LAUREL CEMETERY
All decorations and memorials that do not conform to city regulations
will be removed and disposed of to facilitate grounds maintenance. All
flowers must be in permanent flower pot holders placed in the concrete
foundation or hanging from the shepherd's crook. No other flower pots or
boxes will be allowed. All shepherd's crooks must meet specifications
and be placed in pipe or conduit that has been placed in the concrete
foundation according to regulations. Windsocks must not drag on the
ground and no signs are allowed. The City reserves the right to remove
and dispose of any decorations that become tattered, faded, etc.
HEADSTONES
All headstones and footstones must be made of either granite, marble
or bronze. No other materials are allowed.
Headstones are placed at the head of the grave and may be read from
either the east or west, at the discretion of the individual. Generally
they are placed so when reading them, you are standing behind the head
of the grave in a walkway, looking at the grave in front of you.
1. Where plots and lots have been previously started, the markers
will
be in accordance with the stones that have been previously
placed.
2. Markers for unopened sections will be decided upon at the time
the
section is opened for burials.
3. Bevel style or flat markers are required in the following sections
and all subsequent sections: Section B, Section G, and Section
J.
4. Section B, Section J, and all new sections have rebar markers on
both
sides to identify the front alignment of each grave row.
Contractors
wetting foundations for headstone and markers are required to
use the
alignment established to set and place all concrete work. The
front
edge of the stone must line up with the established alignment.
Concrete foundations will project into walkway by eight inches. (See
attached
drawing.)
FOUNDATIONS
All foundations must be made of concrete. No stone foundations are
allowed. All concrete work must be completed as fast as possible
under the inspection of the caretaker and materials not used, must be
removed as the work is completed. All foundations shall be as follows:
1. 12" depth for all monuments, with an 8" collar extending all
around.
2. 6" depth for all headstones and markers with an 8" collar
extending all around.
3. The concrete must extend the full width of the grave or whatever
distance is required to connect it to an adjacent foundation.
4. No monument, slab, coping, curbing, hedging or enclosure of any
nature will be permitted in a single grave row.
5. All concrete used must meet city specifications. (4000 PSI/6.5
bag)
6. Substandard concrete work will be replaced at installer's expense,
within an acceptable period of time.
SINGLE HEADSTONE
1. Marker must be at least 24" long and no more than 30" long.
2. Marker width shall be at least 12" and no more than 14" wide.
3. Marker height for bevel style shall be at least 6" but no more
than 8" in back, sloping to the front.
DOUBLE HEADSTONE
1. Marker must be at least 42" long and no more than 68" long.
2. Marker width shall be at least 12" and no more than 14" wide.
3. Marker height for bevel style shall be at least 6" but no more
than 8" in back, sloping to the front.
BABY HEADSTONE - BABY SECTION K
1. Lot is 3' wide by 5' long.
2. Marker must be at least 18" long and no more than 20" long. (The
most common baby size is 10" x 20". This size conflicts with our
regulations which state a minimum of 24" long, but we need to do this
to comply with the 8" concrete collar.)
3. Maximum of 14" wide.
4. Foundation regulations are the same as for other stones with a
minimum 8" collar of cement.
VETERAN MARKERS
1. The white upright marble veteran headstones are allowed in the
designated veteran sections only.
2. Foundations must follow regulations for single markers regarding
length, width and depth of concrete.
3. Veteran markers that are used as foot markers must be level with
the ground and set in a proper foundation.
4. The flat veteran marker measures 1' x 2'.
FOOT STONES
1. Foot stones must be level with the ground and set in a proper
foundation with the minimum 8" collar of cement.
2. No floral vases allowed in foot stones.
3. The marker must be at least 24" long and no more than 30" long.
4. Marker width shall be at least 12" and no more than 14" wide.
MONUMENTS
No monument shall be erected on less than two joining lots, which
should be of natural granite and not less than two and one-half feet in
height. All existing monuments can remain.
