ARTICLE XXIV – MONUMENTS AND MARKERS
1. Pre-Approval: No Lot Owner shall erect or place, or cause to be erected or placed, on any lot in the Cemetery, any memorial in respect of which the Cemetery has not pre-approved. Failure to comply with the pre-approval process may result in removal of said memorial.
The supplier remains responsible for full compliance with all the cemetery rules and regulations. The Cemetery is not responsible for out of scale drawings, dimensional errors, vague photos and etchings, oversight in the cemetery review process, etc. The cemetery’s review of the supplier’s submittal is a courtesy only to the supplier and does not relieve the supplier of its full compliance duty to all the cemetery’s rules and regulations.
2. Size: The maximum size of a memorial is governed by the size of the lot on which it is to be placed and is to be determined by the Sexton.
3. Flush Markers: Markers shall be flush with the ground.
4. Prohibited Materials: Markers made of wood, concrete, synthetic materials or glass are prohibited.
5. Damage: While the Cemetery will exercise all possible care to protect the memorial, or other structure on any lot, and the raised lettering, carving or ornaments on such memorial, or other structure, it disclaims responsibility for any damage or injury thereto. The Cemetery is not responsible for any damage to monuments or markers.
6. Right to Stop Work: The Sexton reserves the right to stop all work of any nature whenever, in his opinion, proper preparations have not been made, or when tools and machinery are insufficient or defective, or when work is being executed in such a manner as to threaten life or property, or when the monument dealer has been guilty of misrepresentation, or when any reasonable request on the part of the Sexton is disregarded, or when work is not being executed according to specifications, or when any person employed on the work violates any rules of the Cemetery.
7. Completion: The completed work is subject to the approval of the Sexton, and, if unsatisfactory, it may be removed by the Sexton
8. Name Inscribed: The name of inscription on each monument, vault, or marker, must correspond with the name and record in the office of the Sexton, and no changes shall be made thereon except upon request of the proper parties and by permission of the Cemetery. A name on a monument is treated as a designation, so long as the monument exists. Decedent’s names must face burial side. Monuments with more than one surname must engrave all surnames in the same sized lettering. Names of decedent’s buried within a single grave must be stacked one atop the other on a single-sized monument. Decedent’s buried in two adjoining graves must utilize a double monument with names engraved side-by-side.
9. Supervision: All work shall be under the supervision of the Sexton
10. Foundation Required: All monuments must be placed with an appropriate footing at the head of lots. All monuments must be placed upon a base the type and construction of which must be approved by the Cemetery Management. The base must extend at least three inches beyond the end of the tablet on each side. All foundations must match the size (length and width) of the monument base.
11. Limitation on Monument: Only one raised monument per grave is permitted and to be located within 20” of the head of grave space.
12. Review Criteria: All monuments must meet with the approval of the Cemetery Management on all criteria of permanence and indestructibility, of style and of size.
13. Pre-payment of Lot: No monuments may be erected on a lot which is not paid in full.
14. Unauthorized Work: Any unauthorized memorial work will be removed from the grave until proper arrangements have been made at the Cemetery office. Any memorial work not approved by the Cemetery Management and not meeting the criteria set forth in this section shall be removed at the expense of the contractor.
15. Multiple Burial Rights per Lot: In the event that a lot is purchased for multiple cremation burials, only one (1) vertical monument per single lot is allowed, along with up to one (1) flush markers per single lot.
16. Acceptable Materials: Only granite, marble or bronze will be permitted in all memorial work.
17. Location: Cemetery management will show the monument salesperson or monument company representatives, in person, where the marker is to be placed.
18. Payment of Foundation: If Cemetery personnel sets the foundation the company who sells the marker will be billed for same. The price of setting a foundation is set by the Cemetery.
19. Outside Contractors: Foundations may be set by others in accordance with Cemetery Rules and Regulations and the payment of the Cemetery inspection fee. Fee: An inspection fee established by Board of Directors shall be charged for each foundation. Inspection: The Cemetery Management shall inspect all foundations prior to delivery of concrete. If any violations are found, said violations must be corrected prior to delivery of concrete. All cost associated with the foundation will be the responsibility of the contractor and not the Cemetery. Only batch plant or mixer-made concrete is permitted. No sack-credt or other products for foundations.
Unloading: Cemetery personnel will not help unload or place any markers for the salesperson.
20. Notice: All monument salespersons are to contact the Cemetery management before constructing or pouring foundations on any lot in the Cemetery.
21. Pre-payment of Work: Foundations will be placed by the Cemetery when the Cemetery has received payment plus approval for documents from the family for the work at least ten (10) days before the scheduled placement of the foundation.
