Rittman Cemetery Rules Board
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Rittman
Cemetery
Board Rules & Regulations
991.03 GENERAL REGULATIONS
(a) Lots are sold only for use of the family, their relatives and their
descendants unless special permission is obtained from the SERVICE
DIRECTOR
(b) Where there are two or more persons interested as owners of a lot, no
dividing lines within the same shall be recognized; all owners shall have
equal rights of interment.
(c) No sale, transfer or assignment of any lot, or part of a lot shall be
valid or recognized without the written consent of the SERVICE
DIRECTOR and the payment of the fee specified in Section 991.14,
and on file in the office of the Director of Finance.
(d) When a lot owner dies intestate or without having designated by
reservation filed in the office of the SERVICE DIRECTOR the
names of the persons to be interred on such owner's lot, the heirs are
recognized according to the laws of Ohio.
(e) All grave openings shall be done by the employees of
the cemetery or an excavating company designated by the City for this
specific purpose.
(f) Tents, artificial grass, matting, lowering devices and other equipment
controlled by either the Rittman Municipal Cemeteries or a contractor
designated by the City shall be used in making interments, disinterment and
removals.
(g) All grave service charges are payable in advance in accordance with
Section 991.14.
a. No funerals are allowed on Sunday or general holidays as observed by the City of Rittman are allowed except as may be required by law or to conform to regulations of the Health Department.
b. Wooden vaults or outer boxes are forbidden.(j) Grave surfaces shall be kept level with the surrounding terrain as it is difficult to mow or to make grass grow upon a mound. A smooth sward is more pleasing and mounds are no longer necessary to mark gravesites, as an exact record of their location is kept by the cemetery.
(k) If a tree or shrub on a lot becomes detrimental, dangerous or inconvenient to adjacent lots or walks or if it becomes unsightly, the SERVICE DIRECTOR shall have the right to remove such tree or shrub or any portion thereof. Any planting made in violation of the rule may be removed without notice. It is advisable to make the necessary arrangements at the cemetery before planting material is purchased.
(I) No turf may be removed for a flower bed or other purpose without first obtaining the sexton’s permission.
(m) No fence, hedge, enclosure or curb of any kind shall be allowed on burial lots.
(n) Glassware, cans, crockery, boxes, baskets, shells, watering pots or similar items left on graves or lots are detrimental to the appearance of the cemetery and shall be removed.
(o) All cemetery waste and debris should be deposited in receptacles designated for such use.
(p) Persons wishing to make improvements of any kind on their own or other lots must first consult the sexton.
(q) April 1-May 1 No flowers or ornaments should be on gravesites –everything must be removed as this is our clean up and weed spray time. Eternal Lights or flames may remain on sites during this period.
November 1 – All flowers and containers must be removed.
December 1- April 1 Wreaths and ornaments only can be placed on the pot base of a grave.
(r) The City shall use reasonable care in engaging competent and experienced cemetery employees and/or contractors and in seeing that they do their work in customary carefulness. The City disclaims any responsibility or liability for accident or damage to headstones, vases, monuments or mausoleums resulting from the ordinary hazards of cemetery work; or to persons or property due to defective machinery, implements, tools or equipment used in cemetery work.
(s) Metal/ bronze flag holders may be placed on graves when permitted by the Service Director. Such emblem shall be removed when deemed advisable by the Service Director.
(t) Any person in the cemetery, including funeral directors, shall be under the control and subject to the direction of the Service Director.
991.04 PREMISES REGULATIONS.
(a) No person shall wound, kill or capture any kind of bird or animal, or
remove the young of any animal or the eggs of any bird within the limits of
the cemetery under penalty of the law.
(b) Visitors are prohibited from plucking any plants, whether cultivated or
wild, unnecessarily disturbing the birds or animals, breaking or injuring
any tree or shrub, marring any monument or landmark or in any way defacing
cemetery grounds, fences or buildings thereon.
(c) Sitting or standing upon monuments is not permitted.
(d) No advertising of any form shall be permitted within cemetery.
(e) No dogs are allowed inside the cemetery.
(f) No person shall discharge firearms within the cemetery except for
military funerals or Memorial Day exercises.
(g) The cemetery grounds are closed to everyone except cemetery employees
and other authorized persons, during the hours of darkness. Violators of
this provision are subject to arrest and prosecution.
(h) Any person acting in a boisterous or loud manner, or in any way improper
to the sanctity of the grounds, may be expelled by the Service Director or
his designee.
(i) All persons are reminded that the grounds are sacredly devoted to the
burial of the dead, and that the provisions and penalties of the law shall
be strictly enforced to keep it thus.
991.05 FLORAL DECORATIONS, VASES, URNS AND MEMORIAL LIGHTS
(a) Permanent urns may be placed in the cemetery by obtaining permission of
the Service Director. All urns must be placed on a pot base. One pot base
per monument.
(b) Hanging baskets shall be suspended from a single shepherd hook, made of
steel, per family lot. Only one floral planting per family lot shall be
permitted. (No other decorations may be attached to the hook
(c) No tripods or pipe frames may be erected 10 days after the burial.
