[CC 1996 §150.010; Ord. No. 1153 §I, 6-5-2000]
The cemeteries known as Bowling Green Cemetery, Memorial Gardens
and Green Lawn are to be governed by the City of Bowling Green. The
Board of Aldermen shall have the power to purchase, receive and hold
real estate, as herein mentioned, for public cemeteries, either within
or out of the City, within a distance of three (3) miles thereof and
the City and its officers shall have jurisdiction over the said cemeteries
wherever located; provided that no such cemetery shall exceed eight
(8) acres in one (1) body. The Board of Aldermen shall provide for
the survey, platting, grading, fencing, ornamenting and improving
of all the cemetery grounds and the avenues leading thereto owned
by the City and may construct walks and protect ornamental trees and
provide for paying the expenses thereof. The Board of Aldermen may
make rules and impose penalties and fines regulating, protecting and
governing the City's cemeteries, the owners of lots therein, visitors
and punish trespassers therein. All lots are sold subject to continual
care and all care and maintenance thereon will be done under the direction
of the City of Bowling Green.
[CC 1996 §150.020; Ord. No. 1442 §I, 8-16-2004]
A.
All
lots will be used only for the burial of human bodies and/or cremations
of human bodies.
B.
Only
one (1) body burial (non-cremated) may be made on any (1) grave lot
and shall be enclosed in a coffin or casket. Such coffin or casket
shall be placed in a vault or ceiling (or non-ceiling burial case).
C.
No
more than two (2) set of ashes (cremated), urns and/or vaults shall
be allowed on any grave lot. Cremation burials must have special permission
from the Cemetery Sexton within the old cemetery for grave lot compatibility.
All cremated remains must be buried at a minimum of twelve (12) inches
below the surface.
D.
Authorized
funeral directors and/or grave diggers shall conduct the burial of
any cremations in Bowling Green City cemeteries. If an urn is to be
buried, it shall be required to be placed in an urn vault.
E.
Only
one (1) additional grave marker shall be authorized for an existing
grave lot where a gravestone or grave marker already exists. The gravestone
marker shall be flat and shall be no larger than twenty-four (24)
inches by twelve (12) inches in size.
F.
Burials
will be made facing in an easterly direction.
G.
A written
permit from the owner of the lot may be required before permitting
any burial.
H.
Disinterments
are to be made only under the supervision of the Cemetery Sexton and
prepayment of charges may be required.
I.
During
wet times grave diggers will be required to lay boards down when entering
the Bowling Green cemeteries.
J.
All Dirt To Be Removed. Graves to be filled back with good
topsoil and mounded approximately two (2) feet high by grave digger.
All graves, after settling, are to be either sodded or sowed with
grass seed by the City so as to make the grave level.
K.
Grave
diggers shall post a security bond in the amount of one hundred thousand
dollars ($100,000.00) before digging any graves. If the bond is unused,
it may be continued into the next year. If used, a new bond must be
posted. No person or firm can dig in the cemetery without this bond.
Grave diggers shall be responsible for the grave until the Public
Works Director released them in writing.
L.
Grave
diggers shall provide evidence to the City Clerk of liability insurance
coverage in an amount not less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00)
which insures the grave digger and names the City as an additional
insured.
[Ord. No. 1470 §I, 5-16-2005]
A.
The
owners of lots shall be permitted to ornament such lot in any reasonable
way and to erect thereon a reasonable monument except that no lot
shall be enclosed by any fence or railing.
B.
The
monument shall be erected in the following manner:
1.
Monument companies must contact and make arrangements with the Sexton
forty-eight (48) hours prior to installation of footing.
2.
Installation of footing and/or monument must take place between the
hours of 6:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M. Monday thru Friday. (*Note special
arrangements for Saturday installation with proper notice to Sexton)
3.
The contractors will provide a copy of a signed work order and a
diagram showing layout and location of monument forty-eight (48) hours
prior to the installation of the footing. (*Note can be faxed at 573-324-6298)
4.
The City will flag all monument locations for the contractor. (Orange
flags)
5.
All monuments to include headstones will be set on a concrete pad.
6.
Headstones under twenty-four (24) inches in length will have one
(1) pier of six (6) inches minimum diameter that is three (3) feet
deep or rests on the burial vault.
7.
Headstones between twenty-four (24) and forty-eight (48) inches will
have a minimum of two (2) piers set no less than eight (8) inches
from either end of the stone with a six (6) inch minimum diameter
that are at least three (3) feet deep or rests on the burial vault.
8.
