Cemetery Rules & Ordinances

1. These rules shall apply to all cemeteries owned or operated by the City of Kalamazoo.
2. These rules shall not be construed to deprive any person of a vested property right.
3. Visitors to the cemeteries shall maintain proper decorum; there shall be no loud, undignified, or boisterous conduct.
4. There shall be no littering in the cemetery.
5. Pets are not permitted within the cemetery.
6. No grave site shall be used for other than the burial of human remains.
7. No private burial structures shall be erected without the written permission of the cemetery.
8. No person other than the cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee, shall open any grave site or do any excavating within the cemetery.
9. No interments, disinterments, or services shall be permitted on Sundays, before noon on Mondays, or any day recognized as a national holiday.
10. All funerals shall be under the general supervision of the cemetery.
11. The cemetery may insist on twenty-four hours' notice prior to any interment and forty-eight hours' notice prior to any disinterment.
12. All materials used for memorials are subject to the approval of the cemetery.
13. The principal inscription on a memorial shall face the nearest road or path.
14. Except as otherwise provided in these rules, all landscaping shall be under the control of the cemetery and only the cemetery may make plantings.
15. Nothing may be placed on or around any grave site unless it is provided for in these rules.
16. The cemetery will remove anything placed on any grave site in violation of these rules at the expense of the person or persons who have violated these rules.
17. Any flowers, plants or other decorations properly placed on any grave site will be removed when, in the opinion of the cemetery, they have begun to deteriorate.
18. Glass jars or bottles shall not be used as vases for flowers.
19. All memorials shall be placed on a foundation of a depth and size and of a material approved by the cemetery.
20. All foundations shall be installed by cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee.
21. Winter wreaths, globes or blankets may remain on the grave site from the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving to the first Sunday in March.
22. All burials, except cremated remains, shall be in vaults of a type acceptable to the cemetery. Cremated remains shall be placed in containers of a type acceptable to the cemetery.
23. No rose bushes may be planted in the cemetery.
24. Two containers for cut flowers, in a bouquet-holder which can be submerged to ground level and is of a type approved by the cemetery may be installed on each grave site. If such containers are not installed in a manner that is satisfactory to the cemetery, they will be removed. 

1. Sections 8, 14, 15, 16, 20, 22, and VV of Riverside Cemetery shall be Type I Sections.
2. Sections TT, 10, 11, 18 and 24 of Riverside Cemetery shall be Type II Sections.
3. Sections 12, 17, 30 and ZZ of Riverside Cemetery shall be Type III Sections.
4. Sections BB and 23 of Riverside Cemetery have separate section restrictions, and for pricing purposes only are considered to be Type IV Sections.
5. Sections 25, 26 and 27 of Riverside Cemetery have separate section restrictions, and for pricing purposes only are considered to be Type II Sections.
6. Sections 28 and 29 of Riverside Cemetery have separate section restrictions, and for pricing purposes only are considered to be Type I Sections.
7. Section CRI of Riverside shall be designated a Cremated Remains Section.
8. The sections of Riverside Cemetery not otherwise designated shall be Type V Sections.
9. All sections in Mountain Home Cemetery shall be Type V Sections.

1. All memorials shall be flush with the ground.
2. All memorials shall be placed on a line established by the Director of the Department of Public Services and shall face the nearest path or roadway.
3. All memorials placed on a single gravesite shall not exceed 24 inches by 18 inches in area.
4. For two adjacent gravesites, a memorial of not more than 38 inches by 18 inches in area may be used.
5. For three adjacent gravesites, a memorial of 56 inches by 18 inches in area may be used.
6. No memorial of greater than 56 inches by 18 inches shall be used, and no memorial shall extend across more than two-fifths of the width of the group of gravesites upon which it is erected.
7. In Section 8 of Riverside Cemetery, one urn not more than 14 inches in diameter shall be allowed with no other ornaments.
8. In Section 15 of Riverside Cemetery, one cement urn not to exceed 14 inches in diameter shall be allowed for each group of two gravesites
9. In Sections 14 and 16 of Riverside Cemetery, one cement urn not to exceed eight inches in diameter shall be allowed for each group of two gravesites.
10. Any flowers or decorations placed in violation of the resolution will be removed immediately. Winter wreaths or blankets will be permitted between Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in March. All winter wreaths and blankets will be removed immediately after the first Sunday in March. The cemetery is not responsible for any of these decorations should they be removed by someone other than cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee.

