleum must be performed by regular
employees of the cemetery. All bodies to be entombed in the mausoleum must be
embalmed.
49. Such entombments must be made in a casket understanding the crypt dimensions
are 2’8” wide by 2’2” high by 7’8” deep.
All caskets will be placed in protective outer enclosure for the safety and
sanctuary of the casket.
50. The cemetery will provide all inscriptions, lettering or crypt plates on
the crypt or niche fronts to ensure uniformity. Either a floral tribute area
or vase will be provided for each crypt.
51. The cemetery reserves the right to limit floral tributes. Only one floral
tribute per crypt or niche are allowed to be placed on the benches or other
holders, where provided. Floral displays, placed in a vase affixed to the crypt
front, shall be limited to items of eight inches (8”) in height and six
inches (6”) wide. Also, only one floral tribute per crypt or niche is
allowed unless an additional vase has been placed on the crypt or niche front.
52. The cemetery reserves the right to remove all flowers, wreaths or other
decorations from the mausoleum as soon as they become unsightly. The mausoleum
will be cleared of decorations once a year. The annual cleanup will begin March
1. In order for a family to save any decorations placed in the mausoleum, the
decorations should be removed prior to these dates. New decorations may be placed
beginning April 1.
Winter holiday decorations will be removed in January by cemetery personnel
on a date posted at the cemetery.
53. Visiting hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday
from April 1 through October 31. Visiting hours are 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on
Sundays and holidays from April 1 through October 31. Visiting hours are from
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday from November 1 through March
31. Visiting hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sundays and holidays from
November 1 through March 31. Any person found in the mausoleum after closing
will be considered a trespasser.
54. No decorative objects or photos may be affixed to the crypt fronts by tape
or other means. No toys, glass containers, ceramic containers or objects or
the like shall be permitted in the mausoleum. All such unauthorized items will
be removed by the cemetery without notice.
55. All niche spaces in the mausoleum are intended for an individual and/or
double inurnment. A container of suitable material is required. A permanent
urn approved by the cemetery must be used for all inurnments in any niche with
a glass front.