[R.O. 2012 §165.070; Ord. No. 12-05-01 §1, 5-7-2012; Ord.
No. 12-10-04 §1, 10-15-2012; Ord. No. 20-11-05, 12-7-2020]
A.
To
maintain the beauty and serenity of the Excelsior Springs cemeteries,
the following rules and regulations have been established by the City
of Excelsior Springs for the use, maintenance and governance of Hillcrest
Cemetery and Crown Hill Cemetery.
B.
Rules
For Visitors. The purpose of these rules and regulations is to provide
for the orderly operation of all City-owned cemeteries. They will
also serve as a guideline to ensure the beauty, peacefulness, and
solemnness to the areas that serve as a tribute for loved ones laid
here to rest.
1.
The cemetery is open to visitors between sunrise and sunset.
2.
Visitors are required to use the walks and drives and are forbidden
to trespass on cemetery lots, except as may be necessary to gain access
to other interment spaces within the cemetery.
3.
Visitors are prohibited from spreading ashes above ground.
4.
Memorial shrubs, trees, bushes, and flowers may be planted in designated
areas within the cemetery with the consent of the Sexton. Consent
is necessary to ensure improvements do not affect the routine maintenance
of the cemetery.
C.
Decorations
For Gravesites.
1.
All floral decorations, whether natural or artificial, shall be subject
to the cemetery's written policies. Permanent containers shall be
in-ground containers that do not hold water when not in use or the
type placed upon the monuments or markers, such as vases or saddles.
Temporary containers will be removed and disposed of when they impede
maintenance of the cemetery. DO NOT use glass, clay, or pottery containers,
pieces of wire or similar binding to secure baskets or pots at any
time. This can create dangerous situations for staff performing maintenance
duties. The Cemetery Sexton, without notice, may remove vegetation
that has been planted on lots.
2.
No lot shall be decorated with any tree or shrub, nor shall the lot
be disturbed in any way except in keeping with design plans and specifications
herein. Only those decorations that are placed on the monument and
do not impede with maintenance of the cemetery shall remain. Specifically,
no items can be left in the grass, such as shepherd hooks, light fixtures,
statuary or the placement of flowers other than for the Holiday exceptions
listed below. These items cannot be protected from mowers and weed
eaters and impede maintenance efforts.
D.
Cemetery
Clean-Up.
1.
FROM MARCH 1 TO OCTOBER 31 — Fresh cut flowers or small artificial
bouquets will be permitted as grave decorations when the container
is supported by the monument such as vases or saddles.
a.
EXCEPTIONS: On EASTER, MOTHER'S DAY, MEMORIAL DAY, and FATHER'S DAY
other appropriate decorations may be used for one (1) week only (such
as Angel/Shepard Hooks, light fixtures, boxes, metal containers, potted
plants and wreaths.) No glass will be permitted. Any decoration you
wish to retain must be picked up within seven (7) days after each
of the above days or they will be REMOVED AND DISCARDED. All decorations
will be removed unless in a permanent vase installed on the stone,
foundation, or in saddles on the stones.
2.
FROM NOVEMBER 1 TO FEBRUARY 28 — Any appropriate winter decorations
may be used such as wreaths, blankets and artificial flowers. Decorations
other than those permitted between March 1 and October 31 will be
REMOVED AND DISCARDED at the beginning of the mowing season.
3.
The City is not responsible for theft or damage to any personal property,
including artifacts, personal effects, etc., placed on or near internment
spaces or elsewhere in the cemetery. This includes headstones and
markers, which are owned by the family members. Repairs to headstones
and markers are the responsibility of the family.
4.
The City reserves a perpetual right of ingress and egress over interment
spaces for the purpose of passage to and from other interment spaces
and this right is also extended to those lawfully entitled.
E.
Permits
And Authorizations.
1.
The placement of mausoleums, vaults, monuments or markers require:
a.
Installation of all markers, monuments, vaults, mausoleums, vases
and light fixtures is subject to consent of the Sexton.
2.
Interments/Inurnments.
a.
The Sexton shall be given twenty-four (24) hours' notice in the summer
and forty-eight (48) hours' notice in the winter prior to grave opening
and preparation of the interment.
b.
All grave openings and closings shall be made with the consent of
the Sexton. Persons ordering grave openings will be held responsible
for payment per the established fees and charges.
3.
Monuments And Markers. No foundation or digging before first consulting
the Sexton. All setting of monuments and markers and the transportation
of all tools, material, etc., within the cemetery grounds shall be
subject to the supervision and control of the Sexton. The monument
company, with the consent of the Sexton, shall set all foundations.
Monuments and markers will not be permitted on a lot until the lot
is fully paid for. The Sexton reserves the right to refuse permission
to erect any memorial not in keeping with the good appearance of the
cemetery grounds such as marble, cement, concrete and/or wood.
