Pleasant Valley Cemetery (“PVC”) is devoted to the burial of the dead, and all visitors must conduct themselves in a respectful manner consistent with the dignity and solemnity of the cemetery. PVC reserves the right to remove or exclude any person engaging in disruptive, inappropriate, unsafe, or disrespectful conduct. PVC reserves the right to refuse entry and/or remove anyone who is not an owner or visitor to a burial space. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian while within the cemetery.

DEFINITIONS

• The “Permitted Decoration Area” is the area on a monument and/or its foundation, whose width cannot exceed thirty-six inches (36”) for a single space or seventy-two inches (72”) for a double space, where decorations and personal property may be placed. Below is a visual representation:

• “Mowing lanes” are the grassy areas of the cemetery that must remain clear for maintenance and other cemetery operations.
• “Monument” means a headstone, flat ground-level marker, memorial bench, or similar structure permanently installed at a plot, constructed of durable materials intended to remain indefinitely to identify the deceased.
• The “plot” is a ground burial space. Each plot is thirty-six inches (36”) wide, 108 inches (108”) long, and six feet (6’) deep. There is no space between plots.

DISCLAIMERS

PVC expressly disclaims responsibility for loss or damage caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to theft, vandalism, weather, wind, acts of God, explosions, falling objects, or unavoidable accidents. PVC assumes no responsibility for monuments, markers, decorations, flowers, or other personal property placed on any plot. Lot owners and/or their surviving family members are solely responsible for such items and for maintaining such items in accordance with these Rules and Regulations. PVC may remove and discard, without notice, any item that violates these Rules and Regulations.

VAULT SPECIFICATIONS

Sealed concrete or steel vaults shall be used with each casket burial. No two-piece burial box is to be used.

MARKER REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

All monuments are lot owners’ responsibility, including maintenance. The minimum acceptable monument is a flat ground-level granite one bearing the name of the deceased and dates of birth and death. Those who are unable to meet the minimum must obtain approval from PVC management.

Granite memorial benches may be used as a monument and shall be professionally installed in line with other monuments. Flat ground-level foot markers without a border are permitted. Above-ground foot markers are prohibited.

The maximum width for a permanent marker is thirty-two inches (32”) for a single space and sixty-eight inches (68”) for a double space. Monuments must be installed on concrete or granite foundations. Foundations shall be ground level with no less than a two-inch (2”) border on the front and back sides and a two-inch (2”) or three-inch (3”) border on the remaining sides. The maximum width for a foundation pad is thirty-six inches (36”) for a single space and seventy-two inches (72”) for a double space in all sections of the cemetery.

No plot or foundation shall be raised above the established cemetery grade.

Permanent base assembly vases and upright vases are permitted when installed on the foundation or base of a monument. No such vase shall be installed in front or behind a monument.

DECORATIONS AND OTHER PERSONAL PROPERTY

PVC is responsible for maintaining the appearance, safety, and accessibility of the cemetery for plot owners and visitors. PVC management retains the right to regulate and remove decorations, flowers, and other personal property when, in PVC’s discretion, such items do not comply with Requirements below or otherwise violate these Rules and Regulations.

Requirements:

All decorations and personal property shall be on or within the Permitted Decoration Area for the applicable plot. This requirement ensures decorations and personal property do not extend into or intrude upon neighboring plots or walkways, obstruct mowing lanes, or otherwise interfere with cemetery maintenance and operations.

1. No decorations or personal items may be placed on or staked into the ground/, with the exception of a flag, flag holder, or an appropriately decorated shepherd’s hook, which may only be staked into the ground directly against the foundation to the north or south, provided the item does not hang over or extend into a neighboring plot, walkway, or mowing lane. Note: the monument and foundation must be smaller than the width of the plot to allow the flag holder or shepherd’s hook to be placed in the ground without extending into a neighboring plot, or walkway. Absent information to the contrary, it may be assumed the foundation is centered within the plot.
2. For plots where a monument has not yet been installed, decorations and personal property shall be placed only within the area designated for the future monument and shall not exceed thirty inches (30”) in width (north-south) and eighteen inches (18”) in depth (east-west).

Decorations and personal property must remain neat, maintained, and seasonally appropriate. Holiday decorations shall be removed within fifteen (15) days after the holiday.

PVC’S SEASONAL CLEANUP AND DECORATION REMOVAL

PVC removes all decorations and floral arrangements twice a year, in the spring and fall, and performs another scheduled cleanup over the summer. Individuals wishing to keep decorations or personal items should remove them prior to the following applicable cleanup dates:

• First non-rainy weekend in April: All decorations and floral arrangements will be removed, including those placed in permanent vases and those on or within the Permitted Decoration Area.
• Around June 15: All decorations that do not comply with the Requirements above will be removed, including any floral arrangement or other item that is deteriorated, unsightly, or unsafe.
• First non-rainy weekend in October: All decorations and floral arrangements will be removed, including those placed in permanent vases and those on or within the Permitted Decoration Area.

PROHIBITED ITEMS AND PRACTICES

The following items and practices are prohibited at all times. PVC management reserves the right to remove and discard prohibited items without notice.

• Glass items of any kind, including glass vases, marbles, pebbles, or decorative beads;
• In-ground planting of any kind, including bushes, shrubs, flowers, or other vegetation planted in the ground;
• Fences, edging, borders, coping, hedges, ditches, or similar enclosures;
• Freestanding structures, arches, arbors, pergolas, or statues not approved by PVC;
• Permanent items or installations in mowing lanes;
• Loose stone, gravel, mulch, stepping stones, or garden stones;
• Large holiday displays, placards, or Christmas trees exceeding eighteen (18) inches in height;
• String lights or electrical decorations;
• Wires or zip ties;
• Items attached to, hanging from, or placed on cemetery trees or landscaping;
• Shepherd’s hooks without a hanging decoration or item;
• Flag holders without a flag; and
• Any item deemed unsafe, offensive, inappropriate, or incompatible with the dignity and maintenance of the cemetery.

ENTRY, VEHICLES, AND ACCESS

PVC may restrict activities, access, vehicles, or items as necessary for maintenance, safety, weather conditions, funerals, special events, or preservation of cemetery property. No person shall enter or leave PVC except through its access roads or entrances. Vehicles shall not exceed ten miles per hour (10 MPH) within the cemetery. Vehicles must remain on established roads and should park on the right side unless otherwise directed by PVC management. Only licensed drivers may operate vehicles within the cemetery. PVC reserves the right to prohibit or remove any vehicle that may cause damage to any road, landscaping, memorials, or property within the cemetery.

FINAL AUTHORITY

PVC reserves the right to amend, revise, interpret, or enforce these Rules and Regulations at any time as reasonably necessary for cemetery operations, maintenance, safety, and preservation. The cemetery’s interpretation of these Rules and Regulations shall be final.