22. Size Verification: It shall be the responsibility of the individual or company selling the monument to contact the Cemetery, to assure the size of the lot will accommodate the foundation.
23. Depth: The foundation shall be dug at minimum of 2’ deep, the full width of the foundation.
24. Top of Base: The top of the base or foundation shall be level in all directions with its top at the highest ground elevation.
25. Prohibited Engravings: Mention on monuments, markers or otherwise that may be offensive to grieving families, safety, law, copyright, property, race, corporate advertisement, the cemetery in general, or encouraging of bad behavior, at the sole discretion of the Sexton, are prohibited. Such offending items include but are not limited to weapons, alcohol, drugs, nudity, speed racing, burnouts, gangs, clubs, emblems, logos, corporate art, confederate flags, political slogans or statements, acts of destruction, crimes against property and profanity.
26. Colorants and Designs: Colorants used to enhance engravings are limited to white, gray and black. No objectionable designs will be permitted, subject to the sole discretion of the Cemetery.
27. Vases: All monument designs that include vases must abide by minimum base requirements listed below. Vases not part of a monument’s original design must be pre-approved by the Cemetery prior to placement. A monument must have a minimum of 6″ of base per vase to be considered for approval. No add-on vases are to be later adhered onto bevel or slant markers that were not part of the monument’s original design. No vases on bevels or slants other than on a base. Vases must be attached to base of monument only.
*A die with Polish 2 or Polish 3 must have a minimum of 9” of base per vase to be considered for approval regardless of vase size.
*A 4×10 turned granite vase must have a minimum of 6″ of base per vase to be considered for approval.
*A 6×10 turned granite vase must have a minimum of 9″ of base per vase to be considered for approval.
*Any granite vases larger than 4″ at its widest point must have a minimum of 9″ of base per vase to be considered for approval.
*Vases, at their widest point, should have at minimum 1″ of clearance from end of base to ensure proper protection of vases from machinery and maintenance.
28. Business Hours: All work in the Cemetery must be done during working hours
29. Benches: Granite bench memorials are available for purchase, including benches with cremain niches. Granite benches are permitted only if they are installed on a foundation in the space reserved for a bench or a monument. Benches will be considered a monument and will be subject to all rules applying to monuments.
30. Donated Benches: Benches of granite material shall be allowed to be donated to Cemetery for placement by the designated Sexton in areas which will provide for silent reverie and reflection. Such benches shall be near uniform in appearance and inscriptions shall have the prior approval of the designated Sexton. No form or type of advertising shall be allowed on benches.
31. Maintenance Duty: Grave Owners are responsible for the maintenance of their monuments.
32. Installation of Monuments and Markers: Those persons engaged in placing monuments and markers shall provide planking adequate to protect turf and shall remove materials and equipment immediately upon completion of work. The site shall be left in a clean, orderly condition.
33. Monuments and Markers for Cremains: Grave markers in the cremains section of the Cemetery shall be limited to flush markers only.
34. Monument Service Firms: Letter cutters, persons or firms who engage in the business of cleaning monuments (not connected with established retail dealers already on the approved list of Dealers), and all other persons or firms, must procure permission from the Sexton or official of the Cemetery before any work in the Cemetery is commenced.
35. Monument Firms: Workmen engaged in placing or erecting monuments and other structures, or grinding materials, shall, as to the Sexton, operate as independent contractors, but must do so under permission from the Sexton and must be under the general supervision of the Cemetery.
a. Monument Firms and their employees will abide by all rules and regulations of the Cemetery. Violation of any rule or regulation of the Cemetery may be sufficient cause for disapproval of the retail dealer.
36. Contractors’ Insurance: All contractors within the Cemetery must first provide proof of general liability insurance to the Cemetery Management before performing work. If any company has an accident, damage any property, gets hurt, or hurts someone they shall be responsible.
37. Monument Setting: Persons engaged in erecting monuments, or other structures are prohibited from attaching ropes to monuments, trees and shrubs, or from scattering their material over adjoining lots, or from blocking avenues or pathways, or from leaving material on the grounds longer than is absolutely necessary. They must do as little injury to the grass, trees and shrubs as possible, and must remove all debris and restore the ground and sod to its original condition.
38. Responsibility for Damage: Damage done to lots, walks, drives, trees shrubs or other property, by dealers or contractors, or their agents may be repaired by the Cemetery and the cost of such repair shall be charged to the dealer or contractor or to his principal.
