(A) The Board of Trustees and a group known as “The Old Graveyard Association” is abolished. The care and maintenance of the city cemetery, also known as “The Old Cemetery” is placed in the Board of Public Works and Safety. All monies and property currently held by or under the control of “The Old Graveyard Association” or the Board of Trustees of that association shall immediately be turned over to the Board of Public Works and Safety and shall from December 8, 1980, be under the care, custody, and control of the Board of Public Works and Safety.
(B) Fee schedules, effective October 1, 2022.
(1) Lots purchased in Riverside Cemetery.
City of Noblesville resident $600/lot; $300/niche
Hamilton County resident $800/lot; $400/niche
Outside Hamilton County $1,600/lot; $800/niche
“CITY OF NOBLESVILLE RESIDENT” means a current resident or former resident that considers himself or herself to be a native of Noblesville, and/or has family members interred at Riverside Cemetery.
(2) Opening and closing of graves at Riverside Cemetery.
Adult burial $750
Infant buria l $500
Cremation (in ground) $500
Cremation (in columbarium) $250
(3) Opening and closing fees shall be paid at the time of interment and shall not be prepaid. Opening and closing fees for the columbarium shall be charged each time a niche front is removed for engraving.
(4) Grave plots shall be sold only in the south (new) section of the cemetery. Due to the number of unmarked graves and the lack of accurate records, no new grave plots in Sections A, B, C, D, F, or G shall be sold or offered for sale or reservation. Previously reserved graves in Sections A and B may be used for burials of the owners or heirs of the owners.
(5) Grave plots are to be used for traditional burials, not cremations, unless cremations are to be buried in a grave with a previous burial. Graves may not be purchased for burial of cremations only.
(6) All graves must have headstones, monuments, or markers for those interred. If the family of the deceased is unable to provide a marker, the city will provide a simple headstone.
(7) Grave plots and cremation niches in the columbarium may be reserved and purchased in advance. If payment in full is not received by the City Clerk within 60 days of the reservation, the reservation may be cancelled. Partial payments shall not be accepted. Upon receipt of payment, the Clerk will issue a deed to the purchaser and keep a copy on file in the Clerk's office.
(8) The city may purchase deeds to grave plots upon request of the owner or heir(s) of the owner, if the following conditions are met: a deed showing the purchase price of the grave must be produced and/or on file with the City Clerk; and a notarized affidavit(s) surrendering claim to the grave by the owner or majority of the heirs of the owner must be submitted. The city will remit the original purchase price of the grave plot to the owner or heir(s) of the owner upon proof of ownership and receipt of the affidavit(s). Grave plots in the south (new) section sold to the city shall be available for resale to the general public. Plots in Sections A, B, C, D, F, or G shall not be resold.
(9) Rules regarding grave decorations shall be determined by the Board of Public Works and Safety. The rules shall be posted at both entrances to the cemetery and be printed for distribution. The city reserves the right to remove any items that are not permitted. Any removed items not claimed within 30 days may be disposed of.
(10) Riverside Cemetery is open to the public but may not be used for events or gatherings not related to funerals, memorials, or grave visitation without express permission from the Board of Public Works and Safety.
(11) Cleaning or restoration work on headstones or monuments shall only be undertaken with prior permission from the Board of Public Works and Safety.
(Ord. 1381, passed 12-8-80; Am. Ord. 10-03-04, passed 3-9-04; Am. Ord. 53-12-18, passed 12-18-18; Am. Ord. 52-12-19, passed 12-17-19; Am. Ord. 52-08-22, passed 8-23-22)