Purpose: For the mutual protection of all lot owners and the owners of single graves (both thereafter termed proprietors) and of The Woodland Cemetery Association and their respective agents, employees, and invitees, these Rules and Regulations have been adopted. Strict compliance therewith will be required of all proprietors.
General Rules
Use of Lots:
No lot, grave, plot, crypt and niche (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Lots”) shall be used for any purpose other than as a place of burial of a human. No Proprietor shall receive renumeration for any interment therein.
Resale of Lots:
No Proprietor of record may resell a lot or single grave, but upon written request of a Proprietor, the Association may, as its option, repurchase any lot or single grave at a price agreed upon but in no event in excess of the original price paid therefore.
Certificate of Ownership and/or License
Certificates of Ownership for all Lots, shall be maintained on the records of the Association at the office of the Association.
Disinterments:
No disinterment shall be made without the written permission of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Association (hereinafter referred to as the “Executive Committee”) as evidenced by a resolution or similar instrument , nor contrary to the laws of the State of Connecticut.
Removal of Pruning:
The Executive Committee in its discretion shall have the authority to direct the removal or pruning of any trees or shrubs situated on any Lot that, which in its sole and absolute discretion, it deems to be detrimental to adjacent Lots or roadways, or unsightly, or offensive, or inconvenient to the users of the roads or walks.
Improper Monuments:
The Executive Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall determine what is a nuisance or offensive or improper or injurious to the appearance of the surrounding Lotsor grounds. The Executive Committee shall cause to have removed any improper monument , effigy or enclosure, or any structure whatever, or any inscription placed upon any Lot.
Address of Lot Holder:
It shall be the duty of the Proprietor to notify the Association of any change of post office address. Any notice sent to a Proprietor at the last address on file with the Association shall be considered sufficient and proper legal notification.
Death of Proprietor:
A Proprietor may designate by Will who shall be the lot owner upon his or her death. After the death of the Proprietor, if no designation appears in the Will, the surviving spouse or the nearest direct descendant shall deemed Proprietor.
Use of Roads:
Heavy trucks are not permitted in the cemetery with the exception of such trucking necessary for needed for construction, repairs etc. authorized in advance by the Executive Committee. The use of roads in the cemetery as thoroughfares will not be permitted.
Mausoleums
Location:
Mausoleums may be erected in areas designated an approved by the Board of Directors. Plans and drawings of all mausoleums must be submitted to and approved by the Executive Committee prior to the ordering or erection upon any Lot.
Size of Mausoleum Lots:
The exterior dimension of all mausoleums Lots shall be twice the exterior dimension of the mausoleum itself.
Endowment Care Fund:
The Fund shall be established for each and every mausoleum constructed in the cemetery equal in amount to one-half the original cost of the mausoleum itself for the purpose of keeping such mausoleum in repair.
The funds for each such endowment shall be maintained as a separate entity in a fund to be known as the Mausoleum Endowment Care Fund, and the income for each individual endowment shall be accumulated. Such accrued income and the principal itself may be used from time to time for repairs and maintenance of the individual mausoleum.
Columbarium
Location:
The Woodland Cemetery shall offer a Columbarium in its Memorial Chapel where cremated remains may be interred, or at such additional locations as may be designated
Only one urn of cremated remains will be allowed per niche.
Lettering size to be prescribed by the Board of Directors and will be restricted to the name of the decedent, date of birth and date of death.
Interment Regulations
Interment Defined:
For the purpose of these rules and regulations, an interment shall be considered to mean an interment in a grave, in a mausoleum or an interment of ashes.
Association Approval:
All interments, disinterments, removals or any change whatever affecting interments must be made by the Association.
Use of Graves:
A diagram or plan of the plot drawn to scale, showing the plan for interments with each grave space numbered is on record in the office of the Association In using these graves, it is only necessary to give the number of graves to be used.
Lots are primarily intended for the interment of the original Proprietor with their spouse or partner, as well as their ancestors and descendants as the Lot may allow. If written consent of the Proprietor is received and there is sufficient unused space, and there are no restrictions of record in regard to interments, others, may be interred in the Lot.
Perpetual Care:
If a proposed interment is in a Lot as to which no payment for perpetual care has been made, such final interment is prohibited until such time as full perpetual care has been paid to the Association covering all of the Lot.
Ashes:
In a defined cremation area, all interment ashes shall be in a cement vault or a permanent type of urn. Interment in a defined cremation section is limited to spouses per grave or one individual per grave. Outside of the cremation section, burial of up to four cremated remains are allowed in a single grave.