1. Each gravesite may have a memorial flush with the ground of not more than 24 inches by 18 inches in area.
2. Each group of two or more gravesites may have a single upright memorial not to exceed 38 inches in length, 54 inches in height, and 18 inches in width. Each group of three or more gravesites may have a single upright memorial not to exceed 52 inches in length, 54 inches in height, and 18 inches in width. Each group of four or more gravesites may have a single upright memorial not to exceed 56 inches in length, 54 inches in height, and 18 inches in width.
3. As an alternate to Paragraph 2, an upright memorial with a base no higher than twelve (12) inches may be used to support a die with a height of not more than 68 inches, length not to exceed 24 inches, and maximum width of eight inches.
4. In a case of a gravesite or group of gravesites ten (10) feet in depth or less, any upright memorial shall be placed on a line established by the cemetery adjacent to the nearest path or roadway.
5. On all lots of a depth of more than ten feet, any upright memorial shall be centered on a line ten feet back from the nearest path or roadway.
6. In Section TT of Riverside Cemetery, where an entire lot has been purchased by the same owner, dwarf evergreens and shrubs may be planted at the base of any upright memorial. Such plantings shall not be closer than 24 inches to a lot line.
7. Sections TT, 10 and 11 of Riverside Cemetery, one of the following may be placed at the base of an upright memorial: a receptacle for cut flowers, a potted plant or an urn. None of the foregoing shall exceed 14 inches in width, length or height. Flowers will be removed by cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee when found to be wilted or dead.
8. Any flowers or decorations placed in violation of the resolution will be removed immediately. Winter wreaths or blankets will be permitted between Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in March. All winter wreaths and blankets will be removed immediately after the first Sunday in March. The cemetery is not responsible for any of these decorations should they be removed by someone other than cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee.

All gravesites are for the burial of infants and shall be 2 ½ feet by four feet in area.

Each gravesite may have a memorial flush with the ground, 20 inches by ten inches in area and shall face the nearest path or roadway.

One container for cut flowers that does not protrude above the level of the ground shall be allowed per gravesite. Flowers will be removed by cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee when found to be wilted or dead. Any flowers or decorations placed in violation of the resolution will be removed immediately. Winter wreaths or blankets will be permitted between Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in March. All winter wreaths and blankets will be removed immediately after the first Sunday in March. The cemetery is not responsible for any of these decorations should they be removed by someone other than cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee.

In Sections 12 and 17 of Riverside Cemetery, one cement urn not exceeding eight inches in diameter may be placed on each gravesite.

See specific section restrictions: Section BB in part H or Section 23 in part I.

1. The rules in this section shall apply to the older sections of the cemetery.
2. Flowers and dwarf evergreens and shrubs may be planted around any memorial, but they shall not extend more than 18 inches from the memorial. Cut flowers will be removed by cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee when found to be wilted or dead. Any flowers or decorations placed in violation of the resolution will be removed immediately. Winter wreaths or blankets will be permitted between Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in March. All winter wreaths and blankets will be removed immediately after the first Sunday in March. The cemetery is not responsible for any of these decorations should they be removed by someone other than cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee.
3. All inscriptions shall face the nearest path or roadway, unless layout of lot is obviously set up to the contrary.
4. In Section AA of Riverside Cemetery, one cement urn not to exceed 14 inches in diameter shall be allowed for each group of two gravesites.
5. In Section AA of Riverside Cemetery, Lots 503 through 518 shall have no plantings, all memorials shall be flush with the ground, and one urn not more than 14 inches in diameter shall be allowed, with no other ornaments.
6. In Section 4, Lots 409 through 413, 443, 444, 445 of Riverside Cemetery, all memorials shall be flush with the ground.
7. In Section 6, Lots 18 through 31 of Riverside Cemetery, all memorials shall be flush with the ground.
8. In Section 7 of Riverside Cemetery, where an entire lot has been purchased by the same owner, dwarf evergreens and shrubs may be planted at the base of any upright memorial, but there shall be no flowerbeds. Such plantings shall not be closer than 24 inches to a lot line.
9. In Section 7 of Riverside Cemetery, one of the following may be placed at the base of an upright memorial: a receptacle for cut flowers, a potted plant or an urn. None of the foregoing shall exceed 14 inches in width, length or height. Flowers will be removed by cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee when found to be wilted or dead.