TEMPORARY PLAQUES
Some funeral homes put a temporary plaque in the dirt after the grave
closing. This plaque is made of metal and the name is spelled out in
small square tiles. This is not meant to be a permanent marker. Some
have been in the ground for decades and the grass has grown over them.
CITYS POSITION: The City is not responsible for damage to temporary
markers. The caretaker will not remove them for maintenance. In the
course of regular cemetery maintenance (moving, aeration, etc.) it is
possible that these markers could be damaged. These markers, in no way,
are considered permanent markers and cannot be cemented into the ground.
FLORAL VASES
1. No floral vases allowed in foot stones.
2. Only removable flower pot holders will be allowed to be installed
in the concrete foundation. These vases must be installed at the time
the concrete foundation is poured. (If done afterwards, there is too
great a risk that it will crack the foundation and we would then
require replacement of the foundation.)
3. The only other option for the flower vase is to repour the entire
concrete foundation and have the stone reset.
4. Vases must be placed on the north/south ends of the stone
according to the diagram below, even when using just one vase.
SHEPHERD'S CROOK
1. Height from ground: minimum = 3 feet/maximum = 5 feet.
2. Single loop only.
3. Width of loop approximately 6 inches.
4. 1/2 inch (outside diameter) painted rod for crook no rebar rods
allowed. (Crook can be purchased at garden stores.)
5. 3/4 inch (inside diameter) pipe or conduit placed in cement
foundation.
6. Pipe must be approximately 6 inches long to hold crook and set
flush with the top of cement.
7. Hole for crook must be placed on the north/south ends of the
headstone, as close to the headstone as possible. See diagram below.
8. Only windsocks and flower holders will be allowed on the
shepherd's crook. The windsocks must not drag on the ground.
3/4" diameter pipe Concrete Foundation 3/4 diameter pipe
for crook - 6" long for crook 6 long
STONE
Permanent flower vase Permanent flower vase
-- Height of shepherd's crook:
3 feet minimum
5 feet maximum
-- 1/2" diameter rod (no rebar)
-- Single loop only - 6" width on loop
(The actual regulation will have a stone drawn in.)
GENERAL INFORMATION:
1. Regular graves
..............................................................................
4'x 10'
"Walk-way" graves in old sections
6'x 10'
Baby graves in designated "baby sections"
.... 3'x 5'
Walkways between rows of graves (North/South)
6'
Cremation sections
........................................................................ 4'x
5'
2. The man is generally buried to the south, and the woman is buried
to the north, but this is the preference of the individual.
3. Bodies are placed in the grave with the head on the west end of
grave.
4. A full grave is dug 4'x 8', starting at the foot of the grave. The
remaining two feet at the head of the grave is left undisturbed for
headstone placement.
5. A maximum of three burials are allowed in one plot. If there is a
full burial, it must be first then, two cremains are allowed on top. If
there is no full burial, three cremains are allowed in one lot. In all
cases, only one headstone and one foot stone per lot.
6. Typically cremains are buried at the head of the grave and at the
foot of the grave, unless a family prefers a different arrangement.
7. In designated veteran sections, the ashes of a spouse may be
placed in an existing grave, but no additional marker is allowed. The
spouse's information may be engraved on the back of the white marble
headstone.
8. In the case of stillborn infants under 20 weeks gestation and no
death certificate, the following rules apply:
a. The city requires a rigid wooden box, minimum size of
10"xl0"x 6" and a maximum size of 12" x12"x12". The family is
allowed to provide the box but it must meet requirements.
b. Verification from doctor of stillborn infant.
c. No activity will take place without the city's knowledge.
9. Outer burial containers are required for adult and baby casket
burials. No outer burial container is required for ashes. We do not
handle vaults, this is handled by private companies. Our minimum outer
container requirement is fiberglass.
A vault will protect the casket and prevent a cave-in of the
grave due to deterioration of casket.