Interment Provisions:
The Association provides a shelter, matting, grave lining and lowering device at each interment.
Mausoleum:
All interments in private mausoleums must be in airtight kryprotek.
Days of Interments:
Interments are not permitted on Sundays, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas.
No interment shall be allowed after 3 pm on Saturdays or on holidays.
Charges:
Payments of any and all interment charges must be made before an interment shall be permitted.
Information Required:
As to each interment a statement giving the age, residence, place of nativity, cause of death and other pertinent information shall be furnished to the Association.
Supervision of Interments:
A representative of the Association shall be in attendance at every interment.
Memorial Chapel
The Chapel fulfills a growing community need for an attractive worship facility with quiet dignity in which religious services may be conducted for burials or memorial services. Intended to serve all phases of the religious community, the Chapel is non-sectarian and under the direction of the Woodland Board of Directors.
Comfortable seats in the Chapel total 56 with added space available for 24 folding chairs. A recessed chancel accommodates a raised altar with ample space for clergy and worship needs. With a wide entry vestibule, coupled with an outside ramp, funerals can be conducted to fulfill the varied wishes of the families.
Other facilities in the building include a styled office with a meeting room, for family assemblage and for administrative meetings.
Rules and regulations governing use of the Chapel shall be established and amended from titme to time by the Board of Directors.
Memorial Regulations
Monuments:
Memorials may be placed upon Lots but must be in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Association. The bylaws cannot require or result in the removal or banishing of any undamaged U.S. flag or armed forces service marker, including flag holders provided by veterans organizations, from any Lot, or restrict the placement of U.S. flags on the graves of veterans from the Friday before Memorial Day in each year until the Monday after the fourth of July.
Plan of Approval:
Plans and drawings of all memorials must be submitted to and approved by the Executive Committee prior to the ordering of the same or the erection thereof upon any Lot.
Number of Monuments:
Only one monument shall be allowed on a Lot and shall not be erected on the space allocated for interments.
On two grave plots, only one monument or only one double marker will be allowed.
Base Size:
The base of any monument shall be eight inches high.
Size of Plots:
The size of a monument on lots seven feet in width shall not exceed four feet four inches in length by one foot eight inches width by five feet in height.
The base of the monument on lots in excess of seven feet in width shall not exceed 60% of the lot in length, one foot eight inches in width by five feet in height.
Size on Single Graves:
In the single grave section, monuments or markers shall not exceed two feet by one foot four inches by two feet and a base of six inches.
Veterans’ Markers:
On a two-grave plot where there is a Veteran’s Marker, one family marker is permissible.
Crosses:
The maximum height of a cross shall be limited to six feet.
Foundations:
All monuments and other memorials shall be provided with a concrete foundation, the same to be constructed by the Association at the expense of the Lot owner.
Government Markers:
Government Markers shall be subject to the same rules and regulations as all other markers in the cemetery.
Cremation Section:
In the cremation section all markers must be of granite and flush to the ground with dimensions not to exceed thirty-six inches by fourteen inches.
Photographs:
The use of photographs on memorials is prohibited.
Association Inspection:
Upon completion of any memorial or marker, the Association shall be notified for inspection. If there are any defects or violations, the corrections shall be made by the contractor or Proprietor.
Decorating and Planting Regulations
Permission Required:
A Proprietor desiring to do planting, or any gardening , must first apply for permission from the Association detailing the work they desire to do. Any planting done without the approval of the Association is subject to removal by the Association without notice at the expense of the Proprietor.
Receptacles for Flowers:
Glass vases or receptacles are forbidden and will be removed by the Association.
Plant Restrictions:
The planting of myrtle, ivy or any other borders around Lots is not permitted.
Flowers:
No artificial flowers shall be permitted in the cemetery.
Plantings:
Appropriate plantings shall be allowed within one foot of monuments, but no plantings shall be allowed on any grave. In family plots, landscape plans shall be submitted and approved in advance by the Executive Committee.
Removal of Refuse:
All refuse material must be removed from Lots.. Flower forms, plants and cut flowers may be removed from Lots and disposed of by the Association as soon as they have begun to fade or, in the sole opinion of the Association, have become objectionable or offensive.
No wood or metal chairs, seats or benches shall be placed on any Lot or single grave and will be removed by the Association without notice.
Benches:
Marble or granite benches are permitted with prior approval of the Association. No wood or metal chairs, seats or benches shall be placed on any Lot or single grave and will be removed by the Association without notice.
Planters:
The Association assumes no responsibility for any object or container placed upon a Lot or for any flowers, forms, plants or cut flowers placed thereon.
