UNION CEMETERY ASSOCIATION RULES AND REGULATIONS
For the mutual protection of every purchaser and lot owner in Union Cemetery Association, Bakersfield, CA a non-profit corporation, hereby adopts the following Rules and Regulations. All Property Owners, persons within the Cemetery and all lots sold shall be subject to said Rules and Regulations, and subject further to such other rules and regulations, amendments or alterations as shall be adopted by the Cemetery from time to time: and the reference to these Rules and Regulations in the Certificates of Ownership to cemetery property shall have the same force and effect as if set forth in full therein.
INTERMENTS AND DISINTERMENTS
- No interment of a body or the cremated remains of a body, other than those of a human being shall be permitted in the cemetery.
- Written authorization for interment, entombment, inurnment executed by the person(s) with the right to control of disposition according to California Health & Safety Code 7100, together with the fee for opening and closing the interment space shall be delivered to the office of the Association at least eight (8) working hours before the interment. Working hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The disposition of human remains permit issued by the Kern County Health Department of California must be received on or before the date of interment.
- No interments shall be permitted in any interment space until the full purchase price has been paid except when written permission to do so is granted by the Association Manager, or when the interment space has been charged to the account of a Kern County Funeral Director. This written permission shall state the terms upon which payment shall be made. Should there be a default in payment for ninety (90) days all rights which have vested in the purchaser shall terminate and the Association shall be released from all obligations there under and may at any time and without notice, remove the remains to another interment space in any part of the cemetery.
- No more than two (2) full body interments may be made in one (1) interment space. No more than three (3) cremated remains can be interred in one (1) interment space. No more than one (1) cremated remains can be interred in a cremation interment space designated by the Association for the purpose.
- Any person of any origin of race, religion may be interred in the cemetery.
- Every interment shall be enclosed in a concrete vault made for that purpose and which shall be of such construction as will afford maximum protection. Cremated remains to be interred (except scattering in dedicated areas for that purpose) shall be enclosed in a vault with dimensions not exceeding the following:
– Thirteen (13) inches in height
– Eleven (11) inches in width
– Fifteen (15) inches in length - All interments and disinterments shall be made by the employees of the cemetery under the direction of the Association Manager.
- All interments and disinterments must be made between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Funeral Director must be in the cemetery gates no later than 3:00 p.m. The Association Manager may release this rule when good cause appears.
- Written application must be made for every disinterment, except disinterments made pursuant to the provisions of rules 3 and 10. Said application must be signed by the person(s) authorized with the right to control disposition according to the California Health and Safety Code 7100. The applicant or applicants must prove to be the party or parties entitled to make the application. The application must be acknowledged before a notary public, and if it is acknowledge before a notary public outside of the state of California, the authority of the notary public to take the acknowledgment must be certified by the clerk of a court of record. Said application must be accompanied by:
- The permit required by law to make the disinterment
- The written consents of the record owner of the grave space from which disinterment is to be made.
- The fee required for making the disinterment.
The written consents above mentioned must be acknowledged before a notary public and if acknowledged before a notary public outside of the State of California, the authority of the notary public to take the acknowledgment must be certified by the clerk of a court of record.The fee for disinterment shall be returned to the applicant if the application is, for any reason denied.
The application together with the permit, the written consents above mentioned, and the fee required therefore must be made at the office of the cemetery at least seven (7) days in advance of the time that disinterment is to be made.
- The Association reserves the right to correct any errors that may be made by it either in making interments or disinterments, or in the description, transfer or conveyance of interment property, either by canceling such conveyance and substituting and conveying in lieu thereof other interment property of equal value and similar locations as far as possible or by refunding the money paid on account of such purchase. In the event such error shall involve the interment of remains of any person in such property, the Association reserves the right to transfer such remains so interred to such other property of equal value and similar location as far as possible as may be substituted in lieu thereof.
- No Memorial shall be set in the cemetery with the top portion below the level of the ground nor with the top portion less than six (6) inches above the level of the ground unless the top portion is level with the ground.
- No Memorial shall be set in the cemetery with the top portion below the level of the ground nor with the top portion less than six (6) inches above the level of the ground unless the top portion is level with the ground.
- No Monument shall be set in the cemetery unless the same of first grade, genuine granite or marble or both. No grass marker of any kind shall be set in the cemetery unless the same is of first grade genuine granite, marble or bronze. No Monument nor marker of any kind shall be set in the cemetery unless the same is all clear stone suitable for Memorial purpose, free from drill marks tool marks, and stains.
