Rules and Regulations

Adopted: March, 1959
Revised: March, 2018

The South, the Old North, and the New North cemeteries are the property of the Woodbury Cemetery Association. All living owners of burial lots in the cemeteries are eligible for membership in the Association. Living owners include present heirs of deceased owners and in the event there is more than one owner per lot, all owners shall collectively have one vote at any meeting of the Association.

The Association operates under the supervision of a Board of Directors. An Annual Meeting of the members of The Woodbury Cemetery Association will be held for the election of Directors and the transaction of other business. The date and time of this meeting will be advertised in the local newspaper twice and at least seven days prior to the day. The By-Laws of the Association are available to members upon request.

• These rules and regulations are made to establish a policy of fairness, of uniformity and to make it cost effective to maintain the cemetery.
• The Association reserves the right to suspend, waive or modify these rules and regulations, or adopt new ones.
• Special cases may arise in which the literal enforcement of a rule may impose unnecessary hardship. In these cases, the Association reserves the right, without
notice, to make temporary exceptions to any rule or regulation.
• The cemetery accepts donations, legacies, and/or trust funds. Any money received will be held in trust and invested as provided by law. The Association reserves
the right to handle all investments itself or to choose an agent or financial advisor. Such funds shall be expended by the Association as bequeathed or to the mutual
benefit of all members of the Association.

Definitions

“Grave” is a space of ground in a cemetery used for the interment of human remains.
“Lot” is one or more than one adjoining graves.
“Memorial” is a monument, marker, tablet, headstone, tombstone, crypt or niche name plate.
“Monument” is a memorial of granite or other approved stone that extends above ground level.

General Guidelines

• Cemetery grounds are open to the public year round dawn until dusk, weather permitting. Any activities after dusk within the cemetery must have prior
authorization by the Association.
• No persons shall be allowed to ride or drive on any part of the grounds except those used and maintained as avenues, unless given permission to do so by the
Association. A 10 mph speed limit must be observed.
• The possession or consumption of alcohol or illegal substances within the cemetery is strictly prohibited.
• All interments, disinterments and removals must be made at the time and in the manner and subject to the payment of charges as set by the cemetery management.
• Except for the lawful owner or cemetery personnel, no person shall remove any property such as flowers, ornamentation or markers from cemetery grounds. It is
strictly forbidden to break, deface or otherwise damage memorials or grounds within the cemetery.
• Other than law enforcement authorities, visitors may not possess or discharge firearms within the cemetery, except in connection with a guard of honor and the
honor service, or with the permission of the Association.
• Dog owners are required to keep/control animals on a leash and are responsible for removal of any waste.
• Board Members of the Association are empowered to enforce all rules and regulations and to exclude from the property any person violating the same.
• The Association reserves the right to replat, modify, or alter any portion of the property including the relocation of roads.
• The cemetery grounds are respectfully devoted to the interment of human remains. The provisions and penalties of law will be strictly enforced in all cases of
intentional injury, disturbance or disregard of these rules and regulations.
• Besides being subject to these rules and regulations, all interments and disinterments are subject to the orders and laws of the city, county and state authorities.

Sale of Cemetery Lots

• Persons desiring to purchase lots can make application to the Cemetery Office.
• A deed will be rendered for all lot purchases to the owner/purchaser and their heirs. The deed will be filed with the Association and a duplicate issued to the
owner/purchaser.
• The owner of cemetery lots is purchasing the right of interment only. The lot owner does not have ownership of the property itself.
• Upon the lot owner’s death, if no disposition of the lot is made in the owner’s will or other written declaration, the lot will be held as the family lot of the owner.
The surviving spouse, the parents and children of the deceased owner in order of death may be interred in the family lot. If no parent or child survives, the right of
interment goes in the order of death first, to the spouse of any child, then to the next heirs at law of the owner.
• Lot owners or their heirs may waive rights to interment and grant burial to any person. This permission must be in writing and signed by the owner or heirs and a
notary public, with an original signed copy provided to the Cemetery Office.
• The Association reserves the right to correct any errors made in the description, transfer or conveyance of any interment property, either by cancelling the convey
ance and substituting another property of equal value at the discretion of the Association, or refunding the amount of money paid for the property.

Interments

• Interments are performed by cemetery personnel only.
• The Association is not liable for any delays in interment caused by circumstances out of their control, such as disputes, acts of God, or rules/regulations not
followed.
• Not more than one body, or the remains of one body (cremations excepted), shall be interred in one grave or vault except by written consent of the Association,
and provided proper identification is made of such interment or interments on one regulation memorial or marker.
• Opening and closing grave charges are due by the interment date. If no payment or arrangement for payment has been rendered, the interment will not be made.
• If specific instructions are not received from the lot owner regarding the location of an interment space within a lot, the management may select a location at their
discretion and without Association liability.
• The casket in every earth interment shall be enclosed in a concrete box or vault and must meet current industry standards. All vaults must be professionally
installed by qualified personnel. Only one full burial is permitted on a standard size grave space.
• Cremated remains require burial containers constructed of a non-biodegradable material except as it applies to Living Urns and pet burials.
• Cremated remains are allowed in the same lot with a full burial if the order of interment permits. Cremation(s) are allowed above the full burial.
• Multiple cremation burials are permitted on a standard size grave as space allows. More than six cremation burials in a full grave lot will need the consent of the Association’s Board of Directors.
• Scattering of cremated remains is not permitted.
• Living Urns will be accepted at the discretion of the Board of Directors as space allows. The Cemetery Association will determine the locations available for these urns and will determine the type of tree or shrub to be permitted. A special disclaimer will be required to be signed by the lot owner releasing the WCA from liability regarding care and survival of the planting. Biodegradable containers are required.
• Burial of pets is permitted in the area designated specifically for that purpose. Only pet remains are permitted in this area. Acceptance for burial is at the discretion of the Board of Directors and as space allows. Biodegradable containers are permitted.