Headstones over forty-eight (48) inches will have a minimum of three
(3) piers set appropriately spaced to provide maximum support for
the headstone with a six (6) inch minimum diameter that are at least
three (3) feet deep or rests on the burial vault.
9.
Headstones more than sixteen (16) inches in width will have footing
poured at all four (4) corners.
10.
Footing will be constructed of concrete blended appropriately with
water. (No dry cement is to be poured into the ground.)
11.
All footings must cure for five (5) days prior to actual installation
of monument and covered in temperatures thirty-two degrees (32°)
and below for cure time.
12.
All footing installations will be inspected by the Sexton.
13.
The length of monuments including the pad shall not exceed the width
of the grave lot. The width of the monuments including the pad shall
not exceed thirty-six (36) inches.
14.
All grave markers shall be set flush to ground level, no footing
required.
15.
All monuments and footings will be installed with contour of ground,
unless noted otherwise by the Sexton.
16.
Contractor will not park truck or equipment on the cemetery lawns.
17.
Contractor will remove any excess dirt resulting from footing installation.
[CC 1996 §150.030; Ord. No. 1153 §I, 6-5-2000]
A.
There
are to be no enclosures of any nature, such as concrete walls, fences,
coping, hedges or ditches, nor corner marks except those set flush
with the sod. Except replacing the existing concrete walls at the
old cemetery at the lot owner's expense.
B.
Only
small vases with cut or artificial flowers are to be placed on any
grave; and all may be removed when they become unsightly. There shall
not be any holes dug around grave markers nor any jars or cans set
in ground around grave markers. There shall be no hanging baskets.
C.
There
is to be no planting of any trees, shrubbery, vines or flowers on
any grave.
D.
There
is to be no gravel or sand placed around grave markers and if so placed
will be removed.
E.
Flags
as decorations are permitted only on Memorial Day between sun-up and
sun-down. (To leave flags out overnight is improper.)
F.
Should
any existing tree or shrub on or near any lot become dangerous, unsightly
or annoying to the adjacent lot or ways, the cemetery employees may
remove such plant.
G.
Boxes,
baskets, shell, emblems, toys, crockery, glassware or other such objects
will not be permitted upon any grave and, if so placed, it will be
removed.
H.
Placing
potted flowers, plants, summer wreaths or baskets on lots and graves
is not permitted except on Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Memorial
Day, Veterans Day and Christmas Day; same shall be removed within
ten (10) days from placing on lots and graves on the special days
herein set forth. Also, winter wreaths will be removed at such times
as is specified by the authorized officers of the cemeteries. The
cemeteries shall keep such holders, at the risk of the owner, for
a period of thirty (30) days from the date of removal and if owner
fails to collect said holders within thirty (30) days from the date
of removal, he/she thereby forfeits all rights, titles and interest
in said holders and the cemeteries may dispose of them by sale, destruction
or in any way it deems best.
I.
The
cemeteries reserve the right to remove all flowers, potted plants,
summer wreaths or baskets of flowers when they become withered or
for any other reason and the cemetery employees are ordered to make
such removals when, in their judgment, it is to the best interests
of the cemeteries.
[CC 1996 §150.040; Ord. No. 1050 §1, 9-14-1998]
A.
Prior
to any monument being placed in any Bowling Green cemetery, the Cemetery
Sexton must be contacted forty-eight (48) hours in advance. Additionally,
the Sexton must approve the foundation prior to setting the monument.
Violations of this regulation will be cause for removal of the monument
at the expense of the individual or company setting the monument.
The individual or company will have thirty (30) days to comply with
the removal order.
B.
In
order to prevent the sinking of graves, caskets shall be placed in
concrete or metal vaults or shall be encased in prefabricated concrete
panels.
C.
Monuments Special Requirements. In the Bowling Green cemeteries
only monuments made of the following materials shall be used: granite,
bronze or marble.
1.
Only flush with surface type monuments shall be allowed in Memorial
Gardens and Green Lawn (garden section).
2.
Flush with surface monuments may have a vase that is mounted into
the monument which is capable of being raised and lowered.
3.
Above ground or flush with surface monuments shall be allowed in
old cemetery (Green Top) and Green Lawn (outer section). Above ground
monument height shall be limited to the base allowed that will support
it.
D.
Monument — Size And Base. No monument or marker base
shall be more than sixteen (16) inches in base width up to thirty-six
(36) inches in length for single grave and up to eighty (80) inches
in length for double. No borders past the sixteen (16) inches allowed.
1.
For flat flush with ground surface markers made of granite or bronze,
markers will be set on six (6) inches of compacted gravel three-eighths
(⅜) inch size. Surface of marker shall be flush with ground.