- No Monument nor marker of any kind shall be set in or upon any block or lot on the cemetery unless the full purchase price therefore has been paid.
- No Monument nor marker of any kind shall be set in the cemetery if an inscription thereon is at variance with any of the data contained in the burial permit of the deceased over whose remains the Monument or Memorial shall stand; nor if the inscription thereon might be construed to be offensive to anyone.
- On family plots or lots having a monumental privilege, only one (1) Monument is permitted. Only two (2) Memorials are permitted on one (1) lot. Two (2) twenty four (24) inches by twelve (12) by three (3) inches or one (1) thirty (30) inches by fourteen (14) inches by three (3) inches shall be permitted.
- No Memorials other than flat granite Memorials shall be set in sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, Masonic, OLG, sunrise 1 and sunrise III.
- No Monument or Memorial shall be set in any portion of the cemetery, except by the employees of Union Cemetery Association. All Monuments and Memorials shall have a three (3) inch concrete border smoothly finished except when adding a vase in concrete.
- No Monument or Memorial shall be set unless setting fee is paid and a work order was issued from the office.
- Once a Monument or Memorial is set in the cemetery, it shall not be removed except with the written approval of the Association, the written approval of the interment space owner. This rule shall not prevent the Association from removing any Monument or Memorial which has become dilapidated. The Association shall have the right to remove and reset a Monument or Memorial without notice.
- Once the Monument or Memorial is set in the cemetery, no further inscription shall be made thereon without the written approval of the record owner of the Monument or Memorial.
- Flower vases for fresh/artificial flowers must be purchased and installed by the employees of the Association. All receptacles must be sunk level with the ground in all portions of the cemetery. Not more than two (2) receptacles shall be allowed upon an individual interment space.
- All fresh/artificial flowers are subject to removal once a week. Any fresh/artificial flowers not in the receptacle are subject to removal at any time. Miscellaneous objects that are placed upon the grave will be subject to removal any time.
- No flowers, trees, or shrubs shall be planted in the cemetery without the approval of the Association Manager. Any flowers, trees, or shrubs planted in the cemetery without the permission of the Association Manager will be removed at the option of the Association.
- No person shall be permitted to sit or lounge on any portion of the grounds, except when visiting a gravesite.
- Automobiles shall not be driven through the grounds at a speed greater than fifteen (15) miles per hour.
- Loud music is prohibited on the cemetery grounds.
- No alcoholic beverages or BBQ.
UNION CEMETERY ASSOCIATION MAINTENCE STANDARDS
- Mow all grass at least once a week or as needed. Grass clippings (if any) must be removed or vacuumed as need.
- Monuments/flat markers must be trimmed once every (2) weeks or as needed to insure that the grass does not cover memorial.
- Weeds must be removed or suppressed from all cemetery property.
- Maintenance on irrigation system must be done weekly or as needed to provide a sufficient supply of water to keep grass and plants green as seasonally possible.
- Structures, improvements and fences on the property that are owned by the cemetery must be kept up in repair or restored as needed.
- All occupied crypts and niches must be properly sealed or closed.
- Graves or markers that have settled must be refilled or reset annually, or within 120 days of the cemetery office becoming aware of the issue.
- Grave markers, monuments, or burial vault that are damaged by negligence of the cemetery or its employees or contractors must be repaired or replaced immediately.
- Cemetery roads must be accessible and repairs must be made when surface presents a hazard.
- Waste containers must be emptied when filled and public areas of the cemetery grounds must be clear of trash and debris.
- Gopher traps must be set when needed.
- Shrubs and trees must be trimmed when needed.
- Foliage from trees must be raked and collected as needed.
GENERAL PROVISIONS:
Only persons having Cemetery business or visitors shall be permitted in the Cemetery. Persons under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Visitation hours shall be as follows:
Cemetery Gates: March – October 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 pm
November – February 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 pm
Business Office: Monday through Friday – 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday by appointment
Closed Sunday
The speed limit for all vehicles using the Cemetery shall be 15 miles per hour. Only vehicles registered in accordance with applicable laws shall be permitted in the Cemetery. All vehicles shall be operated in accordance with the laws of California. Parking of vehicles shall occur only in designated parking areas such manner which shall not impede the free flow to traffic.
No pets are permitted in the Cemetery.
The Cemetery is not liable for stolen or damaged personal property.
The Board of Directors reserves the right to change or amend these Rules and Regulations at any time and such changes shall be binding upon all lot owners without formal notice of such change or amendment.