The Sandusky Township Cemeteries are operated under the Management of the Sandusky Township Board of Trustees.

The general rules and regulations apply to any person or persons entering the cemetery grounds for any purpose including but not limited to persons owning burial rights, persons visiting gravesites or attending ceremonies, and contractors performing work within the cemetery.

Access to Cemetery Grounds is permitted between dawn and dusk.

Section 1 - DEFINITIONS

Administrator – The person who administers the cemetery records and cemetery policy.

Cemetery Office – The office for cemetery records and administration. The Cemetery office is located in the Sandusky Township Hall at 2207 Oak Harbor Road, Fremont, OH

Interment – The burial of the remains of a deceased person.

Lot – An area consisting of one or more cemetery plots.

Lot Marker – A marker used by cemetery personnel to locate corners of a lot.

Maintenance Office – The office for maintenance of the cemetery grounds. The Maintenance Office is located at the Sandusky Township Hall at 2207 Oak Harbor Road, Fremont, Ohio

Marker/ Monument - A marker/monument is a stone or plaque either flush or above the ground indicating the given and/or family names(s) of the deceased. It is usually located on the westside of the plot.

Plot – The term plot shall apply to a space of sufficient size within a lot (per rules and regulations) to accommodate a burial(s).

Superintendent of Maintenance/Safety/Sexton – The person who is responsible for the maintenance of the cemetery grounds, ground preparation before and after interment, pouring of monument foundations and enforcement of the Rules and Regulations of the cemetery.

Section 2 - GENERAL

A. Vehicle entrance and exit to the cemetery shall be made at established drives only. Vehicles are to use established roads and not to be driven on the lawn.

Parking shall be on the roads and not on the grassy areas.

B. Speed limit within the cemetery shall be 10 miles per hour. Excessive speeds and unsafe or reckless driving within the cemetery is prohibited.

C. Sandusky Township shall not be liable for any personal or property damage caused by any person or vehicle, but rather damage caused by persons or vehicles within the cemetery grounds shall be the responsibility of the person, driver and/or owner of the vehicle and may be subject to prosecution.

D. Motorized pleasure vehicles such as snowmobiles, go-carts, etc., shall not be permitted within the cemetery grounds at any time.

E. Animals are not permitted in the cemetery, unless they are confined within the vehicle (assist animals are permitted). Interment of animals is prohibited.

F. The consumption or use of intoxicating beverages or mind-altering drugs within the limits of the cemetery grounds is not permitted. Profanity or boisterous language, which disturbs the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the cemetery is prohibited.

G. Use of firearms in the cemetery is unlawful and prohibited except where firearms are used in conjunction with Township authorized cemetery ceremonies.

H. Picking, mutilating or disturbing flowers, trees or shrubs or anything of a memorial nature is prohibited.

I. Sandusky Township shall not be responsible for the theft or damage to anything placed on cemetery lots or graves.

J. Advertising in any form, either on gravesites, memorials or in the cemetery shall

be prohibited. However, monument companies may place a small, obscure company insignia on the base of monuments if they so desire.

K Permanent benches, chairs, settees and benches (except purchased monuments/ markers shaped like benches and placed as the official grave marker) at the gravesite is prohibited, except during the burial ceremony.

L. Sandusky Township shall assume NO responsibility for damages in the case of any marker, memorial, urn, shrub or planting being damaged in any way, during the regular course of lot care, maintenance, vandalism or subsequent burials.

M. Trash receptacles are provided for refuse.

N. Sandusky Township reserves the right to maintain all gravesites

Including, but not limited to filling settled areas and reseeding of same. Mowing of the cemetery shall be restricted to cemetery personnel only.

O. Placing of stone, limestone, wood chips, edging, wood borders etc. anywhere within cemetery lots is prohibited.

P. Toys, ornaments, metal designs, ceramic figurines, home-made markers, lighting, etc., are prohibited unless they are securely placed upon the monument and do not interfere with the upkeep of the grave site by cemetery personnel.

Q. No monument shall be delivered to the cemetery until the Sexton has notified the firm requesting a foundation that the foundation has been installed. Cemetery personnel shall not place upright markers.

