Cemetery Rules

The Village of Lake Orion owns two cemeteries: Evergreen Cemetery, at the corner of M-24 and Church Street, and Eastlawn Cemetery, at 1060 Orion Road. For any information not addressed in the following, please call the Village offices at 248-693-8391, extension 100.


CEMETERY RULES AND REGULATIONS
ADOPTED BY THE LAKE ORION VILLAGE COUNCIL
October 28, 1996
ADOPTED REVISIONS BY THE LAKE ORION VILLAGE COUNCIL
December 9, 1996
April 14, 1997
June 23, 2003

PURPOSE

These rules and regulations are designed for the protection of the owners of interment rights as a group.  They are intended not to restrain, but rather to prevent the thoughtless from infringing upon the rights of other lot owners.  The duty of the Village of Lake Orion is to enforce these rules in order to maintain the beauty and peacefulness of the cemetery.  These rules are subject to amendment when deemed necessary by the Village Council.


DEFINITIONS

  1. “Cemetery” shall be used generically to indicate the burial park, and attaching utilized grounds.
  2. “Grave” shall mean an area of ground specifically set aside for the purpose of burial.
  3. “Interment” shall mean the disposition of human remains by burial, entombment, cremation, or internment.
  4. “Memorial” means any object on which is inscribed the name and generally the inclusive dates of life of the deceased that is used to identify a grave.

 

GENERAL GUIDELINES

  1. All burial arrangements shall be made at the Lake Orion Village Hall, 37 E. Flint Street, Lake Orion, Michigan, 48362, (248) 693-8391.
  2. Burial services shall not be conducted on Sundays or holidays as designated by the Village labor agreement, nor after 2:00 P.M. on weekdays and/or Saturdays.
  3. Cemeteries shall remain open from sunrise to sunset.
  4.  No pets shall be permitted to enter or remain on cemetery grounds.
  5. No food or drink of any kind will be permitted to be consumed within the cemetery boundaries.
  6. Children must be accompanied by an adult or guardian.  Conduct of the minors will be the responsibility of the parent or guardian.
  7. Snowmobile riding is prohibited within the cemeteries.  Bicycle or motorcycle riding, except when used as a means of transportation to a burial site, is prohibited within the cemeteries.
  8. Automobiles shall drive on established roads and shall not exceed the 10 mph speed limit.
  9. No person shall injure, deface or destroy any memorials, trees, shrubs, urns, flowers or anything whatsoever within the cemeteries.
  10. The Village retains the right to disallow any burial not adhering to the guidelines set forth in this document.
  11. The carrying or use of firearms, except for ceremonial purposes during military services, is prohibited.



GRAVE DECORATION

  1. Breaking the sod on a lot by the owner or any other person for the purpose of planting trees or shrubs is not permitted without the authorization of the Cemetery Superintendent.  These plantings may take place if the landscaping is appropriate for the cemetery and the specific lots involved.  Trees may be donated to the Cemetery in the memory of a loved one. Guidelines for planting trees are attached to these rules, see page 4. (rev.062303)
  2. Flowers may be planted or placed on a gravesite provided they do not protrude greater than twelve inches in any direction, from any marker or headstone.  They will be removed or cut if they are not properly maintained by the lot owner.  Flowers may be placed in Evergreen Cemetery and in Sections B, H, and K in Eastlawn Cemetery from May 1 to November 1 and on National Holidays.  
  3. In all sections of both cemeteries, grave blankets and wreaths shall be permitted during the winter season (approximately November 1 through April 1).  After April 1, the Village may remove and dispose of these decorations.
  4. Artificial or cut flowers only shall be permitted in Garden of the Cross.  When the artificial flowers become faded or unsightly, they will be removed.
  5. Any broken objects shall be removed.
  6. All settees, benches, fences, ornaments, toys, artificial flowers or other similar items shall be removed when they become damaged, obsolescent, non-functional or if the lot is not properly maintained by the lot owner.  If any of these items protrude greater than twelve inches in any direction from any marker or headstone, they shall be removed.  
  7. All trees or shrubs overhanging memorials shall be cut back or removed when necessary to facilitate digging a grave or installing a monument.
  8. Reserved for future use.
  9. No gravel or stones shall be allowed as part of a landscape base.




CREMATED REMAINS

The burial of cremated remains on existing family graves will be allowable at Eastlawn and
Evergreen Cemetery, (by Village personnel only), provided that the following guidelines are followed:

  1. Permission must be given by the owner of the property allowing the burial of cremains.  (Forms are available at the Village Hall)  If the owner is deceased, next of kin must consent to the burial of the cremains.
  2. Cremains are to be contained in a vessel suitable for such purposes, or the container that was returned by the cremation facility.
  3. There may be no more than one (1) burial of cremated remains on a grave with an existing interment.  (This limits the burials on any gravesite to two (2).
  4. All other cemetery rules and regulations shall apply as stipulated by state statute and local ordinances.




