BARTOW CEMETERIES RULES AND REGULATIONS

Resolution No. 14-3856-R
Adopted: July 7, 2014

I. SPACE SALES AND RECORDS

A. All sales transactions must be handled by the City through its City Manager and/or his representative.

B. When a sale has been arranged and payment has been made, the deed will be mailed to the buyer.

C. Preparation and filing of permanent records will be under the supervision of the City Manager and recorded by the City Clerk.

D. Notices mailed to a property owner at the last address on file with the City Clerk shall be equivalent to actual delivery of the notice.

E. Prices of burial spaces in Wildwood Cemetery shall be: 

    Adult burial space $550.00 
    Cremation burial space $275.00 
    Infant Space $75.00

F. The resale or conveyance of any burial space in Wildwood Cemetery by the owner to another party will be subject to approval by the City and the payment by the seller of Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00) must be paid to the City, as a service charge for administrative work. No burial space can be resold for an amount greater than the current price of the remaining or current burial spaces in the Cemetery.

G. Arrangements satisfactory to the City of payment for the purchase of burial spaces must be made prior to any interment, disinterment, or removal. No deed to a Lot (two or more spaces) shall be deemed valid to the purchaser until the amount of the purchase money shall have been paid.

H. Two (2) cremation interments are allowed on a cemetery space with an existing regular burial. Four (4) cremation interments are allowed only on a single cemetery space that has no regular burial.

I. A registration fee of $25.00 will be charged for cremation burials on regular existing burial spaces.

II. MONUMENTS AND MARKERS

A. No material except granite, marble, or bronze shall be used for a marker, cross, obelisk, monument, or mausoleum. Before the placing of a monument, cross, obelisk, higher than five (5) feet or mausoleum, it shall be determined by the Cemetery Board that a plan or design is suitable for the lot on which it is to be placed. (Monuments consisting of artificial stone, composition, plastic, wood, tin, or iron are not permitted.)

B. No monument shall be more than 5’ in height from the foundation and no die-stones shall be less than 4” in thickness.

C. Flat grave markers not exceeding 12” x 30” in size with no less than 4” thickness and must be uniform thickness throughout.

D. Double flat grave markers not exceeding 18” x 48” with recommended thickness of 4” and marker must be uniform thickness throughout.

E. No slabs shall be permitted on any grave space except for a duplication of another slab upon the same plot. The cemetery superintendent may reject any plan or design for a monument that is unsuitable to the lot on which it is to be placed. The approval of the material, style, and size of the material must be obtained before installation.

F. Before a permit for installation is issued to any manufacturer or finisher, including quarrier manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, shall warrant to the City that monuments, markers, mausoleums, and tombs are of first quality granite, marble, or bronze, and will be finished in accordance with the industry standard of craftsmanship.

G. No fencing, copings or curbs will be permitted. No concrete work will be permitted above ground elevation. All lot corner marker posts must be placed flush with the ground. No gravel or other materials covering the surface of burial spaces will be permitted.

H. Copings, enclosures, or fences – those established prior to the adoption of Rules of prohibition: those that have, in the judgment of the City, become unmanageable by reason of vandalism, neglect, or age may be removed by the City at its expense. The property owner will be given a thirty (30) day written notice to remove the item(s). If property owner cannot be contacted then the City, will post an advertisement in the newspaper and remove the item(s) thirty (30) days after the advertisement has published.

I. In the eight-and four grave section a two-foot monument space is provided. Upright monuments will not be placed at any location other than within this monument space. This monument space is provided for monuments only. Markers are allowed to be placed at the foot of east burial spaces and the head of west burial spaces in relation to the monument line.

J. For the protection of all property owners, persons erecting, cleaning, or repairing memorials shall obtain permission and, in doing such work, shall comply with the reasonable directions of the City Manager and/or his representative. The persons or firms requesting such permit may be required to furnish satisfactory evidence of their ability to properly perform the work proposed. Any monuments or markers are to be set during the regular business hours of the Cemetery.

K. Monument builders shall set monuments and markers in conformity with cemetery requirements and in accordance with the trade standards of proper methods of handling and setting. The foundation for the marker shall be poured in place with wet concrete in a form that has been pre-approved by the cemetery representative, 8” deep and 3” wider all the way around the headstone itself. The concrete should be a minimum of 3200 psi. Foundations for flat markers shall be no less than 4” thick and 3” wider all the way around the marker.