(d) In order to maintain a neat appearance throughout the cemetery, the
Service Director may remove the plantings from any urn or
basket which becomes unsightly through lack of care.
(e) Potted plants shall be permitted to remain on graves until the blossoms
are dead, at which time they shall be promptly removed.
f. Cut flowers may be placed on any grave. All withered and faded cut
flowers shall be removed when lots are mowed
g. Funeral designs and floral pieces shall be removed from the graves when
they become wilted or unsightly. Persons desiring to retain any must remove
the same within forty-eight hours after the interment. In no case shall
employees attempt to locate designs or floral pieces after their removal
from a lot and the cemetery committee shall not be responsible for anything
of this nature.
h. All floral baskets, designs and wreaths shall be removed when they become
unsightly.
i. “ETERNAL”/”MEMORIAL” LIGHTS Or Candles
The use of the “eternal” or “memorial” type lights is discouraged. However,
if a family wishes to place this type of decorative light, the location
should first be discussed with the Cemetery Sexton to try to mitigate
maintenance issues. Only those of the solar or battery operated styles may
be allowed. No more than one such light will be allowed per family plot. The
City is not responsible for such lights. If a light becomes a maintenance
issue for the Cemetery Department staff, it may be moved or removed. A light
will be removed if it becomes broken, non-functioning or exceeds the number
allowed.
No mechanical devices or decorations allowed.
Statues allowed only on pot base or at the edge of the monument base. Height
not to exceed 54 inches or allowed to exceed the monument height.
991.06 MARKERS AND MONUMENTS.
(a) No grave markers (flush mounted) or monuments (above ground mounted) may
be erected or placed in the cemetery unless specifications, plans and
location have been first submitted to and been approved by the
Service Director. In the event the Service Director
disapproves of the specifications, plans, or location, the
applicant may, within in ten days, submit a written appeal to the
Cemetery Commission. The Commission shall have a hearing and render
a decision within twenty days of receipt of the appeal. In no case shall
more than one monument be allowed on one grave space, except for flush foot
markers.
(b) To insure permanency, all foundations shall be built by employees of the
cemetery at the expense of the grave owners.
(c) The Service Director shall have authority to inspect
the setting of any monument or marker, and if improperly done, order the
resetting of same.
(d) After a monument or marker has been placed in the cemetery, it may not
be removed without permission of the Service Director.
991.07 INTERMENTS.
(a) The number of interments which may be properly made on a grave space is
definitely fixed at the time of purchase, and no more shall be permitted. In
order that uniformity may be sustained, the Service Director or his
designee shall determine the location of graves on a lot.
(b). Only one body shall be allowed in a grave with the exception of the
veterans section. A Cremains or infant burial over an adult's grave may be
permitted, provided that the adult burial is of sufficient depth and in a
permanent vault and approved by the Service Director.. Four allowed per
grave site.
(c) Interments on Sunday or general holidays as observed by the City of
Rittman are not permitted, except when ordered by the Board of Health. No
interment may be made unless the body is accompanied by a burial permit,
(usually procured by the Funeral Director). Cremains may not be scattered on
the ground. They must be buried by an employee of the cemetery.
(d) Funerals shall not be permitted to enter the cemetery later than 3:00
p.m. on weekdays and 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays, except by permission by the
Service Director.
(e) The SERVICE DIRECTOR shall be contacted before setting
the time of any funeral to avoid conflict with another funeral. Notice of
not less than 24 hours shall be given for the opening of a grave. All
funeral processions, while within the cemetery grounds shall be under the
direction and control of the SERVICE DIRECTOR.
(f) Interment charges are due and payable when the order is given and
includes opening and closing of the grave.
991.08 DISINTERMENTS.
(a) Disinterments shall be made upon court order, or permission to make
disinterments not ordered by the court shall be given upon written order of
the lot owner or surviving wife or husband, or children, if of legal age; or
parents of the deceased (in the order stated); provided, however, that such
disinterments is not made for profit or other reasons considered improper by
cemetery authorities.
(b) No disinterment shall be made until all State regulations and rules of
the local health authorities have been complied with.
(c) If the relocation of the remains of a deceased person is deemed
advisable by SERVICE DIRECTOR, such relocation may be made
by the SERVICE DIRECTOR upon court order or upon written
permission given by the nearest surviving relative, or except as hereinafter
provided.
991.09 LOTS AND RELOCATIONS.
(a) The purchase of lots shall be arranged through the SERVICE
DIRECTOR or his designee who shall show the lots
which are for sale.
(b) When a section of the cemetery has been platted and prepared for sale,
the price of lots shall be fixed by City Council. No lots shall be sold
unless such lots are properly endowed for perpetual care.
(c) The deed to a lot conveys only burial rights and the title to the land
remains with the city.
(d) In general all lot sales are for cash and the bill is payable at the
time of purchase to the Director of Finance. Lots will only be reserved for
a period of 30 days without payment. No monument or marker may be placed on
a site until plot is fully paid.
