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Oakwood Cemetery

The City of Farmington owns and operates the Oakwood Cemetery, located on Grand River Avenue, just east of Gill Road. Gravesites are available for purchase at the City Clerk’s office in City Hall.

Fees for the cemetery are as follows:

Grave

Resident 450.00
Non-Resident 800.00

Opening and Closing

Weekdays

Service arriving before 3:00pm 550.00
Service arriving after 3:00pm 650.00

Saturday/Holiday

Service arriving before 1:00pm 750.00
Service arriving after 1:00pm 850.00

Cremation Burial

Weekdays

Service arriving before 3:00pm 250.00
Service arriving after 3:00pm 375.00

Saturday/Holiday

Service arriving before 1:00pm 350.00
Service arriving after 1:00pm 450.00

Construction of Foundations for Memorials and Markers

Single up to 42” x 18” 150.00
Double up to 60” x 18” 275.00

Holidays include Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, Good Friday, day after Thanksgiving, day before or after Christmas and New Year’s Day.

No Openings or Closings on Sunday, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Oakwood Cemetery Rules and Regulations

Oakwood Cemetery Rules and Regulations

Existing Cemeteries
1. Shall be subject to the rules and regulations with the exception of marker and monument placement. Marker and monument restrictions, in the original cemetery area, will be determined by the Director of Public Services and shall be in harmony with existing conditions.
Definitions
1. Lot: Numbered divisions as shown on the cemetery plot which consist of two or more graves.
2. Grave: A space of sufficient size to accommodate one adult interment.
3. Interment: The permanent disposition of the remains of a deceased person by cremation and interment or burial.
4. Memorial: Shall include a monument, marker or headstone for family or individual use.
5. Monument: Shall include a tombstone or memorial of granite or marble which shall extend above the surface of the ground.
6. Marker: A memorial flush with the ground.
7. Lot Marker: Refers to any means used by the cemetery to locate corners of the lot or grave.
8. Deed: The certificate of ownership which applies to the original conveyance to the original purchaser.
Markers, Memorials and Monuments
1. All markers, or memorials, must be constructed of granite. Bronze memorials must be mounted on a granite base.
2. Foundations for memorials shall conform to specifications set by the City, and all foundation work shall be done under permit of the Director of Public Services. All memorials require foundations.
3. All expenses incurred in setting, repairing or maintaining markers shall be borne by the lot owner.
4. Memorial sites may only be constructed or erected on lots of sufficient size so as no portion of the memorial site extends beyond the lot borders.
5. If any memorial is allowed to fall into disrepair by the owner, it may be removed by the City. The City shall have no responsibility for the return of the memorial to the owner.
6. Only one marker will be permitted per grave and shall be flush with the ground. Companion markers are permitted in lieu of single markers and must be a minimum of 32" in length.
7. Markers shall be 12" x 24" x 4".
8. Markers shall be centered on the grave and placed at the foot of walkways facing the adjoining walkway. Markers for the most easterly graves, parallel with the east property line, shall be placed at the common lot line and face west.
9. Markers and monuments must match the family plot.
10. Monuments shall be permitted on minimum four grave lots.
11. Monuments shall be centered on the lot and shall be located one foot into the lot at the common lot line. All monuments shall face the adjoining walkway.
12. Monuments are prohibited in single grave sections.
13. Vases with permanent bases are prohibited.
Interment or Disinterment
1. The City Clerk shall keep a record of all interments made in City cemeteries.
2. Such records shall disclose the name of the deceased, date of burial, last address, next of kin, funeral director, lot and grave number and the owner's name.
3. There shall be no interment of anything other than the remains of human bodies in City cemeteries.
4. No funerals shall be held on Sunday, nor between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
5. Reasonable notice must be given to the City Clerk, and all arrangements with the City must be completed for services to be furnished by the City, and payment made prior to a grave opening.
6. All applications for burial shall be made to the City Clerk in a timely manner to allow at least eight working hours to prepare the grave. Such applications shall be accompanied by a burial permit issued by the County Health Department or other authorized agency of the state or county.
7. There shall be no disinterment or relocation without a permit issued by the County Health Department. Such permit shall be submitted to the City Clerk.
8. There shall be no interment of more than one body and one cremation, or two cremations within anyone grave. Further, there shall be no disinterment of the cremains or body within any grave for the purpose of burying bodies or cremains within the same grave.