Disinterments

• Human remains interred in the cemetery may be disinterred, reinterred, or removed from the cemetery by court order or with the written consent from those law
fully authorized to control the final disposition of the human remains (the “authorizing agent”). The order of priority to control disinterment is as follows:
1. The person who was designated by the decedent prior to death as the authorizing agent to control final disposition;
2. The surviving spouse;
3. The decedent’s surviving children 18 years of age or older;
4. The decedent’s surviving parents;
5. The decedent’s surviving siblings 18 years of age or older.

The individual(s) with the highest order or priority would serve as the authorizing agent(s) for the disinterment. If there is more than one individual in the same degree of kindred, then all adult parties having the same degree of kindred should consent to the disinterment.

• A body, or cremated remains, may be removed from its original lot to a larger or better lot in the Cemetery, when there has been an exchange or purchase for that
purpose.
• All disinterment requests require at least one week’s notice and are subject to seasonal restrictions.
• A double opening and closing will be charged if interred is moved to another space in the cemetery. A single opening and closing will be charged if moved elsewhere. All cemetery charges will be paid prior to disinterment.
• All disinterments will be overseen by the Cemetery Association.
• The cemetery will exercise all reasonable precautions in making a removal, but will be under no liability for damage to casket, urn, or burial case in making the
removal.
• The Association reserves the right to correct any errors made in making an interment, disinterment, or reinterment in an incorrect location, and has the right to transfer the human remains to the correct location or to a similar location of comparable value, as selected by the Association. The Association shall have no liability as a result of any error of this type.

Funeral Scheduling

• Funeral arrangements must be made with the Cemetery Office. Availability of service times is at the discretion of the Association.
• Order for interment must reach our office not less than 24 hours in advance of interment, excluding Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
• The Association reserves the right to refuse to make an interment until a more expedient time if the remains arrive at the cemetery after 4 p.m.
• All funerals and burials under contract with the Association shall be under the supervision of the cemetery management.
• No interment will be accepted for the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day or
Christmas.
• Once on cemetery grounds, the casket cannot be opened or body touched without a court order.

Memorials and Monuments

• Foundation orders can be made by phone or by mailing to Woodbury Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 45,
Woodbury, CT 06798.
• Foundations for memorials shall be approved by the Association.
• Foundation prices may be obtained from the Association or cemetery website.
• No foundations will be poured without a written order.
• All foundation orders will be completed in a timely manner, weather permitting.
• Flush markers only are permitted in Cremation and Pet sections.
• Military plaques may be mounted on an existing memorial. When used as an auxiliary, it will be set by cemetery personnel at the foot of the grave where possible.
Foundations are required for ground installation of military plaques and are provided by the cemetery at an additional charge. Payment is required prior to
installation.
• Upright monuments are available for full grave lots subject to size specifications, type and location. Refer to the List of Services.

Decoration of Lot Guidelines

• All graves will be seeded or sodded after interment by the Cemetery Association.
• No planting of flowers, trees, vines, or shrubs will be allowed.
• No elevating of graves or enclosing of lots shall be permitted.
• No decorations, artificial, potted or cut flowers are permitted in mowing and trimming areas, i.e., on graves or around foundations after April 1st, or before
November 1st. Items placed on monuments or foundations must not extend beyond the foundation, and will be removed if they become unsightly or interfere with
mowing.
• Items made of brick, metal, wood, or glass are not permitted in the mowing areas and will be removed.
• The cemetery will not be responsible at anytime for any type of grave site ornamentation.

Endowment (Perpetual) Care

• Endowment care is that care and maintenance which includes the cutting and care of lawns, trees and shrubs; and the maintenance of utilities, walls, roadways and
walks.
• Endowment care does not include the maintenance, repair or replacement of any grave-stones, monumental structures or memorials and is the responsibility of the
lot owner or heirs.
• Endowment care does not include the reconstruction of any marble, granite, bronze or concrete work caused by the elements, acts of God, or vandalism and is the
responsibility of the lot owner or heirs.

Dispute Resolution Procedure

As required by Public Act No. 95-184 of the State of Connecticut, the following dispute resolution procedure is hereby implemented:

Step One: The consumer shall submit, in writing to the Superintendent, any complaint the consumer feels has not been resolved to his/her satisfaction. Upon receipt of said complaint, the Superintendent shall, within five (5) working days, investigate the cause(s) of the complaint and shall recommend a course of corrective action to the consumer. This corrective action proposal shall be in writing with copies sent to the executive committee of the Board of Directors of the Woodbury Cemetery Association for their approval. Upon approval by the above, the corrective action shall be taken as soon as feasible.

Step Two: The consumer shall submit, in writing to the President of the Woodbury Cemetery Association, any complaint that has not been resolved in step 1, above. Upon receipt of this written complaint, the President shall convene an emergency meeting of Directors. This meeting should be held not more than two weeks after receipt of the above complaint. The course of action determined by the Directors shall be implemented within five (5) working days after being so ordered. This action shall be final unless the complaint concerns violations of sections 7-64 to 7-72, inclusive, 19a-310 and 19a-311 of the Connecticut general statutes.

Step Three: If the complaint concerns violations of sections 7-64 to 7-72, inclusive, 19a-310 and 19a-311 of the Connecticut general statutes, the consumer may contact the State Department of Public Health and Addiction Services or the local public health director.