39. Equipment Holdover: No material machinery, or other thing for the construction of vaults, mausoleums, monuments, or other structures, or monuments themselves, may be brought into the Cemetery until required for immediate use; nor, under any circumstances, when a funeral is in progress; nor between Saturday and Monday morning; nor on a holiday; and no work shall be done during said time; nor shall said material be placed on lots adjoining the one on which such a structure is to be erected, without special permission from the Sexton.
40. Prompt Performance: Work shall proceed promptly until the erection of the memorial is completed.
41. Funeral Interference: While a funeral or interment is being conducted nearby, all work of any description shall not disturb.
42. Respect for the Grieving: Approaching the bereaved and soliciting memorial business within the Cemetery is not permitted.
43. Conformance to the Rules: Memorial dealers shall abide by all rules of the Cemetery.
44. Veterans Administration Medallions: Veterans Administration Medallions are not allowed in the cemetery. The Cemetery will not sign the Veterans Affairs VA Form 40-1330M for the placement of government medallion in a private cemetery. The Cemetery is not responsible for any unauthorized placement of VA Medallions in the Cemetery or the damage to the monument(s) which may result. The Cemetery is concerned for its families over the possibility of unauthorized installation upon another’s monument, drilling and epoxy defacement of the monument, failure of the epoxy resulting in loss of the medallion, bronze theft possibility and other issues. VA headstones and other flat type markers are permitted with prior approval.
45. Notice: Monuments throughout the Cemetery may fall over and cause harm to persons and property if misused. Standard use and practice in the industry of monument installation is that monument pieces are often not physically connected together or to its foundation in any way, and even if caulk or adhesive was used by its initial installer its adhesion can and does fail over time. All monuments are the personal property and responsibility of the individual purchasing family and do not belong to the Cemetery. Do not lean, sit, or stand on, nor pull against or otherwise exert lateral force of any kind against the Cemetery monuments at any time, as they are not designed for such and may fall over and do harm.
46. Safety: All upright monuments over two feet high must be able to withstand a force of 75 pounds when such force is applied at any point on the memorial. Such monuments must withstand this force when set in a dry mode (i.e. without the assistance of any adhesive material). Dowels (300 series stainless or equivalent) may be used to assist an upright monument in achieving the 75 pound minimum standard. The intended positioning of such dowels must be shown/stated on the contract requesting the installation of the monument. All portions of an upright monument must be sealed together with an appropriate sealing material and shall be sealed together in such a way as to provide an adequate level of stability.
47. Height: All upright monuments over two feet six inches in height (including the base) must be at least eight inches thick.
48. Depth: Any single monument orders received after March 1, 2020 that are more than 30 inches in height including base must be 8 inches in depth. All double monuments must be no less than 8 inches in depth.
49. Length: Maximum base length for an upright single monument on a single plot can be no more than 42” in length. Maximum base length for an upright double monument on two traditional plots can be no more than 78” in length.
50. Monument Approval/Foundation Order: All monument approval/foundation orders must include all of the following:
a. The order must be on your company letterhead and include type of monument (upright, slant, bevel, flat, etc. ) along with base dimensions (LxWxH). The order must be signed by the company representative ordering the monument and include a contact number.
b. The order must include a rendering of both front and back of memorial with complete dimensions of all components, including vases. If back is blank please note.
c. Type of granite must be specified.
d. Attach a scan of any photos or etchings that will be included on monument.
e. Please note if any materials besides granite will be used on the monument (porcelain, bronze, glass, etc. ). Brookland Cemetery does not allow the small VA bronze medallions on any monument.
f. You must have a current General Liability Insurance Certificate on file in our cemetery office, naming Brookland Cemetery as a certificate holder. We will not process an order without this certificate.
g. Please include a company check for the cost of the foundation. Our current rate is $150.00 per square foot with a $300.00 minimum. No personal checks will be accepted.
h. We will inform the monument company when the foundation has been poured and it will be the responsibility of the monument company to call no more than 48 hours prior to planned delivery. This is required in order to work around funerals. Monument deliveries can be made with prior approval Monday through Friday 9:30am until 3:00pm. No weekend or after hour deliveries are allowed. NO trucks are allowed off the road without the approval and presence of a cemetery employee at the time of delivery.
i. For safety reasons, no families are to be invited or permitted to accompany a monument’s installation process while the monument suppliers are installing new monuments.
51. No changes to existing monuments within the cemetery are allowed without the prior written permission of the Sexton. This includes but is not limited to: additional engravings, photos, alterations in color, additional vases, etc. Monuments changed without prior written permission from the Sexton will be subject to removal from the cemetery. Nonconforming monuments will be subject to removal from the cemetery.
52. Effective July 1, 2021, no more temporary markers of any kind are permitted in the cemetery.