2.
For upright above ground monuments, the base shall be minimum three
(3) feet concrete foundation same size as the base of the monument
(with no flanging) and concrete pilings extending to a depth of four
(4) feet.
F.
If
the monument or marker needs to be moved or repaired, it will be at
the expense of the family.
G.
Only
one (1) individual marker shall be placed on any grave centered near
the head and inscriptions shall contain the name and dates of birth
and death. The only exception is a veteran memorial to be placed at
the foot of the grave flush with the ground.
H.
No
mausoleums will be allowed at any of the City of Bowling Green cemeteries.
[Ord. No. 1153 §II, 6-5-2000; Ord. No. 1442 §II, 8-16-2004]
A.
The
cemetery lots shall be conveyed by certificates, signed by the Mayor,
countersigned by the Clerk, under the Seal of the City, specifying
that the purchaser to whom the same is issued is the owner of the
lot described therein by numbers, as laid down upon the Official Map
or plat of such cemetery made by the City, for the purpose of interment
and such certificate shall vest in the purchaser, his/her heirs or
assign, a right in fee simple to such lots, for the sole purpose of
interment under the regulations of the Board of Aldermen. Such certificates
shall be entitled to be recorded in the office of Recorder of Deeds
of the proper County without further acknowledgment and such description
of lots shall be deemed and recognized as sufficient description thereof.
The Board of Aldermen may limit the number of lots owned by the same
person at the same time and may prescribe rules for enclosing, adoring
and erecting monuments, tombstones and ornaments on cemetery lots
and prohibit any improper adornment thereof, but no religious test
shall be made to the ownership of the lots or the burials had therein
or for the ornamentation of graves and lots.
1.
Fees for lots. The City shall establish and charge
fees for the purchase of lots in the cemeteries. These fees shall
be reviewed as to the amount charged being adequate to assist in the
perpetual care, maintenance, operation and future land development.
The fees shall have the amounts set into accounts by each lot sale.
Twenty dollars ($20.00) of each lot sale shall be credited to perpetual
care, five percent (5%) will be credited to future development and
the remainder shall be credited to the cemetery account for continual
care.
3.
Fees for cremation burial openings. A fee shall
be established by the City in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00)
for each cremation burial opening on an existing burial grave lot
and shall be credited to the perpetual care fund.
4.
Fees for additional grave markers. A fee shall be
established by the City in the amount of twenty-five dollars ($25.00)
for one (1) additional grave marker on an existing burial grave lot
and shall be credited to the perpetual care fund.
[CC 1996 §150.050; Ord. No. 1050 §1, 9-14-1998]
A.
Lots
in Bowling Green cemeteries will be conveyed to purchasers by warranty
deed and must be recorded at their expense. No deed will be issued
for any lot nor shall any right of ownership pass until the purchase
price is fully paid.
B.
All
transfer of ownership must have written approval by the City of Bowling
Green and shall be subject to a charge of ten dollars ($10.00), which
charge must be paid to the cemetery when the transfer is recorded.
In addition to the ordinary and regular transfer fees, there will
be required as a prerequisite to the transfer of any interment rights
in the cemetery in a minimum contribution or assessment to or for
the benefit of the Cemetery Care Fund in the minimum amount as posted
in the cemetery office. The payment set forth in this paragraph shall
apply to all interment rights which were originally conveyed before
the Continual Care Fund for interment spaces was created by the cemetery.
C.
Should
any burial be made on any lot not fully paid for, the City of Bowling
Green retains the ownership thereto and may at its discretion remove
any body buried therein to another lot or grave and the cost of such
removal shall be covered by the amount paid on account for the original
purchased lot.
[CC 1996 §150.060; Ord. No. 1050 §1, 9-14-1998]
A.
No
body, monument or marker may be removed from the cemeteries unless
the written order of the owner is presented to the City of Bowling
Green before the removal and these shall be kept on file.
B.
The
cemetery employees reserve the right to remove from any lot anything
that it deems unsightly or which in any way conflicts with the rules
and regulations, the maintenance or general beauty of the Bowling
Green cemeteries.
C.
Signs
indicating that a lot or other object is for sale will not be permitted
in the Bowling Green cemeteries.
D.
Only
benches owned or approved by the City of Bowling Green will be permitted.
E.