DISINTERMENTS

Disinterments will be made upon request of duly authorized persons or governmental agencies,
proper relatives or authorities and, upon a satisfactory receipt, the remains may be moved from the cemetery.  The standard fee for opening a grave will be charged.  No graves shall be opened for inspection except by court order.



RESERVATION RIGHTS OF THE CEMETERY

The Cemetery reserves the right to correct any errors made by it either on making interments, disinterments or removal, setting of markers or monuments, or in the description, transfer or conveyance of any Burial Rights, and assumes no liability other than the necessary expense of making the correction.

The Village of Lake Orion shall in no way or manner ever be liable to anyone for any delays of interment, losses, damage, expenses, or claims and for demands of any conceivable kind and character whatsoever, resulting from or caused by Acts of God, vandals, strikes, riots, or from any other causes(s) beyond the reasonable control of the Village.  The Village reserves the right to alter the provisions of this document as needed, which shall be effective after public notice is given in a local newspaper circulating in the Village of Lake Orion.



GUIDELINES FOR PLANTING TREES

  1. Appropriate deciduous trees to plant in a cemetery include the following:
    • Red Maple, Norway Maple and Sugar Maple
    • All varieties of Oak
    • Linden (several varieties available and acceptable)
  2. The trees will be not less than 2.5 inches in caliper at time of planting and planted not less than 10 feet away from internal and external traffic aisles and streets.
  3. The requesting party shall donate the cost of the tree that will be purchased from a local nursery. The Village will provide an estimate of cost.
  4. The Village of Lake Orion will plant the tree with no additional cost to the donor.



MEMORIALS (MARKERS) AND FOUNDATIONS

While the Village will exercise all possible care to protect Memorials, Markers, Mausoleums or any other structures on any lots, it disclaims responsibility for any loss or damage or injury thereto.  Should any monument or marker become in such a ruinous condition as to disfigure the rest of the cemetery, the Village has the power to cause them to be repaired and if not repaired, to be removed.

  1. All memorials will be subject to our rules and regulations.
  2. Only one memorial, monument or grave marker (permitted only at the head of the grave) is allowed per gravesite regardless of the type of burial.
  3. Foundations for all memorials shall be installed by Village personnel.  Charges for installation of foundations shall be set by the Village, and must be paid in advance.
  4. All memorial markers in Garden of the Cross in Eastlawn Cemetery shall be set flush with the ground, must contain a built-in vase for cut flowers, and must be approved by the Village prior to purchase.
  5. Government headstones or markers may not be used for any purpose other than to honor the memory of the descendent and may not be used as a footstone or to supplement a private monument.  (VA fact sheet available in Village Offices) (Subject to current Federal regulations)(rev.062303)
  6.  Reserve for future use.
  7. Markers or monuments shall not exceed 30 inches in height where uprights are allowed.



MEMORIALS (MARKERS) AND FOUNDATIONS

While the Village will exercise all possible care to protect Memorials, Markers, Mausoleums or any other structures on any lots, it disclaims responsibility for any loss or damage or injury thereto.  Should any monument or marker become in such a ruinous condition as to disfigure the rest of the cemetery, the Village has the power to cause them to be repaired and if not repaired, to be removed.

  1. All memorials will be subject to our rules and regulations.
  2. Only one memorial, monument or grave marker (permitted only at the head of the grave) is allowed per gravesite regardless of the type of burial.
  3. Foundations for all memorials shall be installed by Village personnel.  Charges for installation of foundations shall be set by the Village, and must be paid in advance.
  4. All memorial markers in Garden of the Cross in Eastlawn Cemetery shall be set flush with the ground, must contain a built-in vase for cut flowers, and must be approved by the Village prior to purchase.
  5. Government headstones or markers may not be used for any purpose other than to honor the memory of the descendent and may not be used as a footstone or to supplement a private monument.  (VA fact sheet available in Village Offices) (Subject to current Federal regulations)
    (rev.062303)
  6. Reserve for future use.
  7. Markers or monuments shall not exceed 30 inches in height where uprights are allowed.








- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I (we) hereby acknowledge that I (we) have received a copy of the Cemetery Rules and Regulations and that I (we) will abide by these rules and any changes that may be adopted.  I (we) also acknowledge that my (our) questions have been answered.

Signature(s)

___________________________________________________________________________________
Print
___________________________________________________________________________________

Date _________________________  Witness ______________________________________________

Village of Lake Orion
Cemetery Rules & Regulations

cemrules                                                                                                       PAGE 5                                                                            Rev. 101596/120996/041497/062303