Rules & Regulation for Oak Grove Cemetery

2020

General Rules

1. Cemetery Hours: Dawn to Dusk

2. All persons in cemetery shall act in a polite and respectful manner. No person shall:

Talk in a loud or boisterous manner or quarrel

Be drunk or intoxicated

Use any profane, vulgar or indecent language

Conduct themselves in an obscene or disorderly manner

Loiter of loaf on the grounds

Engage in any game, amusement or diversion within the cemetery

Bring lunches or refreshments into the cemetery or consume them on the grounds

Solicit the sale of any commodity

Place signs, notices or advertisements of any kind

Allow any dogs or animals to run at large

Bring illegal drugs, alcoholic beverages on the grounds

Drive golf carts or ATV’s on the grounds

3. No person or persons, other than law enforcement authorities shall be permitted to bring or carry firearms within the Cemetery, except a military guard of honor and then only when in charge of a military officer and during a military service.

4. No monuments or marker shall be installed or removed without authorized written consent order filed with the Village of Port Byron.

5. Sprinkling of ashes shall not be permitted in the cemetery.

6. No fast or reckless driving is allowed on the grounds. Speed limit on the roadways is 10 mph.

7. All persons are prohibited from writing upon, defacing, or damaging any monument, structure, stone, fence, plant or turf in the cemetery.

8. No person shall possess a firearm or fireworks on cemetery grounds. This shall not apply to officers of the law or members of the armed forces of the United States in discharge of their duties at military funerals or patriotic services.

9. All old decorations and trash shall be disposed of properly

10. All persons are strictly forbidden to hunt, or to feed or disturb animals within the cemetery.

11. As per Cemetery Oversight Act 225 ILCS 411/5-15 Confidential Information, only the Cemetery Manager and/or the Cemetery Sexton shall have physical access to all documentation and records. Any and all others shall submit a request of information to Cemetery Authorities.

 

Decoration Rules

 

1. Cut flowers and artificial flower are permitted and may be attached to headstone or be placed on the foundation of the headstone.

2. Glass containers shall not be permitted.

3. No fence, hedge, curb, trees, plantings or landscaping of any kind around any lot or piece of ground will be permitted.

4. Flowers may be placed on the ground after 5:00 pm on the Friday before Memorial Day and will be picked up 7 days after Memorial Day.

5. From November 1st to April 31st any appropriate winter decorations such as wreaths or blankets may be used. If you wish to retain these decorations, the must be removed

by April 31st.

Twice a year all flowers and other decorations must be removed from Internment spaces. Decorations will be picked up by Cemetery staff May 1st – 7th and November 1st – 7th.

6. Fresh cut flowers, when set into the permanent containers on monument foundations, shall be permitted at all times.

7. After a period of 7 days from the time of interment, the Cemetery staff shall have the right to remove and dispose of all cut flowers. Plants in prescribed container such as pottery or metal container which are movable will be allowed to remain until mowing occurs.

8. Funeral designs and floral pieces will be removed by cemetery personnel as they become unsightly.

9. The placing of permanent toys, boxes, and ornaments may be placed on the foundation of the monument. Such items must be permanently attached to the foundation, or placed in a permanent container on the foundation.

10. No lighting of any kind will be allowed.

11. One ‘shepherds’ rod with no more than two hooks for two hanging items per headstone will be allowed. Rods will be made of 3/8” diameter or larger solid or tubular steel. Rods are to be placed on the side of the grave marker against the foundation. Rods will be approximately 48” tall above the ground. The hanging basket will be a minimum of 18” above the ground.

12. The Cemetery staff reserves the right to remove any hanging baskets not properly maintained.

13. The Cemetery staff reserves the right to temporarily remove rods to gain access of equipment for burial purposes.

14. The Cemetery Board reserves the right to remove anything that is offensive in their opinion from graves and lots.

15. US Flags and flags of any kind up to 12 inches by 18 inches are permitted on the lot, but will be removed when they become torn, frayed or otherwise unsightly.

 

Interment Regulations

1. All interments must be in concrete crypts or vaults of concrete or metal, with approximately two feet of earth cover.

2. No interment will be made without proper certificate from Board of Health. Parties claiming burial must prove their ownership by showing their deed.

3. The burial of all persons who have died of infectious or contagious diseases shall be conducted in strict accordance with the regulations of the State or local Health Department.

4. Ownership rights of interment:

a. The surviving spouse of the lot owner shall have the first right of interment.

b. In the event the owner shall not have arranged for further interments, then the heirs, of such owner, shall have the right of interment in order of descent of title according to cemetery law.

c. If the owner of a lot gives permission for others to be buried on remaining grave spaces on the lot, this permission must be signed and notarized and given in writing to the Village of Port Byron.

5. The title or deed to a cemetery lot invests in the owner the right to use such lot for burial of human remains only.

6. Opening and closing of graves is designated contractual services only.

7. No lot or grave spot shall be used as burial place until the purchase money shall be paid and the purchaser shall receive a deed from Oak Grove Cemetery, Village of Port Byron, signed by the Mayor and Village Clerk.

8. Removal from the cemetery will require a removal permit from the Health Department, or legal authority.

9. Correction of interment errors: In the event of error relating to the improper placement of the remains of any person, the Cemetery Board reserves and shall have the right to remove and reinter the remains as may be substituted and conveyed in lieu of the mistaken property.

10. When instructions from the lot owner, regarding the location of an interment space in a lot cannot be obtained or are indefinite, or for any reason the Interment space cannot be opened where specified, the Cemetery Board may in its discretion, open it in such location in the lot as it deems best and proper, so as not to delay the funeral. The Cemetery Board shall not be liable for damages for any error that may have been made.

 

 

Foundation Regulations

1. Cemetery staff shall mark the location of the lot for each foundation order and shall approve the location of the foundation on the lot.

2. A copy of these written guidelines shall be provided upon request, without charge, to the lot owner, next of kin and personal representative or agent, including a seller/installer.

3. The size of the foundation is determined by the size of the monument being placed on the foundation and a minimum of 5” on all sides of the marker/monument. Floral containers may be placed in the area at each end of the marker/monument. Example: A marker/monument that measures 36”x10” would need a minimum foundation 46”x20”.

4. The foundation shall be dug at minimum of 12” deep, the full length and width of the foundation.

5. The cemetery staff shall inspect all foundations prior to delivery of the concrete.

6 .An inspections fee ($25.00), established by the Village of Port Byron, and shall be charged for each foundation.

7. The top of the base or foundation shall be level in all directions with its top at the highest ground elevation.

8. All stones shall be set in line with the other stones in the same row.

9. All forms for the bases or foundations shall be removed and backfilled within two weeks.

10. All foundations must be concrete made of 4 parts sand or gravel and 1 part cement.

11. Post holes shall be minimum 5” diameter with the number needed depending on the length of the base. Post holes shall be 42” in depth or rest on top of the vault.

12. Military markers are required to have foundations.

13. Benches must have a foundation and be approved by the Cemetery Board.

14. During a burial service, all work in the immediate vicinity by employees, co