Disinterment Procedures:
All disinterments are subject to these Rules and Regulations:
Disinterments shall be allowed only in accordance with applicable laws. Disinterments shall be permitted only upon a validly issued permit from the Register of Vital Statistics, or upon an order from a Superior Court Judge. All disinterments shall be performed by Association personnel and/or other professional personnel approved in advance.
The Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, shall determine the hour and manner of disinterments. No disinterments shall be scheduled on Saturdays, Sundays, or on legal holidays as determined by the Board of Directors from time to time. Affidavits prepared and approved by the Association shall be signed, notarized and submitted prior to the scheduling of a disinterment.
All interments, entombments and disinterments shall be subject to the payment of fees and charges as shall be established by the Board of Directors from time to time.
The Association shall exercise due care in making a disinterment, however, neither the Association, the Board of Directors nor any agents or emplyees thereof shall assume liability for the damage to any casket or outer container incurred in making the disinterment.
Cemetery Lot, Crypt or Niche Holder’s Rights:
The right of interment or entombment granted pursuant to a Certificate of Burial or Entombment Rights does not grant to the holder of such Certificate any interest in or to real property.
The Association reserves the right to specify the terms of purchase of all interment or entombment rights in Lots as detailed in a Purchase Agreement.
If the purchaser(s) fails to carry out the terms of the Purchase Agreement, the Association may declare said Purchase Agreement cancelled and all rights of the Proprietor(s) to the Lot shall be forfeited, as specifically set forth in the Purchase Agreement in the section entitled “Purchase Default – Penalties.” Notice of such forfeiture mailed to the last address of such Proprietor appearing on the Association records shall be deemed sufficient.
The use of a Lot is for the Lot holder; the Lot holder’s relatives; or the Lot holder’s specific designee as set forth in the Purchase Agreement, for interment or entombment purposes only. The Certificate of Burial or Entombment Rights shall not have any right to sell, transfer, exchange, or in any manner dispose of said Lot or any part thereof, or any right of interest therein without the written consent of the Association.
If the Certificate of Burial or Entombment rights have been lost or misplaced, an affidavit sworn before a Notary Public must be presented in which the person(s) claiming right of interment or entombment privileges in said Lot must identify themselves and establish their rights to said Lot Upon the presentation of the affidavit, the Association shall have the right to rely on the notarized statements contained therein, and the person(s) making the affidavit shall be responsible for any errors or omissions of the affidavit.
In case the Certificate of Burial or Entombment Rights is lost, the Associaiton will issue a letter with the seal of the Association as a substitute Certificate of Burial or Entombment Rights. This Certificate may be issued to the person(s)who has established legal right to it after satisfactory proof of said loss has been presented to the Association, together with a notarized affidavit, reasonable satisfactory in form and substance to the Association, by a person(s) having personal knowledge of the facts which may be conclusively relied upon by the Association to permit the use of unoccupied portions of any space referred to in such affidavit.
Lot, Holder’s and/or Licensee Change of Address:
It shall be the duty of the Lot holder and/or licensee to notify the Association of any change in their post office or E-Mail address. Notice sent to a Lot holder or purchaser at the last street or PO Box address or E-Mail address in our records shall be considered sufficient and proper legal notification.
Family Interment Space Inalienable:
When an interment space or entombment of an owner or relative is made and the owner or any joint owner dies without making a disposition of the remaining interment or entombment space, either by specific bequest or written declaration filed and recorded in the Association office, the interment or entombment space thereby and thereupon becomes inalienable and shall be held and reserved as the family interment or entombment space of the original owner.
In a family Lot, the space may be used for the owner’s interment or entombment, or for the owner’s spouse, if any, who has a vested right of interment or entombment. The children and the parents of the deceased owner may acquire vested rights of interment or entombment in any remaining interment or entombment space, and may be interred or entombed in order of death without the consent of any other person claiming any interest in such interment or entombment space. If no child or parent survives, the vested rights of interment or entombment go in order of death, first, to the spouse of any child of the owner and second, in order of death to the next heirs at law of the owner.
Any person who has a vested right of interment or entombment in a family interment or entombment space may waive in writing such right in favor of any other relative or spouse of a relative of either the deceased owner or such owner’s spouse, and upon such waiver and the similar written waiver of all other persons having prior vested rights in the interment or entombment space, the person in whose favor the rights were waived thereby has a vested right to interment or entombment in that space. Any person who is given the right of interment or entombment in any Lot also has the right to have a permanent memorial or inscription. The memorial must be within the guidelines set forth by the Association.
