[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of New Glarus 2-4-2025 by Ord. No. 25-01. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 2-4-2026 by Ord. No. 26-02]
The New Glarus Cemetery ("Cemetery") is owned and maintained by the Village of New Glarus for the benefit of all its citizens. This chapter is established to ensure the maintenance of the Cemetery, and to protect all cemetery areas within the Village from injury, damage or desecration. Except when referring to the publicly owned New Glarus Cemetery, the term "cemetery" as used in this chapter shall include all cemetery property, grounds, equipment and structures, both privately and publicly owned, which are located within the Village of New Glarus.
A. 
Management. The Cemetery is under the control and management of the Village of New Glarus Cemetery Commission.
B. 
Area. The Cemetery properties are located within the Village of New Glarus, Green County, Wisconsin, as more paricularly described in real estate documents located in the office of the Village Clerk/Treasurer.
C. 
Conveyance. On August 21, 2022, the Swiss United Church of Christ congregation, which owned and maintained the Cemetery, voted to convey the Cemetery property and all of the perpetual care funds to the Village of New Glarus. On January 21, 2025, the Village Board accepted the conveyance of the Cemetery property and perpetual care funds via Resolution No. 25-01.
D. 
Regulation. The Cemetery shall be cared for and maintained by the Village of New Glarus and placed under the control and management of the Village Cemetery Board under the following terms and conditions, which terms and conditions may be modified or changed by the acts of the Village Board as conditions warrant:
(1) 
The Cemetery shall be named New Glarus Cemetery.
(2) 
The Cemetery shall be maintained in as neat and orderly and attractive appearance as the income of perpetual care funds and approporitations by the Village will permit.
(3) 
The regulations contained in this chapter shall be applicable.
Before any new block of the Cemetery is opened for the sale of lots, the Village Board shall cause it to be platted and recorded in the office of the Green County Register of Deeds.
A. 
Definition of Cemetery lot. Pursuant to § 157.061(2m), Wis. Stats.:
CEMETERY LOT
Means a grave or two or more contiguous graves, and when used in reference to the sale, purchase, or ownership of a Cemetery lot, includes the right to bury human remains in that Cemetery lot.
B. 
Price of lots. The Cemetery Board shall, from time to time, fix a price on all lots of be sold or transferred in the New Glarus Cemetery.
C. 
Sale of lots. Persons or their agents desiring to purchase a lot in the Cemetery are referred to the Village of New Glarus Cemetery Manager. The Cemetery Manager will have available suitable plats showing size and price of lots, and such other information as may be required, and will render assistance to those desiring to make lot purchases.
A. 
The lot owner or his or her authorized agent shall have the right to use a lot or portion of a lot for burial purposes only in accordance with state law and the terms of this chapter.
(1) 
Upon full payment of the purchase price of a lot, the Cemetery Manager shall issue a Cemetery deed. The Cemetery deed shall be signed by the Village Clerk/Treasurer and Village President and sealed with the Village seal.
(2) 
While any person is buried in a Cemetery lot, the Cemetery lot shall be inalienable, without the consent of the Village, and on the death of the owner, ownership of the Cemetery lot shall descend to the owner's heirs, but any one or more of such heirs may convey to any other heir his or her interest in the Cemetery lot. No human remains may be buried in a Cemetery lot except the human remains of one having an interest in the Cemetery lot, or a relative, or the husband or wife of such person, or his or her relative, except by the consent of all persons having an interest in the Cemetery lot and the Village.
B. 
Lot owners may not resell or transfer their lots or parts of lots except as outlined below:
(1) 
The Cemetery Manager shall enter in the record kept for that purpose all deeds of transfer and reconveyance of the Cemetery lots.
(2) 
No owner of a Cemetery lot shall sell, transfer, or assign the same or the unused portion thereof to any person without the Village's written consent. If the owner of any lot or part thereof should sell or transfer the same without getting approval from the Village for such transaction, such sale or transfer shall be null and void.
A. 
In order to ensure reliable means for permanent care, a care fund is created. Income from this fund will provide partial maintenance costs of the Cemetery. All lots sold in the Cemetery shall be provided with care services, the cost of which will be included in the price of the lot.
B. 
Such permanent care funds shall be used for, but not limited to, the maintenance of the lawn, leaf disposal, snow removal, filling sunken graves, and caring for the grounds in general. It is understood that such expenditures shall be made at the discretion of the Village.
A. 
All landscaping, care of lots, and other work in the Cemetery will be done by the Village, its employees, agents or contractors.
B. 
The Village reserves the rights for its employees, agents, and those persons necessary to the performance of normal Cemetery operation to enter upon or cross over any lot in the Cemetery in the performance of such duties.
C. 
The Village, its agents or employees assume no liability for damages to property or to person, or for physical or mental suffering arising out of the performance of its operations, or for loss by vandalism, or for other acts beyond its control.