Ground Maintenance Regulations
1. No grading, leveling or excavation shall take place within any cemetery without written permission of the Director of Public Services
2. No live plantings are allowed. Fencing of graves, or statuary is prohibited.
3. The City reserves the right to plant, remove or trim any tree, plant or shrub in the interest of maintaining a good appearance or to reduce maintenance expenses.
4. No surface shall be applied to any grave other than one consisting of grass.
5. The City reserves the right to change, maintain and revise any roadway or plat incorporated within any cemetery when necessary to improve the grounds.
Gifts for Cemeteries
1. Whenever any person shall grant or give, bequest or devise any gift to the City for the perpetual maintenance and care of, or for the general upkeep and improvement of a City cemetery, the City Clerk shall review such gift, bequest or devise, and shall forthwith issue to the donor or his/her representative, an acknowledgment of receipt of same, signed by the City Clerk/Treasurer.
2. Any funds paid shall be delivered to the City Treasurer.
3. The City Clerk shall report to the City Council the receipt of any funds by grant, gift, bequest or devise at the next regular Council meeting.
Cemetery Care
1. Cemetery care shall include only watering, cutting and trimming of the grass, top dressing and seeding when necessary and the general upkeep of the lot.
2. Cemetery care shall not include the maintenance of any memorial or other items.
3. All monies received by the City in trust, gifts or other donations, shall be credited to the Cemetery Improvement Account. The City shall not commit itself to extraordinary care or' special care of any lot or grave within the cemetery.
H. Burials of Poor Persons and Strangers
1. A part of at least one City cemetery shall be set aside for single graves, and shall be used as a burial place for indigent persons and strangers. Each grave shall be numbered and marked with a durable material.
Other Regulations
1. No advertisement of any description will be permitted within any cemetery.
2. No persons shall injure, cut or remove any tree, shrub or plant or other vegetation growing or being within the limits of the cemetery whether on graves or unimproved grounds.
3. All persons are prohibited from defacing, injuring or removing any memorial, fence or other structure in or belonging to the cemetery, or any property thereof, and from entering on such grounds by any other means other than the gates provided for the purpose thereof.
4. The presence of wildlife and birds enhances the natural beauty of City cemeteries, so the cemetery grounds shall be considered a wildlife and bird sanctuary. All persons are forbidden from disturbing, wounding, trapping or killing any bird or animal.
5. Refreshments or liquor shall not be allowed within the cemeteries.
6. No persons shall drive any vehicle other than on the designated roads provided within the cemetery, other than those vehicles permitted by the Director of Public Services for maintenance, placement of markers or required for interment.
7. The cemetery shall be open to visitors from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.
8. The cemetery (City) reserves, and shall have, the right to correct any errors that may be made by them either in making interments, disinterments or removals or the description, transfer or conveyance of any interment property. Such correction shall include canceling such conveyance and substituting in lieu thereof other interment property of equal value and similar location as far as possiple, or as may be selected by the Cemetery Board, or, in the sole discretion of the City Manager, by refunding the amount paid for such purchase. In the event such error shall involve the interment of the remains of any person in such property, the cemetery reserves and shall have the right to remove or transfer such remains to another property of equal value and similar location as may be substituted and conveyed in lieu thereof.
9. All orders for interments in lots must be signed by the owner of the lot or his legal representative. However, when this is impossible because such person is absent from the city, permission by telegraph will be accepted in lieu thereof.
10. Decorations shall be limited to one floral offering per grave. Grave blankets and wreaths are permitted from November 1st to March 1st. Flags are permitted on graves for a period of one week following Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veteran's Day. Expressly forbidden are miscellaneous statues, glass and plastic objects, cans, toys, vigil lights, Christmas trees and similar items. Other items deemed unsightly, objectionable or detrimental, shall be removed and disposed of without reason or notice. The City shall have no responsibility for return to the owner of any object or item removed.
11. Dogs are prohibited from all city cemeteries.
12. Single graves will be limited to designated areas of the cemetery. All other purchases must be made in a minimum number of two in succession. The City shall be the sole determiner of limitations concerning sales of graves.