(a) Cemetery lots shall be sold only for use of a family, their relatives and their descendants.
(b) Where there are two or more persons interested as owners of a cemetery lot, no dividing lines within the same will be recognized. All owners shall have equal rights of interment. (Ord. 08-10. Passed 7-20-10.)
(c) The owner of a cemetery lot may sell, transfer, or assign any cemetery lot or any portion of a cemetery lot only to:
(1) Another member of the cemetery lot owner’s immediate family (i.e., a person’s parents, step-parents, siblings, spouse, children, step-children, and adopted children). Such inter-family transfers are valid and permitted only upon the following conditions: the consent of the Finance Director; the completion of the necessary transfer form; and the full payment of the transfer fee specified in Section 941.11, or
(2) The Village of Greenfield. Such transfers are valid and permitted only upon the following conditions: the consent of the City Manager; the completion of the necessary transfer form; the full payment of the transfer fee specified in Section 941.11; and the price paid to buy-back the cemetery lot does not exceed the price originally paid by the owner for the cemetery lot. (Ord. 12- 15. Passed 9-16-15.)
(d) When a family cemetery lot owner dies intestate, or without having designated the names of the persons to be interred on such owner's cemetery lot, heirs shall be recognized according to the laws of Ohio.
(e) All opening of graves must be done by the employees of the Greenfield Municipal Cemetery.
(f) No funerals on a Sunday or general holidays are allowed in the Greenfield Municipal Cemetery, except as may be required by law, health, or in special cases as authorized by the City Manager.
(g) Grave surfaces shall be kept level with the surrounding terrain since 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 grave sites, as an exact record of their location is kept by the cemetery.
(h) Subject to the approval of the City Manager or his/her designee, the planting of shrubs and flowers will be permitted on cemetery lots, provided however, that no planting of any kind will be permitted on graves. Any planting made in violation to this rule shall be removed without notice. It is mandatory to make the necessary arrangements at the cemetery before planting material is purchased.
(i) The City Manager may direct that any work done within cemetery grounds for remuneration shall be performed by cemetery employees, under his supervision.
(j) If any tree or shrub standing on any cemetery lot shall, by means of its roots, branch, or otherwise, become detrimental, dangerous, or inconvenient to adjacent cemetery lots or walks, or if it becomes unsightly, the City Manager or his/her designee shall have the right, and it shall be his duty to remove such tree or shrub, or any portion thereof, as he shall judge best. The cemetery will replant grass which must be removed to make interments.
(k) No turf may be removed for flower bed or other purpose without first obtaining the City Manager or his/her designee's permission.
(l) The cemetery will maintain, as nearly as may be practical, the planting of trees and shrubs that are contained in the landscaping and general background of the cemetery.
(m) No fence, hedge, enclosure, or curbing of any kind will be allowed on cemetery lots.
(n) Glassware, cans, crockery, boxes, baskets, shells or watering pots left on graves or cemetery lots are detrimental to the appearance of the cemetery, and the City Manager or his/her designee is directed to remove such articles from the graves and cemetery lots.
(o) No person shall deposit anywhere within cemetery limits, debris, rubbish or waste material of any nature except that resulting from decoration or care of cemetery lots. Such debris and waste material shall be deposited at places or in receptacles designated for such use.
(p) Orders for special work in anticipation of Memorial Day must be filed with the City Manager or his/her designee not later than May 1.
(q) Persons wishing to make improvements of any kind on their own or other cemetery lots must first consult the City Manager or his/her designee.
(r) The City will use reasonable care in engaging competent and experienced cemetery employees, and in seeing that they do their work with customary carefulness, but it disclaims any responsibility or liability for accident or damage to headstones, vases, monuments or mausoleums resulting from the ordinary hazards of cemetery work. Nor does it assume any liability for accident or damage to person or property due to defects of machinery, implements, tools or equipment used in cemetery work.
(s) Metal emblems may be placed on graves when permitted by the City Manager or his/her designee. Such emblem shall be removed when deemed advisable by the City Manager or his/her designee.
(t) Undertakers and others, entering and while within the cemetery, will be under the control and subject to the direction of the City Manager or his/her designee.
(u) Cemetery lots sold will include a regular endowment feature to insure future care at the rate of fifty dollars ($50.00) per grave space. Said funds will be applied to Cemetery Capital Improvement Funds and will be subject to restrictions of that fund. Income only from the amount so paid will be used for care of grave spaces.
(Ord. 08-10. Passed 7-20-10.)