D. 
The Village reserves the right to alter, change or close roadways, water mains and other physical public properties of the Cemetery.
A. 
The Cemetery will be open to visitors at all times from dawn to dusk. Permission to enter the Cemetery at any other time must be obtained from the Village.
B. 
Children under 16 years of age will be admitted only when accompanied by parents or guardians.
C. 
Persons or picnic parties with refreshments or alcohol beverages are not permitted within any municipal Cemetery.
D. 
Firearms will not be allowed in the Cemetery except in conjunction with military funerals. At all other times, firearms, bows and arrows, slingshots, and other like articles will not be allowed.
E. 
Visitors are required to use the walks and drives whenever possible and shall not pick any flowers (either wild or cultivated), injure any shrub, tree or plant, or mar or deface any monument, stone, or structure in the Cemetery.
F. 
No riding of bicycles, motor bikes, motorcycles, snowmobiles, or other such vehicles will be allowed in the Cemetery unless such vehicles are present in conjunction with Cemetery business.
G. 
No vehicle shall be driven in a municipal Cemetery except on roads designated for that purpose, nor shall vehicles be driven in a reckless manner.
A. 
Interments will be made only during daylight hours unless with prior approval of the Village.
B. 
All interments shall be made in a permanent outer burial container as defined in § 157.061(11g), Wis. Stats., excluding the use of wood.
C. 
All graves shall be dug at no cost to the Village but with permission of the Village.
D. 
No burial will be permitted until a report for final disposition of a human corpse has been presented to the Cemetery Manager and the Cemetery Manager has given authorization to open the grave.
E. 
There will be no responsibility on the part of the Village for the protection and maintenance of items used in conjunction with funerals, including but not limited to flowers, wreaths, and emblems.
F. 
The interment of two or more bodies, none of which are cremated remains, in one grave will not be allowed, except in special circumstances with the approval of the Village.
G. 
The interment of four cremated remains may be allowed in one lot. The minimum container requirement for cremated remains shall be as supplied by the crematorium.
A. 
Regardless of the number of interments per grave, only one marker will be allowed on a lot. Grave markers and foundations will be set only by the monument company according to regulations specified by the Village. Except as herein otherwise provided, under no conditions will the Village construct monument or marker bases or erect monument or markers on bases. The Village reserves the right to require the construction of a foundation of such size, material and design as will provide ample protection against settlement or injury to the stone work. The top of the concrete foundation will be constructed flush with the ground line.
B. 
Unless special arrangements are made with the Village, the setting of monuments, stones and markers and the transportation of all tools and materials within the Cemetery grounds shall be conducted between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, except on national holidays. Heavy trucking will not be permitted within the Cemetery when, in the opinion of the Public Works Department, such work might cause damage to the driveways. Except when special permission from the Cemetery Manager is obtained, all work as described in this section shall be completed and debris removed immediately.
C. 
The Village reserves the right to refuse permission to erect any monument not in keeping with the good appearance of the grounds. The size of the monument and/or stone work must be given to the Cemetery Manager and approved before said work will be permitted on a lot. All monuments must be set in line with other monuments so far as possible as directed by the Cemetery Manager.
D. 
Stone work or monument work, once placed on its foundation, shall not be removed, except by permission of the Village.
[Amended 2-4-2026 by Ord. No. 26-02]
A. 
The planting of trees and shrubs or any other plant or flower on any lot will not be permitted.
B. 
The removal of any trees, shrubs, and/or stumps will be done by the Village, its employees, agents or contractors.
C. 
Fresh cut, potted or artificial plants and flowers ("permitted items") are permitted on the lot; however, all permitted items must be attached directly to the monument. Except during the months of December and January, nothing may be placed at the front, sides, or back of the monument so as to impede lawn maintenance. If permitted items are not maintained and/or they become unsightly or undesirable, they will be removed by the Village.
D. 
Visitors/families may decorate off of the monument only if they first notify the Village Cemetery Manager in writing. Notification is required each year by not later than March 15 and shall be subject to approval of the Village Cemetery Manager in their sole discretion. If approved, the requesting party shall be required to maintain the plot throughout the year to the Village standards (i.e., mowing, trimming, etc.). If these plots are not maintained, the Village reserves the right to remove all flowers, decorations, etc., and future decorations off of the monument and to deny future requests.
(1) 
The Cemetery Manager will make an attempt to notify responsible parties and those parties will have 72 hours from notification to remedy the deficiency before removal.
[Amended 2-4-2026 by Ord. No. 26-02]
A. 
It is urged that lot owners interest themselves in the present and future care of their lots, as a single neglected lot mars the beauty of the entire Cemetery.
B. 
A schedule of fees and charges as established by the Village Board shall be on file in the Clerk/Treasurer's office. Such schedule may change from time to time without advance notice to conform to current economic conditions.