(e) Interment in a lot shall be permitted for the owner of the lot named as
the grantee in the deed, and for his immediate family and heirs, and for
such other person or persons as may be designated in writing to the
SERVICE DIRECTOR by the lot owner during his lifetime. However, the
burial of any person other than the lot owner or his immediate family and
heirs may be refused, notwithstanding the written designation of the lot
owner, if the lot owner accepts or agrees to accept any compensation of
payment for granting the right to such burial. Upon the death of
judicially-declared incompetent lot owner, it is the duty of any person or
persons having the right of burial upon the lot under the terms of the deed
thereto and the cemetery rules to file with the SERVICE DIRECTOR
proof of their right to the use of the lot, and further burials upon the lot
may not be permitted until such proof is presented.
(f) As the deed to a lot conveys only the right of burial, the City retains
control and supervision of all lots which have been sold and the
SERVICE DIRECTOR shall enter upon lot and prohibit, modify or
remove any structure, object, adornment or improvement on such lot which may
have been placed in violation of cemetery rules or which may be considered,
in the SERVICE DIRECTOR's judgement, to be objectionable or injurious to the
lot or adjoining lots, or to the general appearance of the cemetery.
991.12 ORDINARY CARE.
The ordinary care of the Rittman Municipal Cemeteries shall consist of all
necessary mowing, planting and care of all trees, hedges and bushes of
general benefit to the cemetery the disposal of leaves, the construction and
maintenance of walks and drives, filling and sodding of settled graves and
the embellishment or care of the cemetery grounds generally.
991.13 TRAFFIC RULES; ADDITIONAL ENFORCMENT AUTHORITY OF
SUPERINTENDENT
Motor vehicles or other vehicles may be operated in the cemetery at a speed
not greater than fifteen miles per hour and such vehicles shall at all times
be operated with due care. All vehicles may be operated and parked upon the
driveways only, except cemetery equipment necessary for carrying on the work
of the employees of the cemetery.
The SERVICE DIRECTOR shall have the power to enforce all
rules and regulations adopted by Council, and to exclude from the property
of Rittman Municipal Cemeteries any person or persons violating the same.
The SERVICE DIRECTOR shall have charge of grounds,
buildings and at all times shall have supervision and control of all persons
in the cemetery, including the conduct of funerals, traffic, employees, plot
owners and visitors.
991.14 CHARGES AND FEES.
(a) Classification of Lots. All lots in Rittman Municipal shall be so
designated on the cemetery maps on file in the office of the
Cemetery Clerk or Sexton, and shall be priced at the rates
indicated in the schedule of lot prices listed below. The deed to a lot
conveys only burial rights and perpetual care, as outlined in Sections
991.10 and
(b)Residents and Nonresidents. Since the city is obligated to pay
from the General Fund all costs involved in the operation and maintenance of
the cemetery over and above the income derived from the sale of lots,
burials, the Cemetery Maintenance and Operations Fund, the Special Lot
Endowment Fund, gifts and bequeaths and since nonresident of the City do not
necessarily contribute to the General Fund by way of taxes, a distinction is
made in charges and fees for the lots and services rendered between
residents and nonresidents of the City.
(c) Operating and Maintenance Fund and Endowment Fund. The charges
and fees, as indicated in the schedule below, shall be divided into two
distinct funds, namely, Operating and Maintenance Fund and Cemetery
Endowment Fund.
(1) The Operating and Maintenance Fund money shall be placed in the General Fund of the City from which the current costs of operating and maintaining the cemetery are drawn.
(2) The Cemetery Endowment Fund money shall be placed in a permanent care of Rittman Municipal Cemeteries and used for Capital Improvement Expenditures.
(d) Endowment Fund. The amount of money that shall be accepted by the
City by agreement, gift, devise, bequeath or otherwise to hold as a
permanent fund, the interest or income only therefrom to be used for
perpetual care of specified lots, as outlined in Section 991.11, shall be
not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00).
(e) Transfer of Title. Lot owners are permitted to sell, transfer or
assign their interest in such lots with the consent of the SERVICE
DIRECTOR and upon the payment of the fee specified in the schedule
of charges and fees in this section and which is also on file in the office
of the Director of Finance.
(g) Lot Fees per Grave.
Classes & Types of Operating Perpetual
Lots Residents Nonresidents
Resident Adult $350.00
Non Resident $450.00
Resident Babyland $125.00
Non Resident Babyland $150.00
Soldiers Circle (if available) City and Milton Twp Residents only – No
Charge
(h)
Interment Fees.
Interment Residents or Nonresidents Operating Fund
Adults, including tents for Service $400
Infant, in babyland, including tent for service $100
Infant in babyland $75.00
Ashes- Resident $100.00
Ashes – Non resident $150.00
Foundation per square inch $.40
.
991.99 PENALTY
Whoever violates any provision of this chapter shall be fined not more than
one hundred dollars ($100.00). A separate offense shall be deemed committed
each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