1. All plantings as established are to be considered as a part of the entire section and as such shall not be added to, removed or in any way changed by the lot owners, neither shall any employee of the cemetery be allowed to remove, add to or in any way change said plantings without the consent of the lot owner on whose lot the changes are contemplated, except that the employees of the cemetery will at all times have the right to trim, replace or perform other duties of maintenance necessary to insure the proper growth and beauty of all plantings.
2. No flower, shrubbery or other ornamental beds or plantings shall be permissible by the owner, but one bouquet of cut flowers or a potted plant may be placed at the base of the upright monument allowed on each lot. Said ornamentation and container to be placed at the owner’s responsibility. Flowers will be removed by cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee when found to be wilted or dead.
3. Any flowers or decorations placed in violation of the resolution will be removed immediately. Winter wreaths or blankets will be permitted between Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in March. All winter wreaths and blankets will be removed immediately after the first Sunday in March. The cemetery is not responsible for any of these decorations should they be removed by someone other than cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee.
4. All headstones, footstones or other memorial markers used in this section shall be flush with the surrounding grade and not exceed in area fourteen inches by twenty-four inches except for one central monument allowed on each lot that may protrude above the surrounding grade not to exceed fifty-four inches. Said monument shall have no dimension greater than twenty-four inches in thickness nor may the total length exceed thirty percent of the frontage of the lot on the adjacent path or road, except that in no case shall the length exceed seventy-eight inches nor need it be less than forty-eight inches.
5. The above rules and regulations pertain to Section BB only and do not exclude the lot owners in said section from compliance with all rules, regulations or ordinances that are now in effect or may be enacted in the future by the City Commission of the City of Kalamazoo, governing general use of Riverside Cemetery.

1. All graves shall face north and south, except the flush graves on the east and west perimeter and lot 66-1.
2. On graves restricted to flush markers, being lots 112 through 255, one marker not to exceed 24 inches in length and 18 inches in width shall be allowed on single graves. On each set of 2 or more adjoining graves, one monument, marker or memento not to exceed 36 inches in length and 18 inches in width shall be allowed, or one marker not to exceed 24 inches in length and 18 inches in width on each grave shall be allowed.
3. Said monument, marker or memento shall be placed on a line established by the Director of the Department of Public Services adjacent to and facing the nearest path or adjacent to but not facing the hedge.
4. All flush markers shall not exceed four inches in thickness and the base thereof shall be level and smooth.
5. On two or more adjacent burial spaces in lots permitting upright monuments, being lots 60 through 111 and lots 256 through 259, said monument may exceed in length 2/5 of the width of the graves on which it is to be placed, up to the entire width of the graves minus the required foundation collar as established by the Director of the Department of Public Services, its width shall not exceed 18 inches at any point.
6. Said monument, marker or memento shall be placed on a line established by the Director of the Department of Public Services adjacent to and facing the nearest path or adjacent to but not facing the hedge.
7. No flower, shrubbery, evergreen or other planting by the owner shall be permitted. Two receptacles for cut flowers in a bouquet-holder which can be submerged to ground level into an underground container or containers shall be permitted. On lots 60 through 69 and lots 86 through 95, all vases will be placed near the upright monument. Flowers will be removed by cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee when found to be wilted or dead. Any flowers or decorations placed in violation of the resolution will be removed immediately. Winter wreaths or blankets will be permitted between Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in March. All winter wreaths and blankets will be removed immediately after the first Sunday in March. The cemetery is not responsible for any of these decorations should they be removed by someone other than cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee.

All graves shall face north and south.

All monuments, markers or other mementos shall be flush with the surrounding grade except for a monument, marker or other memento which shall be described in this resolution as an “upright monument”, one of which may be placed on each lot in said section containing two or more burial spaces. All inscriptions shall face the nearest path or roadway.

