Cemetery Rules

For the City of Wellsville the Sexton shall be the City Superintendent in charge of Cemeteries.

  1. The cemetery lots, or any part of any lot, in the city cemetery shall be conveyed by a deed.
  2. Transfer of lots is permitted upon notification to the City Clerk.

sign notice for cemetery stating flowers will be removed seven days after major holidays

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sign notice for cemetery stating flowers and decorations must be attached to the monument

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Interments

  1. A burial permit must be obtained from the city clerk, providing name, age, sex, race, date of death, place of death, cause of death, date of interment, number of lot or part of lot on which interment is made.
  2. All interments and disinterment’s shall be made under the supervision of the sexton after payment of the proper fee. All excavation will be done by the City.
  3. No interment of any body other than that of a human being shall be permitted in the cemetery.
  4. All caskets shall be enclosed in a vault, which shall be constructed of concrete or metal.
  5. It is the responsibility of the funeral home to arrange with a vault company for the vault to be at the cemetery for a scheduled burial.
  6. It is the responsibility of the funeral home to make arrangements for the tent and chairs to be delivered and set up.
  7. The City of Wellsville will allow the interment of two cremations per one grave space or the interment of one cremation with one full vault interment in one grave space.

Plant and Flower Displays

  1. Shrubs, bushes, flowers or plants are not permitted.
  2. Care. The cemetery sexton shall have the right to trim, prune and/or remove all trees and shrubbery as necessary.
  3. Temporary Display of Plants, Flowers & Artificial Arrangements – The City of Wellsville assumes no responsibility for plants or flower arrangements or any other items. No glass containers are permitted. Winter decorations are permitted to be placed between November 1 and March 1, but must be removed by March 2. If not removed, the City will remove them. Decorations shall be allowed outside of the monument only on the Holidays of Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day and Christmas. The Cemetery staff will remove and dispose of all decorations left outside of the monument (7) days after EACH of these holidays at such time the Cemetery staff determines necessary to maintain the Cemetery. Hanging plants and other decorations may be displayed on “shepherd hooks” or similar device placed directly next to (touching) or attached to the monument or headstone; but shall not interfere with maintenance or made of glass. A maximum of one shepherds hook per grave. Decorations not conforming to these guidelines shall be removed by Cemetery Staff. All decorations MUST be placed upon the actual monument. Items may not be placed on the base pad.
  4. Wreaths Across Franklin County allowed without regulations.
  5. Items placed on a grave prior to the placement of a monument or headstone will be permitted for a period not to exceed six months following the date of burial. If not removed by that date, the City will remove all items.
  6. The City will remove any items found to interfere with maintenance.
  7. Items that are prohibited on lots or graves; all toys, cases, boxes, globes, shells, rocks, all glass, all metal and wire objects of every description whatsoever; containers of cereal malt or alcoholic beverage, any obscene items or words, weapons of any type or any illegal substances or paraphernalia; any article so found on same will be removed without notice to the owner.

Monuments and Markers

  1. The face of all markers, monuments and headstones within the city cemetery shall be set true and square and shall be set inside of an area of five foot long by 2 foot wide at the head of each grave space. All monuments and markers shall be of granite, marble or granite and marble composition of.
  2. Approved standard quality or brass. All monuments & markers shall have concrete foundation with a minimum 4” thickness and must exceed length and width of monument or marker by minimum of 4″.
  3. All monuments, markers and headstones require permits from City Hall before placement and require a (72 hour) notice must be given prior to setting. The monument company will haul off dirt, concrete, boards and all trash from setting the monument or marker.
  4. Above ground mausoleums are allowed but must be centered within four grave spaces.
  5. Stepping stones shall not be permitted unless the stone is made of the material required for monuments and headstones and used in place of a monument or headstone with an appropriate foundation and a permit obtained for its installation and shall not exceed length and placement requirements in Paragraph 1.
  6. Permanent Vases above ground are permitted only when attached to or made a part of the monument or headstone.
  7. Benches are permitted when made a part of the monument and constructed of the same material required for a monument or headstone. Benches integrated with the monument or headstone shall only be at the head of the grave and cannot exceed the dimensions in Paragraph 1.
  8. No walkways, boxes, fences, edging material, mulch material, gravel, chairs, settees, structures or other materials or items of any kind shall be permitted.
  9. Any item placed on a grave in violation of Paragraphs 2 through 6 shall be removed by the City.
  10. Care & Maintenance of Headstones, Monuments, and Benches – The owner will be responsible for maintenance with the exception of damage caused by the City or where owners cannot be located and the damage to the stone is a safety or maintenance issue.
  11. All foot stones should be flush with the ground.
  12. Temporary funeral home metal markers will be removed after one year.
Prohibitions
  1. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully or maliciously injure, mar, deface, destroy or remove without permission any headstone, monument, marker or decoration on any cemetery lot. Exception: This does not apply to the cemetery sexton, or anyone authorized by the sexton, in the performance of maintenance duties.
  2. It shall be unlawful to disturb or molest any grave. Exception: This does not apply to the cemetery sexton, or anyone authorized by the sexton, in the performance of maintenance duties.
  3. It shall be unlawful for any person to drive any vehicle in the cemetery faster than 10 miles per hour.
  4. No person shall use the cemetery grounds or any driveway therein as a public thoroughfare.
  5. No person or persons with refreshment merchandise for sale, firearms, or dogs shall be permitted to enter the cemetery or to be therein.