4.
Mausoleums. Complete architectural plans and specifications must
be submitted to the City of Excelsior Springs Building Inspector upon
application for a construction permit. Upon approval of the plans,
a permit will be issued. Before a mausoleum is approved or constructed,
a Trust Fund must be established with the cemetery. The income from
this Trust Fund will be used exclusively to maintain and care for
the mausoleum. The amount of the fund will be determined by the City,
but will not be less than ten percent (10%) percent of the total cost
of the lot and structure. Upon completion of any vault in the mausoleum,
one (1) key to each lock must be deposited in the City Manager's office,
to remain permanently in the custody of the cemetery.
5.
Removal Of Markers. No monument or marker may be removed without
an authorized written consent order on file in the City Manager's
office.
F.
Design
Plans, Specifications And Appropriate Materials.
1.
Interments/Inurnments. All interments shall be in a concrete vault.
All inurnments shall be made in a permanent non-biodegradable type
container.
2.
Monuments And Markers. All monuments and markers must be of marble,
granite or bronze. The cemetery reserves the right to require a larger
and deeper foundation if deemed essential for permanency and safety.
No foundations may be smaller than one (1) foot square. Additional
regulations are as follows:
a.
All foundations must be of concrete with three (3) parts sand/gravel
and one (1) part cement unless otherwise instructed by the Sexton.
b.
Foundation must be at least thirty (30) inches deep.
c.
Depth of foundation applies to overall size.
d.
All markers at foot of graves must be ground level and without vases
of any kind.
3.
Mausoleums. All mausoleums shall be centered on the lot and face
the front of the lot. All remains must be in separate crypts, which
can be hermetically sealed to cemetery regulations. All mausoleums
and monuments shall be set on foundations of solid masonry or concrete,
which will not be less than four (4) feet deep and not less in size
than the base of the superstructure. All monument bases must be set
in a bed of cement or mortar evenly covering the foundation. The first
level of masonry above the foundation and all monument and other bases
must be planed to an equal thickness. No building-up of underpinning
with chips, rocks, cement or other material will be allowed. As a
protection to lot owners and to guarantee the quality of work that
is performed at the cemetery, the cemetery reserves the right to excavate
and build all foundations and to regulate all work that is done in
the cemetery.
4.
Benches. Granite benches are permitted only if they are installed
on a foundation in the space reserved for a monument. Benches will
be considered a monument and will be subject to all rules applying
to monuments.
5.
Materials. Uniformity throughout the cemetery must be maintained
in the construction materials used on each lot. Any stone which varies
substantially in color, texture, material, cut, size or design will
not be accepted. The exterior and above ground portion of a vault,
mausoleum, monument, or marker shall be constructed of granite or
standard government bronze.
6.
Workers. All workers employed on projects within the cemetery are
subject to the control and direction of the City. Workers must not
place materials on adjoining lots or leave materials on the ground
longer than is absolutely necessary. All earth and rubbish accumulated
during lot improvements must be removed under the direction of the
Sexton at the expense of the lot owner. No unnecessary delay in work
is permitted. All work must be completed and rubbish removed before
noon on Saturday and prior to any day preceding a holiday, except
when special permission is obtained from the Sexton. No monuments
may be set after 4:30 p.m.
7.
Construction Season. The cemetery reserves the right to halt all
construction work between November 1 and April 15. Foundations will
not be built during freezing weather.
8.
Deliveries. No deliveries of construction materials, etc., will be
accepted on Saturday, Sunday, holidays or days preceding a holiday.
9.
Quality Control. Only markers, monuments, mausoleums, vases or light
fixtures of acceptable design, materials, workmanship and durability
are permitted. If defects and/or deficiencies become apparent during
installation, the work will be stopped and the defects/deficiencies
corrected. If corrections cannot be made, or if the lot owner does
not correct them within a reasonable time, the entire structure will
be removed by cemetery's management at the lot owner's expense.
10.
Damage. Lot owners are liable for any damage to adjoining lots or
other property in the cemetery caused by construction work on mausoleums,
monuments, markers, etc. Vandalism or damage caused by forces beyond
the control of cemetery is the responsibility of the individual lot
owner.
11.
Trees, Shrubs, And Flowers. All landscaping, including the planting
of trees and shrubs, will be done by the cemetery, unless the Sexton
has given special permission.
[R.O. 2012 §165.080; Ord. No. 12-05-01 §2, 5-7-2012]
The cost of lots in Hillcrest and Crown Hill Cemeteries is hereby
fixed at six hundred dollars ($600.00) per lot, plus a one-time maintenance
fee of four hundred dollars ($400.00) per lot.