When
a removal is to be made from a single grave to another grave, the
formerly occupied single grave space and all rights therein revert
to the Bowling Green cemeteries. If no steel or concrete vault has
been used for this interment, one must be furnished; if there is a
steel or concrete vault and same is in a removal condition, charge
for removal of vault must be paid in advance. Arrangements for the
vault removal must be made by someone other than the cemetery. The
cemetery removal service charge shall not be less than one hundred
dollars ($100.00) payable in advance. Application for removal permit
must be signed by next of kin and properly notarized prior to time
of removal.
F.
All
interment rights are sold subject to payment of the amount posted
in the cemetery office for the area of the lot for continual care
and all work on lots will be done by the employees of the cemetery
under the direction of the cemetery, except when permission is otherwise
granted. All grading, sodding, landscape work and improvements of
any kind and all care of lots shall be done and all trees, shrubs
and herbage of any kind shall be planted, trimmed, cut or removed
and all openings and closings of lots and all interments, disinterments
and removals shall be made by the cemetery, unless authorized by the
Cemetery Board or Cemetery Sexton.
G.
No
person other than the proper employees of the cemeteries shall be
allowed to perform any work within the cemeteries without a written
permit from the authorized officers of the cemeteries.
H.
If
any memorial or any structure whatsoever or any inscription to be
placed on same shall be determined by the officers to be offensive,
they shall have the right and it shall be their duty to enter upon
such lot and remove, change or correct the offensive or improper object
or objects.
I.
No
dogs shall be permitted in the cemeteries.
J.
No
person shall be permitted within the cemeteries on a bicycle.
K.
Bringing
lunches, beer or intoxicating liquors within the cemeteries is strictly
forbidden.
L.
The
cemeteries are not responsible for theft or damage to anything placed
on graves or lots.
M.
Speed
of over fifteen (15) miles per hour will not be permitted and no person
shall either ride or drive upon the lawns.
N.
No
person will be permitted to use profane or boisterous language or
in any way disturb the quiet and good order of the cemeteries.
O.
All
persons are strictly forbidden to break or injure any tree or shrub
or any landmark, marker or memorial or in any way deface the grounds
of the cemeteries.
P.
No
money shall be paid the attendants at the entrance or on the grounds.
The entire time of persons regularly employed on the grounds belongs
to the cemeteries. Visitors and owners must not otherwise engage them.
All order, inquiries and complaints must be left at the office.
Q.
No
person or persons, other than an employee of the cemeteries, shall
be permitted to bring or carry firearms within the cemeteries except
a military guard of honor and then only when in charge of an officer
and during a military service.
R.
There
shall be no recreational activity such as golf, baseball, football,
etc., of any kind at all on the Bowling Green cemetery grounds.
[CC 1996 §150.070; Ord. No. 1050 §1, 9-14-1998]
A.
The
purchase price of all interment spaces sold and to be sold in the
cemeteries includes a deposit for continual care, which amount is
delivered to local trust companies for administration. This continual
care means that the limits permitted by the income derived from this
Continual Care Fund for interment space, the cemetery grounds will
be maintained in keeping with a well preserved burial park, including
the cutting of grass and trimming of shrubs and trees at reasonable
intervals; keeping in repair the drains, water lines, roads, buildings,
fences and other structures, maintaining the necessary records of
interment space ownership and burials and other necessary information
and having same available to the public authorities and other interested
persons.
B.
This
shall not include maintenance, repair or replacement of any memorial
under any circumstances.
[CC 1996 §150.080; Ord. No. 1050 §1, 9-14-1998]
A.
This
continual care means that within the limits permitted by the income
derived from Continual Care Fund for cemeteries. Grass will be trimmed
from the edges of the memorials; only the flush memorials with rock
foundations will be reset if the tilt is due to the earth settling
or because of the weather action.
B.
This
shall not include repair or replacement of such memorials when the
damage or destruction is caused by vandals, thieves, act of God, common
enemy, riots or by the order of the military or civil authorities
or acts beyond the control of the cemeteries.
C.
All
temporary grave identification markers other than bronze or granite
type memorials set flush with the lawn will be removed from graves
six (6) months after interment of body.
[Ord. No. 1153 §II, 6-5-2000]
All City cemeteries shall be open to the public during the hours of 6:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Central Time and shall be closed to the general public from 9:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M. Central Time, except City employees, licensed funeral directors or their agents and employees may be in the City's cemeteries, while closed to the public, if they are performing duties as may be prescribed by the City of Bowling Green or by said licensed funeral director. Any person who may be found upon the City cemeteries during such time as they are closed to the general public and who are not authorized exceptions as aforestated shall be deemed to have committed the offense of trespass which shall be punishable as provided in Section 100.220 of the Bowling Green, Missouri, City Code.