Single burial spaces shall be restricted to flush markers, one marker not to exceed 24 inches in length and 14 inches in width shall be allowed. On two adjacent burial spaces, as an alternative to an upright marker, one marker not to exceed 36 inches in length and fourteen (14) inches in width shall be allowed. All flush markers shall not exceed four inches in thickness and the base thereof shall be level and smooth.

Each group of two or more gravesites may have a single upright memorial not to exceed 38 inches in length and 14 inches in width. The total height of said upright monument shall not exceed 40 inches above the surrounding grade. 5. Each group of three or more gravesites may have a single upright marker not to exceed 52 inches in length and 14 inches in width. The total height of said upright monument shall not exceed 40 inches above the surrounding grade.

Each group of four or more gravesites may have a single upright marker not to exceed 56 inches in length and 14 inches in width. The total height of said upright monument shall not exceed 40 inches above the surrounding grade.

Said monument, marker or memento shall be placed on a line established by the Director of the Department of Public Services adjacent to and facing the nearest path.

No flower, shrubbery, evergreen or other plantings by the owner shall be permitted. Two receptacles for cut flowers in a bouquet-holder which can be submerged to ground level into an underground container or containers shall be permitted. Flowers will be removed by cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee when found to be wilted or dead. Any flowers or decorations placed in violation of the resolution will be removed immediately. Winter wreaths or blankets will be permitted between the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in March. All winter wreaths and blankets will be removed immediately after the first Sunday in March. The cemetery is not responsible for any of these decorations should they be removed by someone other than cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee.

1. All graves shall face north or south.
2. All monuments, markers or other mementos shall be flush with the surrounding grade, the section to be known as a “flush monument” section.
3. Said monument, marker or memento shall be placed on a line established by the Director of the Department of Public Services adjacent to and facing the nearest path or roadway.
4. On single burial spaces, one marker not to exceed 24 inches in length and 14 inches in width shall be allowed. On two adjacent spaces, one marker not to exceed 36 inches in length and 14 inches in width shall be allowed.
5. On three or more adjacent burial spaces, one marker not to exceed 56 inches in length and 14 inches in width shall be allowed.
6. All monuments, markers or mementos shall not exceed four inches in thickness and the base thereof shall be level and smooth.
7. No flower, shrubbery, evergreen or other plantings by the owner shall be permitted. Two receptacles for cut flowers in a bouquet-holder which can be submerged to ground level into an underground container or containers shall be permitted. Flowers will be removed by cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee when found to be wilted or dead. Any flowers or decorations placed in violation of the resolution will be removed immediately. Winter wreaths or blankets will be permitted between the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in March. All winter wreaths and blankets will be removed immediately after the first Sunday in March. The cemetery is not responsible for any of these decorations should they be removed by someone other than cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee.

1. All markers or other mementos shall be flush with the surrounding grade, the section to be known as a “flush marker” section.
2. Said marker or memento shall be placed on a line established by the Director of the Department of Public Services adjacent to and facing the nearest path.
3. On single burial lots, one marker not to exceed 20 inches in length and ten inches in width shall be allowed. On two or more adjacent burial lots, one marker or memento not to exceed 24 inches in length and 12 inches in width shall be allowed.
4. All markers or mementos shall not exceed four inches in thickness and the base thereof shall be level and smooth.
5. No flower, shrubbery, evergreen or other plantings by the owner shall be permitted. One receptacle for cut flowers in a bouquet-holder which can be submerged to ground level into an underground container shall be permitted per space. Flowers will be removed by cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee when found to be wilted or dead. Winter wreaths will be permitted between the Sunday prior to Thanksgiving and the first Sunday in March. All winter wreaths will be removed immediately after the first Sunday in March. The cemetery is not responsible for any of these decorations should they be removed by someone other than cemetery personnel, the Director of the Department of Public Services, or designee.
6. Only one burial shall be permitted per lot in the Cremated Remains Section. All burials shall be placed in containers of a type acceptable to the cemetery.
7. No tent shall be erected in the Cremated Remains Section. A tent may be erected adjacent to the section.

Ordinances related to cemeteries can be found in chapter 10 of the Code of Ordinance. 

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