R. It is the lot owner’s responsibility to notify the Sandusky Township Trustees of any change in their residence.

Section 3 - INTERMENTS

A. All funerals and interments within the cemetery grounds are under the direction of Sandusky Township’s Sexton.

B. Notice of funerals must be given to the sexton at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the scheduled burial.

C. Funerals shall be scheduled for arrival to the cemetery prior to 4:00 P.M. Late arrivals will be assessed a weekend rate.

D. A copy of the burial permit shall be required for all burials including cremations.

E. Cemetery personnel shall remove funeral designs and floral pieces as soon as they become unsightly, and assumes no responsibility for their return. The Township reserves the right to restrict unusual arrangements.

F. Burials shall be permitted on weekends and holidays for an additional charge.

G. All interments shall require a cement vault except in the case of cremations and infants in a combination Casket/Vault.

H. Four (4) cremations are allowed per plot or one cremation and one regular burial are allowed per plot.

Section 4 - MONUMENTS & MARKERS

A. Marker/monument space shall be designated by the Sexton. All marker/monuments are required to have a foundation. Cemetery personnel shall place foundations only after receiving an order and the appropriate fee to do so.

The Sexton shall have the right to correct any error made in the placement of a marker/monument.

B. All monuments or markers shall be made of durable granite or bronze. Other materials such as marble, wood or steel are not permissible. Markers may be installed subject to the approval of the Sexton or Township Fiscal Officer and the Sandusky Township Board, and in compliance with the policies established regarding the erection of monuments and installation of markers. If a monument, marker or inscription or same is determined to be offensive, the owner may be required to remove it.

C. The Township assumes no responsibility for assuring that ordered markers and monuments are proper for the area onto which they are to be placed and for name and placement location on the marker.

D. Price of foundations for monuments and markers shall be set by the Sandusky Township Trustees. A list of current prices shall be available in the Township Fiscal Officer’s office.

E. Permitted monument sizes are as listed:

Maximum upright and flush monument size shall not exceed:

Single grave marker size 36" x 14"

Double grave marker size 52" x 14"

F. A marker may be placed anytime before or after interment if footing order has been submitted.

G. Larger headstones placed on poured in place foundations a minimum 32" deep by monument company may be allowed on a per case basis

Section 5 - WINTER/SUMMER PERIODS

WINTER PERIOD: NOVEMBER 1 TO APRIL 15

A. Artificial arrangement, wreaths and grave blankets may be placed on gravesites.

B. Decorations remaining after April 15th will be removed and disposed of by cemetery personnel.

SUMMER PERIOD: APRIL 16 TO OCTOBER 31

A. No plantings of any sort may take place before the foundation and monument is permanently in place without permission.

B. Containers such as glass jars, tin cans, paper fast food cups, plastic milk containers, etc. are prohibited.

C. All arrangements will be removed when they become unsightly.

D. Potted plants will be allowed for seven (7) days before and seven (7) days after these Holidays: Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. After these two (2) weeks they will be removed.

E. No landscaping material and/or alterations to site will be allowed.

Section 6 - PLANTINGS, FLOWERS, SHRUBBERY AND URNS

A. No plantings of any sort may take place before the foundation and monument is permanently in place without permission.

B. If the grave site becomes unsightly, not properly maintained, has plantings that obstruct the vision of the monument or is not in accordance with the above rules, the cemetery personnel has the right to remove any and all plantings.

C. Urns/planters are permitted and must be placed in line with the monuments as to not interfere with cemetery maintenance. The placement of urns/planters on any grave is subject to approval by the Sexton to assure there is adequate room for placement and that the urn/planter is made of concrete, clay or stone. No plastic urns/planters will be allowed, other than those on a hanging plant holder (Shepherd’s hook).

D. Any lot owner requesting removal of shrubs and/or trees shall contact the cemetery Sexton or Township Fiscal Officer and sign a Request/Release from Liability form before removal by cemetery personnel.

Section 7 - VIOLATION PROCEDURE

A. Existing violations of these rules will be tagged.

B. Lot owners will have 30 days to correct the violation.

C. Sandusky Township Trustees and/or cemetery personnel will not be responsible for contacting violators.

D. Cemetery staff will correct any violations after 30 days.

APPROVED BY SANDUSKY TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES

MAY, 17, 2022