L. All temporary burial markers must be removed after permanent headstone is installed.

M. Lot or space corner marker posts, whenever used, shall be of monumental stone, placed level with grade. Initials shall be incised, not raised.

N. The gold leafing, painting, coloring, enameling, lacquering, gilding, or bronzing of letters or other parts of monuments is not permitted. Letters and numeric shall be incised, not raised.

O. Symbols, as of faith, hope, and love, as well as religious symbols and emblems of fraternal and military organizations, contribute to the significance of the memorial. It is, therefore, recommended that symbols, epitaphs, and historical inscriptions be used whenever possible.

P. Only flat U.S. Government issued markers are authorized to be placed in Veterans’ Section and must be placed level with grade.

III. CARE OF GRAVES AND GROUNDS

A. Only floral and holiday arrangements shall be allowed on burial spaces, and shall be mounted on the monument itself. If the monument is a double stone, you can have two fixed vases and one fixed vase if it is a single stone.

B. City staff of the City of Bartow will maintain all cemetery grounds, including providing a water resource to the grounds.

C. The elevation of the burial spaces shall be kept uniform with present ground elevation; no filling will be permitted which will raise the elevation of a burial space above the adjacent ground. The bottom of every stone should be dressed to an even level bed so that it will stand plumb, resting firmly and level on foundation. All joints on monuments shall be sealed against moisture and with non-standing material.

D. Burial spaces must be left in orderly condition after interment, and no dirt or debris is to be left on adjacent lots. All sod that is removed shall be replaced with new sod, Bahia grass seed or replaced with what was removed. All sod replaced shall be level with existing ground. No one shall open or close a burial space, except those persons or firm duly authorized by the City Manager or his representative.

E. Property owners shall not allow any interments in their burial spaces for a profit.

F. Not more than one body shall be interred in any one burial space, except in cases where a parent and infant child or two infant children are buried at the same time, except when a special permit is granted by the City Manager.

G. If for any reason the burial space cannot be opened where specified, the City may, in its discretion, order it opened in such location in the lot as it deems best and proper so as not to delay the interment.

H. The City shall see that reasonable care is exercised when a disinterment is made, but shall not be liable in any case for damages incurred in or by the removal.

I. No person shall gather flowers or damage trees, shrubbery, or plants.

J. Funeral designs, floral and holiday arrangements will be removed from the burial site by the City when they become wilted and unsightly. (All floral and holiday arrangements will be removed two weeks after interment. If the owner of the burial space wants to keep the arrangement, they should remove the arrangement before the City removes them. The City is not responsible for any arrangements removed from the burial site.) Rusted frames shall not be used by florists to support baskets, sprays, or wreath frames. Other than the City, only the owner shall be allowed to remove floral and holiday arrangements from the burial space.

K. The City reserves the right to empty flower containers if these containers are left in such a condition as to breed mosquitoes.

L. Property owners shall not be allowed to place benches, chairs, or any other similar furniture on burial spaces, alleys, or roads.

M. No planting of flowers, shrubs, or herbage of any kind is to be permitted.

N. No items of glass, brick, cement, wood, metal, mulch, rocks, chain, decorations lined up with toys, souvenirs, emblems, or anything else that may be a safety concern to the staff or the City’s contract mowers shall be permitted to be placed upon or around any burial space. If there are items like these left after a burial, the City reserves the right to remove these items within two (2) weeks of interment and shall not be responsible for any of the items removed.

IV. GENERAL

A. Visitors are reminded that these grounds are sacredly devoted to the interment of the dead and that a strict observance of the decorum, which should characterize the place, will be required of all. The exclusive use of the cemetery is for the burial of human remains and shall only be used for cemetery purposes.

B. Persons within the cemetery grounds shall use only the walks and roads provided.

C. Children under fifteen years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

D. Automobiles must not be driven over fifteen (15) miles per hour or driven anywhere but on roadways provided by the Cemetery.

E. No soliciting shall be permitted in the Cemetery.

F. No pets are permitted in the Cemetery.

G. No signs or notices of any kind shall be placed in the Cemetery other than by the City.

H. Funeral directors will be held responsible for the actions of all drivers or others employed by them while within the grounds. Automobiles must not be turned in the avenues or parked on the grass. All work of any kind must cease in the immediate vicinity of an interment.

