Sanbornton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ

Centre Cemetery Rules

Opposite 63-65 Tower Hill Road, Sanbornton

Effective Date:  October 15, 2006

Revised: January 25, 2008

Preamble: These rules were discussed and approved by the membership of the Church on October 15, 2006 and refreshed in August 20, 2007 to reflect the fee schedule as passed in 2006.  Any substantive modification to these rules will be brought by the Centre Cemetery Committee to the Church Council and Church members for discussion and approval. Reviews of the rules will be made at least one time per year. 

Location: Centre Cemetery, West side of Tower Hill Road, Sanbornton, NH.

Ownership:  The Centre Cemetery is owned by Sanbornton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ.  It was established in 1783 adjacent to the location of the original church building. A Cemetery Committee is appointed annually by the church Trustees and is responsible for the maintenance and record management of the Cemetery.  All funds are managed by the Trustees through the Treasurer and reported annually to the membership.  Correspondence should be addressed to:  Cemetery Committee, Sanbornton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, PO Box 126, Sanbornton, NH 03269.

Definitions:

• Cremation: the process by which a body is reduced to ashes

• Cremains: human ashes

• Flat Marker: a flat stone set at ground level, marking a grave location, often inscribed with name and dates

• Gravestone or Tombstone: an upright stone usually inscribed with names and dates

• Monument: a pillar or statue erected in honor of some person or event

• Grounds: all plots, paths and walkways located at the Cemetery location

• Plots:  all full-body plots are a set size of four feet by eight feet (4’x8’).  For the purpose of digging adjacent graves, an area shall be added around the Plot size to make the area five feet by ten feet. This is the same for family plots as well.

• Cremation plots shall be two and a half feet square (2.5’ x 2.5’) with no additional space needed for burial.

Environment Policy:

Purpose:  to create a safe, quiet, respectful, clean and attractive environment within and around the Cemetery grounds

1. The front gate on Tower Hill Road will be kept closed at all times to allow pedestrian traffic only, except as allowed in #2 below.

2. A hearse will be allowed on the grounds for an approved interment. All personal vehicles (motorized vehicles, bicycles, horses and other domesticated animals) are prohibited and are to remain outside the gates. An exception will be made for motorized wheelchairs.

3. No person shall gather flowers, either wild or cultivated, on the premises or remove, cut, break or mark any tree, shrub or plant other than as part of the maintenance function of the Cemetery Committee.

4. No person shall mark upon, deface or injure any monument or any other structure on the grounds.

5. Any person disturbing the quiet or good order of the grounds and surrounding area, by acts of, but not limited to, intoxication, loud noise, vandalism or disorderly conduct, will be subject to prosecution to the greatest extent of the law.

6. All gravestones, monuments, permanent markers etc that are placed within the Cemetery must have a good and sufficient foundation to withstand frost heaving and the environment.

7. No stone, wood, metal, wire, hedge or other fence material shall be erected around any Plots. Any existing ones that are not properly maintained will be removed by order of the Cemetery Committee at the owner’s expense.

Planting and Decoration Policy:

Purpose:  to create ease of maintenance in the Grounds plus a clean and natural appearance.

1. No shrubs, perennials or trees are to be planted on or around any plots.

2. If any plant becomes detrimental to a plot or to the grounds for any reason, the Cemetery Committee will remove any or all of it.  Loose items such as dead plants and flowers may be removed during maintenance cleanups.  Any other item considered hazardous to the mowers and trimmers will be removed during routine maintenance.

3. Bark mulch is not permitted.

4. Perimeter markers shall be flush with the earth so that a mower can clear them without adjustment.  Any found too high shall be removed as hazardous materials.

5. Cut flowers must be placed within the plot within one foot of gravestone or headstone during a burial ceremony, and shall be removed after two weeks of the interment.  Flowers not removed within two weeks of interment shall be removed by the Cemetery committee.

6. The placing of artificial flowers, signs or glass containers is not permitted. 

7. The placing of small flags or other Veteran or Fire Department markers on graves is allowed with the understanding that the Cemetery committee will have the right to remove them at any time, if necessary. Such flags should be placed against the tombstone base or marker, or if possible, placed in pre-drilled flag-holes located on or within the headstone of the plots.

