§ 2-630. Opening and closing of burial space.

(a) Funeral directors shall be responsible for arranging the opening and closing of burial spaces at their expense.

(b) The opening of a burial space shall not commence without an interment authorization issued by the cemetery manager or his designated representative and shall not commence unless the burial space has been located and marked by the cemetery manager or his designated representative. If any problem is encountered during the opening of a burial space, the person opening the burial space shall cease work immediately and notify the cemetery manager who will resolve the problem before work is permitted to continue.

(c) Graves shall have a minimum cover of twelve (12) inches of soil from the top of the vault or liner to the ground surface level. Grave mounds shall not be allowed. Persons opening a grave must place excavated soil on suitable material to protect the grass on adjacent lots.

(d) Graves shall be closed immediately after the funeral service.

(e) Removal of excess soil after burial or the filing of the grave site with additional soil after settling shall be the responsibility of the funeral director. Any excess soil must be removed the same day as the burial, and any filing needed as a result of setting must be accomplished within five (5) days of the burial. Upon failure to remove excess soil or to fill as required above, the cemetery manager may cause the same to be accomplished with the costs thereof charged to the funeral director, which cost shall be immediately due and payable.

(f) Any additional city services required due to failure by the applicable funeral director to abide by this article and any reasonable rules and regulations promulgated to implement this article shall be charged to the funeral director and be immediately due and payable.

(g) All openings and closings which have been pre-paid or pre-arranged by an agreement between the city and the purchaser prior to the effective date of this article shall be the responsibility of the city.

(h) The funeral director and his subcontractors (i.e., vault company, grave diggers, and the like) shall exercise all possible care to protect grave markers, monuments, water lines, and other cemetery fixtures, and shall be held liable for any damage incurred.

(Ord. No. 2009-32, § 1, 12-15-09)