The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

“Cemetery” means the Pleasant Hill Cemetery and any other cemetery owned and operated by the city of Concordia.

“Cemetery superintendent” means the director of public works of the city, or such person as the director of public works may designate.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

The survey and last replat of Pleasant Hill Cemetery into lots, blocks, roadways and walkways, as recorded in the office of the county register of deeds, shall be the official survey and plat of the cemetery.

(Code 1971, § 8-17.1)

The cemetery superintendent shall have sole and exclusive charge of the excavation of all graves, the interment or disinterment of the dead, and shall keep an exact record of the location of the graves in the various lots in a book kept for that purpose; shall superintend the building of all foundations for vaults, tombs and monuments; shall enforce all rules relating thereto; and shall set all landmarks and cornerstones in their proper places. It shall be unlawful for any person other than the cemetery superintendent or some other person acting under the supervision of the superintendent to do any act required in this article.

(Code 1971, § 8-19)

Perpetual care entitles grave spaces to normal and reasonable maintenance including, by way of illustration, cutting of grass and weeds, trimming of small bushes and trees and removal of rubbish, and does not include unique or special provisions for the care or cultivation of any grass, flowers, shrubs, trees, or other plants on any grave space, nor the repairing, reconstruction or maintenance of monuments in Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

(Code 1971, § 8-19.1)

(a)   All grave spaces in Pleasant Hill Cemetery shall be sold for the purpose of interment only, and shall be subject to such regulations as may now be in effect, or which may hereafter be made. Such grave spaces shall be conveyed by means of conveyance certificates evidencing sales of such grave spaces, and the city clerk shall maintain a record showing the names of the initial purchases of grave spaces and recording such transfers of grave spaces as are reported to the city by the owners. Single grave spaces measuring ten feet long and four feet wide may be sold for $200.00 each. All money received from the sale of grave spaces shall be credited to the general operating fund of the city. The price for such grave spaces shall be paid before a conveyance certificate is issued and before interment.

(b)   The city may, but is not required to, purchase grave spaces offered for resale to the city by the owners. Any such lots shall be purchased by the city at 25 percent of the city’s then-current price for the sale of new lots.

(K.S.A. 14-1008; Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

No individual shall, at any one time, own more than 48 single grave spaces. Religious, patriotic, or benevolent societies, orders, or organizations may purchase and own at any one time no more than 144 such individual grave spaces.

(K.S.A. 14-1008; Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

It shall be unlawful to inter any remains in the cemetery without first obtaining the permission of the cemetery supervisor and paying the interment fee as follows:

(1)   Standard: $250.00 for weekday interments; $300.00 for weekend or holiday interments.

(2)   Infant: $150.00 for weekday interments; $200.00 for weekend or holiday interments.

(3)   Urn: $100.00 for weekday interments; $150.00 for weekend or holiday interments.

(4)   Urn interred by persons other than city employees as provided by section 7-114: $25.00.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

(a)   It shall be unlawful to use surface burial vaults or similar methods of interment in the cemetery. It shall be unlawful to inter remains in caskets not incased in concrete or steel underground containers, boxes, or grave liners, resistant to subsidence.

(b)   All crematory urns must be placed in vaults for burial or placed in above ground cremation columbariums. All privately owned above ground cremation columbariums must comply with the requirements of section 7-113, section 7-115, and all other applicable requirements of the Concordia Code, and with such other specifications as the director of public works may determine. No more than two urns may be placed in an above ground cremation columbarium on any one grave space.

(Ord. No. 2010-3007, §§ 1, 2, 12-1-2010)

(a)   It shall be unlawful to reopen any grave or disinter any remains without first obtaining the permission of the cemetery superintendent. Fees for reopening of graves or disinterment shall be two and one-half times the standard interment rates as established in section 7-107.

(b)   No reopening of graves or disinterment shall be done on weekends and holidays.

(c)   It shall be unlawful to reopen any grave or to disinter or remove a body therefrom without first obtaining a permit from the state board of health.

(d)   When the applicant proposes a reinterment in another grave space in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, an interment charge at the rate established in section 7-107 shall be paid in the amount required for an original interment, in addition to the disinterment permit fees as provided for herein.