The Cemetery may take and hold rights transferred to it by the owner with respect to any interment or entombment space so that such is restricted to the persons designated in the instrument of devise or transfer.
Service Charges and Payments:
The Board of Directors shall have the right to fix a charge and time of payment for each interment, entombment, disinterment, removal, rights transfer, or repurchase of rights, and for the performance of any other service rendered by the Association; and all work in connection with such services shall be subject to determination and supervision by the Association.
Right of Alteration:
The following rights and privileges are hereby expressly reserved to the Association to be exercised at any time or from time to time for the erection of buildings, or for any purpose or use connected with, incident to, or convenient for, the care of, preservation of, or preparation for the disposal or interment or entombment of human remains, or other Cemetery purposes: to survey, enlarge, diminish, alter in shape or size, or otherwise to change all or any part of the Cemetery.
The following rights and privileges are hereby expressly reserved to the Association and Board of Directors to be exercised at any time or from time to time: easements and rights of way, over and through all of said Cemetery premises for the purpose of installing, operating, maintaining, repairing and replacing pipe, lines, conduits, or drains for sprinklers, drainage, electric or communication lines or for any other Cemetery purpose deemed necessary.
Use of Cemetery and Conduct In Cemetery:
Visitors – Visitors are permitted within the Cemetery during the visitation hours as may be established and amended from time to time.
Motor Vehicles – All vehicles must be kept under control at all times and observe a 10 mile per hour speed limit. All motorists should refrain from parking on the lawns. Vehicles are not allowed to park or to come to a full stop in front of an open grave unless such vehicles are in attendance at a funeral or are visiting a family member interred in that area. It is prohibited to park or leave any motor vehicle on any road or driveway within the Cemetery at such location or in such position as to prevent any other vehicle from passing, and if so parked or left, the Association reserves the right to remove said vehicle.
The Cemetery is Private Property. Therefore:
Littering, loitering or any boisterous demonstrations within the Cemetery or any of the buildings is prohibited.
Throwing rubbish on roads, driveways, paths, walks, or any other part of the grounds or in the buildings is prohibited.
Picnicking or partaking of any refreshment by visitors within the Cemetery is prohibited.
Removal of any flowers, and breaking, injuring, or cutting any plants, shrubs or trees, other than your own, is prohibited.
Selling or solicitation of any commodity whatsoever within the Cemetery is restricted to the Association.
Placing signs, notices, or advertising of any kind within the Cemetery, is restricted to the Association.
The Association reserves the right to forbid any assemblage which the Association, in its sole and absolute discretion, deems improper.
Hunting, fishing, or trapping of any kind or any other unauthorized use on Cemetery property is prohibited.
Gardening:
Lot Enclosures – No coping, curbing, fencing, hedging, shrubs, borders, statuary, or other enclosures of any kind shall be allowed around Lots. The Association reserves the right to remove, without prior notice, items so erected, planted, or placed.
Ornaments and Flower Vases – The Association reserves the right to regulate the method of decoration of Lots so that uniform beauty may be maintained. The use of boxes, shells, decorative stones, toys, metal designs, ornaments, artificial decorations, vases, glass crockery jars and containers, wood or metal cases, barriers, wooden crosses, iron furniture, arbors, concrete urns, pedestals, or images, or any other decoration which the Association, in its reasonable judgment, determines to be detrimental to the beauty of the cemetery, shall not be permitted on any Lot and such articles shall be removed by the Association.
Not Liable for Floral Pieces or Vases – The Association shall not be liable for vases, floral pieces, baskets, or flowers in which or to which such floral pieces are attached, beyond the acceptance of such floral pieces for funeral services held in the Cemetery.
Turf – Turf shall not be disturbed for any purpose except with the express written authorization or supervision of the Association.
Trees and Shrubbery- Placing of trees, shrubs, and plants is forbidden without prior written authorization and permission of the ASsociaiton. For individual plantings on family lots, please refer to the Cemetery decorations pamphlet available at the Cemetery office. The Association reserves the right to remove or prune any tree or shrubbery previously plated In the Cemetery which, in the sole opinion of the Association may mar the beauty of the Cemetery or which may encroach upon or interfere with other Lots or which have been previously placed without written permission.
Plants, Flowers, Wreaths – Persons wishing to plant or garden in the Cemetery must first obtain Association permission. Any planting without permission of the Association may be removed. Plants, flowers, wreaths, or artificial decorations may be permitted on a particular Lot subject to these regulations.
