Cemetery Rules and Regulations

Preamble

The following rules and regulations, adopted by the Nunda Township Cemetery Trustees of McHenry County, Illinois, apply to all public graveyards in the township until further order of the trustees. These regulations are set forth in order to preserve the dignity and beauty of our cemeteries, and to minimize unnecessary maintenance.

Sale of Property

A deed shall be issued to the purchaser of a grave after receipt of full purchase price in accordance with price schedule in effect at time of purchase. Graves and/or lots will be sold only to, and/or for, persons residing within the legal boundaries of Nunda Township.

No interment (including cremation) shall be made until a burial permit fee has been paid, such permit has been issued, and a board member or designee has marked site.

The Trustees reserve the right of first option to purchase any grave and/or lot that is offered for sale by the purchaser of said grave or lot, if the Trustees deem it necessary for the benefit of Nunda Township, at the original purchase price, within thirty (30) days of written notice of said potential sale.

Said option to purchase shall be exercised for the benefit of the residents of Nunda Township should said potential purchaser be a non-resident of Nunda Township or the potential price is in excess of current price of a like grave site offered by the Cemetery Trustees.

Ownership of plots may not be transferred without written consent of the Board of Trustees.

All burials are subject to the laws of the Illinois Board of Health.

Interments

All interments, except cremains, shall be in cement or concrete vaults. Interments of cremains must be in suitable, impermeable containers. No double burials will be allowed in any one gravesite except a burial of a mother and a newborn child or no more than two burials of cremated remains. Burials of first cremains must be made in the center of the top half of the plot. Burial of the second cremains shall be made in the center of the lower half of the plot.

Memorials

No headstone or marker is to be installed without prior approval by the Nunda Township Cemetery Trustees and payment of the permit fee and receipt of said permit from the Nunda Township Office. Marking of monument site by Nunda Township board member or designee is required prior to installation.

All bases for headstones are to be of cement or optional granite top and one-foot below ground and of full size of stone supported with a four-inch apron at ground level extending on all sides.

Monuments/headstones must have a cement or granite base 36-inch in depth and of full size of monument supported with a four-inch apron extending on all sides at ground level. The base of the monument may rest on cement vault if desired. The cement base will not be allowed to taper to a point at the lowest level. The headstone or marker must be placed within the parameter of the plot itself.

The applicant for a monument shall place a marker or headstone on said grave within a year after interment. Monument and headstone inscriptions shall be placed to face and be read consistent with headstones.

The Trustees reserve the right to move or remove any monument or marker which, in their opinion, is hazardous, unsightly, objectionable by reason of placement or condition, damaged or deteriorated to the point of being useless for the purpose it was intended to serve. All effort will be made to contact owners or heirs when at all possible before said removal.

Responsibilities

The Trustees shall be responsible for ordinary care of the cemeteries under their control including but not limited to grass cutting, trimming, fertilizing and watering, planting and trimming of trees and other plantings in and about non-grave portions of the cemeteries.

Decorations

No grave covers, edging or enclosures, of any material, to define lots or graves are permitted. No trees, shrubs or flowers shall be planted upon a grave or lot. Benches, permanent vases, flower boxes or pots, shepherd hooks, candles, or other decorations or ornamentation are not allowed. The Trustees reserve the right of removal of any such non-conforming items. These restrictions are necessary for safety reasons, and to enable proper mowing and trimming of site.

Natural flowers and plants, in removable plastic containers only, are permitted, but will be removed when faded. Artificial plants and wreaths are permitted after November 1 st , but will be removed during spring cleanup, after March 1 st .

Flags may be placed on graves three days prior to Memorial, Independence, and Veterans Day, and should be removed seven days after the holiday.



Last Revised 01-21-2004