This chapter shall be known and cited as the "Cannon Township
Cemetery Ordinance."
[Amended 8-26-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-4]
A. All markers or memorials must be of stone or other equally durable
composition.
B. All markers or monuments must be located upon a suitable foundation
to maintain the same in an erect position.
C. The footing or foundation upon which any monument, marker or memorial
is to be placed shall be approved by the Township sexton. All foundations
shall be two inches larger per side than the base of the marker.
D. Engraving of the columbarium niche door will be by a qualified company
approved by the Township, at the expense of and paid for directly
by the responsible party. Engraving shall be uniform in style and
may contain only the name or names of the persons whose cremains are
interred therein, their date of birth and death, any symbol of the
person's faith, one line of additional text, and, in the case
of a veteran, service information consistent with Veterans Administration
regulations for grave markers. No other special artwork, colors, plaques,
flower holders, or other attachments are permitted on columbarium
doors.
[Amended 8-26-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-4]
A. No grading, leveling, or excavating upon a burial space shall be
allowed without the permission of the cemetery sexton or the Township
Clerk.
B. No shrubs, trees, or evergreens of any type shall be planted without
the approval of the cemetery sexton and the Township Clerk. Any of
the foregoing items planted without such approval may be removed by
the Township or the cemetery sexton.
C. The Township Board reserves the right to authorize the removal or
trimming of any tree, plant or shrub located within the cemetery in
the interest of maintaining proper appearance and the use of the cemetery.
D. Mounds which hinder the free use of a lawn mower or other gardening
apparatus are prohibited.
E. The cemetery sexton shall have the right and authority to remove
and dispose of any and all growth, emblems, displays or containers
that are determined to be unsightly, a source of litter, or a maintenance
problem.
F. Landscape materials (i.e., bark mulch, stone) other than earth or
sod are prohibited unless approved by the sexton and the Township
Clerk.
G. All refuse of any kind, including dried flowers, wreaths, papers,
and flower containers, must be removed or deposited in trash receptacles
located within the cemetery.
H. All flower arrangements and other grave decorations shall be removed
by October 31, annually. Christmas decorations shall be removed by
the following May 1, annually.
I. Lighting of any type is prohibited, except one solar light per monument
is allowed year round.
J. Flags for veterans and flowers may be placed at the base of the columbarium.
Nothing may be attached to the face of a columbarium niche.
Upon approval of the Township Board, the Township may repurchase
any cemetery lot or burial space from the owner for the original price
paid the Township upon written request of said owner or his legal
heirs or representatives.
The Township Clerk shall maintain records concerning all burials,
issuance of burial permits, and any perpetual care fund, separate
and apart from any other records of the Township, and the same shall
be open to public inspection at all reasonable business hours.
All burials shall be within a standard steel or concrete vault
installed or constructed in each burial space before interment.
[Added 8-26-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-4]
A. Burial space rights sold after December 31, 2019, and remaining vacant
and unused 40 years from the date of their sale shall automatically
revert to the Township in accordance with the following procedure:
(1) Notice shall be sent by the Township Clerk by first-class mail to
the last-known address of the last holder of burial right of record
informing that person of the expiration of the forty-year period,
and that all rights with respect to said burial spaces or columbarium
niches will be forfeited if that person does not affirmatively respond,
in writing, to the Township Clerk within 60 days from the date of
the mailing of their desire to retain said burial rights.
(2) Should no written response to the notice indicating a desire to retain
ownership of the rights to the burial spaces or columbarium niches
be received by the Township Clerk from the last holder of record of
burial rights, or his or her legal representatives, within 60 days
of the date of mailing of the notice, absolute ownership of the lots
or burial spaces shall vest with the Township and the rights of the
holders of the burial permit shall be deemed to be terminated.
(3) Notice of this forfeiture procedure shall be included on the application
for a burial space.
B. The Township shall have the right to correct any errors that may
be made in making interments, disinterments or removals, or the description,
transfer or conveyancing of burial rights by substituting in lieu
thereof the rights of burial or interment in similar location as far
as possible, or as may be selected by the Township, or by refunding
the amount of money paid on account of the purchase of burial rights.
In the event such errors shall involve the interment of the remains
of any person, this Township reserves and shall have the right to
remove and transfer such remains so interred to another location of
equal value and similar location within the cemetery or columbarium.