I. The City Manager or his representative has entire charge of the Cemetery and is authorized to enforce all rules; to maintain order; to supervise all workers, visitors, and drivers; to expel those who disregard his orders; to inspect and refuse entrance to any and all materials, when necessary.

J. The City reserves the perpetual right of ingress and egress over all lots when necessary.

K. The regular business hours of the Cemetery will be established and posted by the City.

L. The City has the right to grant permission to the proper persons to erect funeral equipment for interment on property adjoining burial spaces when necessary for the period required.

M. The City may, and it hereby expressly reserves the right at any time or times, with or without notice to owners, to adopt new rules and regulations or to amend, alter, or repeal any rule, regulation, or article, section, paragraph, or sentence in these Rules and Regulations.

N. The City shall not be liable and distinctly disclaims all responsibility for the loss or damage to property or rights of lot owners arising from causes beyond its reasonable control and especially from damage caused by the elements, acts of God, thieves, vandals, unavoidable accidents, whether the damage is direct or collateral.

O. All interments must be made in a reinforced concrete vault, a reinforced concrete liner, or a metal vault. All liners and vaults must have the approval of the City Manager and/or their representative and shall be installed under his supervision. Liners or vaults are not required in County Section and Baby Section.

P. The consideration recited herein does not cover perpetual care, and the City of Bartow is under no obligation to provide perpetual care to lots in Bartow Cemeteries. As of this date, the City of Bartow maintains publicly owned property, including drives, walkways, and unsold burial spaces. The City also reserves the right to enter upon and mow privately owned property in City owned cemeteries. In so doing, the City of Bartow accepts no responsibility for damage to any personal property, such as stones, markers, or monuments placed on the premises.

Q. No persons, corporate or otherwise, shall purchase cemetery burial spaces for the purpose of speculation for profit.

R. Out of respect and for other obvious reasons, all work of any descriptions shall cease while a funeral or interment is being conducted nearby. Trucks and workers shall withdraw to a reasonable distance.

S. The city shall have the right to correct any errors that may be made by it in good faith either in making the interment, disinterments, or removals, or in the description, transfer, or conveyance of any interment property.

T. These cemetery grounds are only to be used for the burial of human beings. No family pets are allowed.

V. CREMATION SECTION

A. Burial spaces for cremain burials shall be designed by the cemetery committee form time to time.

B. The dimensions of cremain burial spaces shall be 2 ½’ x 4’.

C. Only flat markers (placed level with the grade) shall be permitted and only in the following sizes: 

    a. Single: 12” x 24” 
    b. Double: 14” x 48”

VI. BABY SECTION

Tier 32, Block 169 of Wildwood Cemetery is hereby designated for infant burial:

A. Age limit shall be under (1) year.

B. Size of marker shall not exceed ten (10) inches wide and shall not be more than twenty (20) inches long. Markers shall be placed level with the grade.

C. No planting of flowers, shrubs, or herbage of any kind is to be permitted.

D. Only one floral arrangement shall be allowed in an approved container supplied by the City of Bartow.

E. Burials shall follow a consecutive sequence in a numerical series.

F. All rules and regulations of other sections of Bartow Cemeteries will apply as applicable to this section.

BURIAL SITE DECORATION REGULATIONS
PLEASE HELP US MAINTAIN THE BEAUTY AND DIGNITY OF CEMETERY GROUNDS

PERMITTED DECORATIONS:

Two (2) Floral/Holiday arrangements in vases permanently affixed
One (1) Floral saddle on top of headstone
Military markers and/or flags shall be limited to an 8”x 12” flag on a wooden dowel not to exceed 2’ in length

PROHIBITED DECORATIONS:

Planted flowers, shrubs, or trees of any kind
Glass, wood, metal, concrete and/or bricks
Toys and/or souvenirs
Mulch and/or rocks
Copings and/or curbs
Chains, fencing, and/or borders
Candles, signs, votive lights, balloons and/or hooks
Any object that might create a safety hazard

ALL BURIAL SITES MUST BE MAINTAINED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THESE REGULATIONS ON AND AFTER MARCH 10TH, 2014

DECORATIONS/ARRANGEMENTS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THESE REGULATIONS WILL BE REMOVED

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE PARKS AND RECREATION OFFICE @863-534-0120