C. 
The Village will take reasonable precautions to protect all private property, lots, and/or grave owners' property in the Cemetery from loss and damage, but it expressly disclaims all responsibility for loss or damage to such property. By purchasing a Cemetery lot, the purchase expressly agrees to release and hold the Village harmless for any damage to such property.
D. 
The New Glarus Cemetery perpetual care funds shall be managed in accordance with state law.
[Added 2-4-2026 by Ord. No. 26-02]
A. 
Purpose and definition. In order to protect all cemetery areas within the Village from injury, damage or desecration, this section is enacted. The term "cemetery" as hereinafter used in this section shall include all cemetery property, grounds, equipment and structures, both privately and publicly owned, which are located within the Village of New Glarus.
B. 
Authority to establish rules and regulations. A cemetery property owner shall have the authority to establish reasonable rules and regulations to regulate and govern the operation of any cemetery in accordance with state law and this Code. The cemetery property owner shall reserve the right to prohibit and regulate the planting or placement of any flowers, plants, vines, shrubs, trees, flower pots, urns or other objects on/in cemetery property. Placements of any such plantings, containers or objects shall be in accordance with established regulations of the cemetery property owner.
C. 
Specific regulations.
(1) 
Disturbing cemetery property. No person shall cut, remove, damage or carry away any flowers, plants, vines, shrubs or trees from any cemetery lot or property except the owner of the cemetery lot or a person with the cemetery lot owner's consent or any cemetery employee or representative engaged in official cemetery duties for the cemetery owner; nor shall any person without proper authority remove, deface, mark or damage in any manner any cemetery markers, headstones, monuments, fences or structures; nor shall any person without proper authority remove, damage, bury, or destroy any vases, flower pots, urns or other objects which have been placed on any cemetery lot; nor shall any person move or remove any cemetery equipment without the owner's consent.
(2) 
Protection of cemetery property. No person shall trap in any cemetery without specific written authorization of the owner; nor shall any person kill, injure or disturb or attempt to injure or disturb any animals, birds or waterfowl, wild or domestic, within any cemetery in any matter except as provided by this Code; nor shall any person climb any tree or break, cut down, trample upon, remove or in any manner injure, deface, write upon or in any manner damage any tree, shrub, flower, flower bed, turf, grassy area, soil, building, structure, equipment, official notice, sign or other property within any cemetery. No picnics, parties, or similar gatherings are permitted.
(3) 
Motor vehicles. Motor vehicles are restricted to the roads and drives and parking areas. Except for authorized maintenance vehicles, no person shall operate an unlicensed or licensed motorized vehicle on any cemetery property outside of areas specifically designated as parking areas or areas where the operation of such vehicles is specifically permitted. It shall be unlawful for a person to engage in any off-roadway operation of a motorized vehicle on cemetery property without the owner's consent.
(4) 
Speed limit. No person shall operate any motorized vehicle in any cemetery in excess of 15 miles per hour unless otherwise posted.
(5) 
Parking. No person, without the owner's consent, shall park any motor vehicle in any cemetery on any grassy or seeded area or upon any location except a designated parking area, nor shall any person park a motor vehicle on cemetery property for any purpose except engaging in official cemetery business. Any unlawfully parked motor vehicle may be towed or removed by the cemetery property owner at the vehicle owner's expense.
(6) 
Littering prohibited. No person shall litter, dump or deposit any rubbish, refuse, earth, or other material in any cemetery without the owner's consent.
(7) 
Pets. Pets, including animals of any species, and horses are prohibited in any cemetery, except for dogs specially trained to assist disabled persons.
(8) 
Sound devices. No person shall operate or play any amplifying system or sound device in any cemetery without the owner's consent.
(9) 
Authorized notices. No person shall post, paste, fasten, paint or attach any placard, bill, notice, sign or advertising matter upon any structure, tree or other natural object in any cemetery, except cemetery regulations and other signs authorized by the owner. No person shall remove, deface or damage in any manner any official sign or notice posted in any cemetery.
(10) 
Loitering prohibited. No person shall loiter or cause a nuisance or engage in any sport or exercise on any cemetery property without the owner's consent.
(11) 
Alcohol beverages prohibited. No person shall consume or have in his/her possession any open container containing an alcohol beverage upon any cemetery property within the Village unless the property is specifically named as being part of a licensed premises.
(12) 
Play vehicles prohibited. No person shall operate or make use of a play vehicle upon any cemetery property without the owner's consent. As used in this subsection, "play vehicle" shall mean any coaster, skateboard, roller skates, sled, toboggan, unicycle or toy vehicle upon which a person may ride.
(13) 
Presence after hours prohibited. No person shall be present upon any cemetery property without the owner's consent during posted hours when the cemetery is not open to the public.