(e)   An order of the district court for the exhumation of the body of a deceased person shall be a sufficient application for a permit hereunder, and in such case no deposit shall be required, but the cost of such exhumation, shall be charged to the county as provided by law.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

It shall be unlawful for any person to bury or attempt to bury anything other than human remains in the cemetery.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

It shall be unlawful for any person to be or remain in any public cemetery within or owned or controlled by the city after the hour of 11:00 p.m. and before the following 6:00 a.m. except in case of a public emergency.

(Code 1971, § 8-27)

Except as authorized by the cemetery superintendent for the operation of Pleasant Hill Cemetery, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate or drive any motor vehicle or motorcycle in Pleasant Hill Cemetery except on the paved roadways located in such cemetery. The superintendent shall authorize such operation upon a showing that it is necessary to operate the vehicle off the roadway and a further showing that the cemetery grounds will not be damaged.

(Code 1971, § 8-29)

Not more than one body shall be buried in any grave space. If the burial is in an underground vault, then not more than one cremation urn may be buried above the vault. Up to two cremation urns may be buried in one grave space.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

It shall be unlawful for any persons other than city employees designated by the director of public works to inter remains, except that cremation urns may be interred by other persons under the supervision of a city employee.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

(a)   No monument shall extend over the borders of the grave space. No foot or cornerstones will be permitted above the ground. Military monuments will be standard government height except when used as footstones.

(b)   All monuments must be on a foundation of wet poured concrete, not less than six inches in depth. Prefabricated foundations will be permitted, when set on a concrete foundation of no less than six inches in depth. The foundation shall extend beyond the actual base of the monument to form a four-inch flange at ground level on all sides. Forms must be removed within ten working days.

(c)   Monuments and all aboveground memorializations are to be placed in the west two feet of each grave. This also includes benches and statues. Vases, rod iron flowerpot holders, solar lights, or other permanent fixtures must be mounted within the monument footing and still maintain the four-inch flange.

(d)   It shall be unlawful to install any monument not approved in advance by the director of public works or the director’s designate, or to install any such monument in a manner not approved by the director of public works or the director’s designate.

(e)   Removal of monuments, for an interment or otherwise, will be at the owner’s expense.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

(a)   Cut flowers and artificial flowers may only be attached to the headstone or placed on the flange around the stone. Any flowers on the ground will be discarded during mowing season (May 1 through October 1), with flowers being picked up at the time of mowing. The city shall remove, without notice, all artificial and cut flowers when their appearance becomes unsightly or not in harmony with the overall appearance of the cemetery.

(b)   Glass or tin containers and pieces of wire or anything similar to secure a basket or pot are not permitted. Any other types of structures, ornaments, plantings, or decorative items are subject to removal without notice if, in the judgment of the cemetery superintendent, they are not in harmony with the development of the cemetery or they intensify maintenance problems. Decorations in observance of Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or other holiday may be placed on grave spaces not sooner than two days prior to the holiday. Any such items remaining on the grave spaces fourteen days after the holiday will be removed and discarded by the city.

(c)   No fence, hedge, curb or planting of any kind around any grave space will be permitted. The right to alter or change the trees, shrubs, walkways, drives or unsold grave spaces is reserved to the city.

(d)   No watering system may be installed for a grave site. Any gravesite watering system may be disconnected or removed by the city at any time and without notice.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

No children under the age of 14 are allowed on the cemetery grounds without the supervision of an adult.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

Any person applying to inter remains in a grave space must provide the cemetery superintendent with documentation establishing that they are entitled to possession of the space.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

The city will exercise reasonable care to avoid damage by city employees to grave markers and other items permitted on cemetery lots. The city is not responsible for damage due to acts of vandalism, or for damage due to the negligent actions of persons other than city employees, or for damage caused by weather or other events beyond the control of the city.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)

The cemetery shall be managed and controlled by director of public works of the city and by such employees of the department of public works as he may designate.

(Ord. No. 2007-2932, § 2, 3-7-2007)