8. Christmas wreaths and other wintertime decorations may be placed on, or immediately in front of the headstone or gravestone, and secured in such a way as to not be blown away by wind or weather. The owners shall remove all Christmas decorations before March 1 of each year.

Interment Policy:

Purpose:  to insure proper conformance with State and local laws and regulations as well as administration and maintenance of the site.

1.  The cemetery is closed to interments from November 1 to April 15 of each year unless weather justifies an adjustment to the schedule by the Cemetery Committee.

2.  Only human remains shall be interred in the grounds.

3. Before any interment, the Cemetery Committee shall be furnished with a permit, such as may be required by the Town of Sanbornton or the State of New Hampshire, together with an order from the legal owner or the legal representative of the right of burial in the plot in which the interment is to be made.

4.  All interments or distribution of ashes shall be made in compliance with the state and local laws, and shall be recorded with the Cemetery Committee and the Town of Sanbornton.

Cemetery Management Policy

Purpose:  to maintain proper records and management of the site

1. The Cemetery Committee shall maintain a Master Plan, indexed by plot number, designating the owners of all existing plots (as of October 1, 2006) and indicating locations of proposed plots, to the best of its ability. This caveat is placed on this statement due to the age of the cemetery and the lack of complete records. All subsequent sales of plots shall be referenced by plot number

2. Purchase of plots must be made through the Cemetery Committee who will maintain a current map, registry of lots sold indexed by plot number as well as by owner’s name, and a record of fees paid.

3. Plots, whether for full-body or cremain interment, shall be offered for sale as single or family plots (two or more contiguous plots) depending on availability

4. Upright gravestones may be erected on full-body plots as well as flat markers and headstones at ground level.

5. Not more than one casketed body shall be interred in a full-body plot

6. Plots that are designated for the interment of cremains shall be sold subject to availability and have only one flat marker for the site. A maximum of 2 cremains in urns may be placed in one cremation plot and they must be 18-24 inches below the ground.  Only one flat stone may be placed on the plot.

7. Cemains may be buried when documentation is provided to the Cemetery Committee and the Town of Sanbornton and in keeping with the regulations of the State of New Hampshire.

8. Up to 6 cremains in urns may be interred in a full-body plot so long as the plot does not contain a casketed body. If a casket is in the plot, up to four additional cremains in urns may be buried between 18 and 24 inches below the ground.

9. Plots with cremains and a casket may have three markers:  two flat ones and one vertical one or three flat ones. The vertical markers may not be wider than 2.5 feet or half the size of the plot. 

Cemetery fees and charges:

1. The Sanbornton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ has no obligations to assign interment rights to any person or persons, but has the right to do so at the established rates set by the Trustees of the Church and in keeping with the regulations of the State of New Hampshire and Town of Sanbornton.

2. Interment rights will be conveyed on a lottery basis if there is a number available of less than 100 (after the survey is completed, estimated in 2008) to Current and former members of the Sanbornton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ. No more than 4 contiguous lots may be purchased by one family or individual.

3. The Cemetery Plot prices:

·         For a 4’ x 8’ lot: $350.00 ($150 for the site and $200.00 for perpetual care.)

·         For a 2.5 x 2.5’ lot: $200 ($100.00 for the site; $100 for perpetual care).

The above rates are subject to change without notice by the Church Trustees but not more frequently than on an annual basis.

4. For the first cremation interment in a full-body plot, the plot must be purchased at the standard rate for a full-body plot.

5. The owners of rights of burial or their heirs shall not grant, sell alienate or convey the said exclusive right of burial to any person(s) without the approval of the Cemetery Committee.  New owners will be required to pay additional charges (if the fee schedule has been modified) to bring the rates up to the current rate for both the plots and perpetual care costs.

6. The legal representative of the person assigned the interment right may sell back its plots to the Sanbornton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, at the price it was purchased but will not be reimbursed for amounts relating to perpetual care.

7. Correct documentation must be presented to the Cemetery Committee prior to any interment.

8. Maintenance and Perpetual Care

·         The Cemetery Committee is responsible to make sure that the grounds are maintained to a standard set by the Church Trustees.

·         The Trustees of the Church are responsible for managing the Perpetual Care funds.