Planting Around Monuments:
Planting of flowers permitted in front of monuments are not to exceed the width of monument and are not to extend more than 10 inches in depth.
Potted plants, flower boxes, and vases are also permitted in front of the monument – not to exceed 10 inches in depth.
All installed retractable vases must be restored to their below ground position after the growing season.
Christmas wreaths may either be placed in the 10 inch area in front of the monument, or secured to the monument.
Artificial flowers or evergreen boughs in boxes or pots may be placed in the 10 inch area in front of the monument.
Decorations:
For safety reasons, no crushed stones or bricks are permitted on any Lots, in front of monuments or around flush markers. Such items will be removed without notice.
Decorations that become unsightly or withered will be removed. If you wish to save your decorations, please remove them within the period indicated by notice to the Cemetery.
The Association request that families refrain from placing jars, bottles, Styrofoam, crockery, statuary, cans, vigil lights or solar lights on any grave. Any other type of decoration the Association in its sole discretion, finds objectionable or dangerous to employees and visitors will be removed immediately.
No adornments may be affixed to crypt and niche fronts.
Palms and Easter flowers are permitted one week prior to Palm Sunday and may remain for one week after Easter Sunday, after which time all may be removed by the Association.
Christmas decorations will be removed by the Association beginning February 1st.
Grading, Landscaping, and Improvements:
All grading and improvements of any kind and all care and maintenance of Lots shall be done by the Cemetery personnel, unless written permission is granted by the Association.
Association landscape plans with respect to the location and varieties of trees and shrubs planted or to be planted shall be adhered to. Only trees and shrubs approved in writing by the Association may be planted.
All approved plantings will be done at the owners’ risk. Owners are advised to consider weather conditions and wildlife foraging in making plant selections. Planting area should be no more than one foot from the headstone.
Certain flowers and shrubs are not appropriate, such as plants with thorns, and ground cover or shrubs that normally mature beyond the parameters of your Lot and monument.
Potted plants dug into soil beyond the approved planting area create safety and maintenance hazards and will be removed by the Association.
The placing of crushed stone, wood chips/nuggets, and landscape shells create safety and maintenance hazards. Such items are not permitted in the Cemetery.
Fencing, edging, and borders of any material can damage maintenance equipment and are not permitted in the Cemetery.
Violations of any of the above considerations will necessitate immediate removal of the inappropriate items by the Association.
Loss or Damage; Repairs:
We The Association disclaims all responsibility for loss or damage cause beyond its reasonable control and especially from damage by an act of God, the elements, earthquakes, war, common enemy, air raids, invasions, insurrections, riots, order of any military or civil authorities, thieves, vandals, strikers, malicious mischief makers, explosions, unavoidable accidents, or any cause similar or dissimilar beyond its control whether the damage be direct or collateral. In the event it becomes necessary to reconstruct or repave any section or Lot, including graves or crypts or any portions thereof in the Cemetery, which have been damaged by such causes, the Association shall give a ten day written notice of the necessity for such repair to the Lot holder of record. The notice shall be given by depositing the same in the U.S. Mail with postage thereon duly prepaid, addressed to the Lot holder of record at his or her address stated in the Association’s records. In the event the Lot holder fails to repair the damage within reasonable time, the Association may, but is not obligated, to direct that the repairs be made and charge the expense against the Lot and to the Lot owner of record.
In General:
The statement of any employee of the cemetery shall not be binding upon the Association except as such statement coincides with documents conveying the right of interment and these Information and Regulations.
These Information and Regulations shall apply to any Lot now in existence or which may thereafter be erected in the Cemetery.
The Association and the Board of Directors reserves the right, without notice, to make temporary exceptions, suspensions or modifications to any of the rules and regulations contained in these Information and Regulations, when in their sole judgement the same appear advisable. Such temporary exception, suspension or modification shall in no way be considered as affecting the general application of such rule.
In all matters not specifically covered by these Information and Regulations, the Association and the Board of Directors reserve the right to do anything, which in thier judgement is deemed reasonable under the circumstances. Such decisions shall be binding upon the Lot holder and all parties concerned.
The Association and the Board of Directors reserves the right at any time and from time to time to change, amend, alter, rescind, or add to these Information and Regulations or any part thereof, or to adopt any new regulations with respect to said cemetery or anything pertaining thereto.
New or changed regulations will be posted, either in the Cemetery Office or on the Cemetery grounds for a period of thirty (30) days prior to their adoption. Such notice shall be considered complete and sufficient announcement of any and all.
Adopted by the Board of Directors of the Woodland Cemetery on the 3rd day of October 2023.