Municipal Cemetery Ordinance
CHAPTER 3. CEMETERIES*
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*Cross references: Streets and sidewalks, § 4-1001 et seq.
State law references: Municipal cemeteries, O.C.G.A. § 36-37-1 et seq.
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Sec. 4-3001. Short title.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "City of Savannah Municipal Cemetery Ordinance."
(Code 1977, § 4-3001)
Sec. 4-3002. Definitions.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words, and their derivations shall have the meanings given herein. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words in the plural number include the singular number, and words in the singular number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory.
(1) City is the City of Savannah, Georgia.
(2) Bureau is the Facilities Maintenance Bureau of the City of Savannah, Georgia.
(3) Department is the Cemetery Department of Facilities Maintenance Bureau of the City of Savannah, Georgia.
(4) Municipal cemeteries or cemeteries are the municipal cemeteries of the City of Savannah, Georgia.
(5) Person is any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
(6) Director is the director of municipal cemeteries.
(Code 1977, § 4-3002)
Sec. 4-3003. Authority in facilities maintenance bureau.
The city manager or his representative shall manage, operate and maintain the municipal cemeteries subject to any limitations and restrictions set forth herein or contained in any applicable law.
(Code 1977, § 4-3003)
Sec. 4-3004. Rules and regulations.
The department shall establish rules and regulations for the use of the cemetery relating to:
(1) Subdividing the cemetery into lots.
(2) Capacity of each lot.
(3) Location of graves.
(4) Type of plantings, monuments and markers that will be permitted for the proper and most attractive development of cemeteries.
(5) Regulation of contractors authorized to perform work in the cemeteries.
(6) Preservation of historically significant edifices.
(7) Conduct of visitors.
(Code 1977, § 4-3004)
Sec. 4-3005. Director.
The city shall appoint a director of the municipal cemeteries.
(Code 1977, § 4-3005)
Sec. 4-3006. Duties of director.
(a) Direct cemetery. The director shall look after and take proper care of the cemeteries and see that no lot therein is used or occupied in violation of this chapter or of any rule or regulation promulgated by the department.
(b) Initiate bills for services. All fees and charges for duties and services performed in connection with the cemeteries shall be billed by the director.
(Code 1977, § 4-3006)
Sec. 4-3007. Supervisor.
The director shall appoint a supervisor for each cemetery activity.
(Code 1977, § 4-3006a)
Sec. 4-3008. Duties of supervisor.
(a) The supervisor shall direct the activities of each employee assigned to his activity.
(b) The supervisor shall dig graves and properly inter the dead when properly called upon to do so.
(c) No deceased person shall be interred in the cemetery until the supervisor has found:
(1) That a burial permit has been obtained from the Chatham County Health Department as required by law.
(2) That the lot in which burial is to be made has been paid for.
(3) That the person arranging for such burial has the right to the use of such lot.
(4) That proper record is made of the name and age of the deceased person and of the exact location of the grave.
(Code 1977, § 4-3007)
Sec. 4-3009. Purchase of lots.
Any person desiring to purchase a particular lot or lots, for the purpose for which it is intended, shall be permitted to do so upon payment of the price fixed for such lot.
(Code 1977, § 4-3008)
Sec. 4-3010. Records of ownership.
The department shall keep full and complete records of the ownership of all lots in the cemeteries; of the burial capacity of each lot, sold and unsold; of the location of each grave; of the name of the persons buried in each grave that has been or shall hereafter be used; and of the date of burial of each.
(Code 1977, § 4-3009)
Sec. 4-3011. Charges.
The price of lots, burial fees, charge for placing lots sold without perpetual care in perpetual care, charge for annual care of lots not in perpetual care, charge for water supplied to lot owners, and charges to monument dealers for stonework foundation inspection shall be fixed from time to time by the mayor and aldermen. (See revenue ordinance.)
(Code 1977, § 4-3010)
Sec. 4-3012. Administration of funds derived from sale of lots.
All funds derived from the sale of lots shall be administered as follows:
Capital improvement fund . . . 40%
Perpetual care of lots . . . 60%
(Code 1977, § 4-3011)
Sec. 4-3013. Monument dealers; stonework and foundation specifications.
Monument dealers will conform to the following specifications in excavating for post foundations for stonework in City of Savannah cemeteries:
TABLE INSET:
| | | Holes
Required |
| Markers: | Infant or child: up to 10 feet wide | 1 |
| | Adult: 1 ft. wide--single | 2 |
| | Double adult: 1 ft. wide | 2 |
| Monuments: | Base 1 foot to 1 foot 4 inches wide | 2 |
| | Base 1 foot 6 inches to 1 foot 8 inches wide (size of hole-width of base X 12 inches) | 2 |
| | Base 1 foot 10 inches to 3 feet wide (size of hole-width of base X 12 inches) | 2 |
| | Base over 3 feet wide submit plans to cemetery director | |
| Slabs: | Infant and child: up to 1 foot 4 inches | 2 |
| | Adult and over: 1 foot 4 inches (size of hole-width of slab X 12 inches) | 2 |
| Coping: | One (24 inches deep) at each joint and at each corner. An additional foundation shall be required between corners or joints where the distance between those points is greater than 12 inches | |
| Corner post | 12 inches deep only | 1 |
| Cradles: | One at each joint and each corner (24 inches deep) | |
(Code 1977, § 4-3016)
Sec. 4-3014. Contracts and funds held in trust on August 16, 1957, not affected.
Nothing contained in these sections shall be construed to affect present contract rights or funds now held in trust.
(Code 1977, § 4-3017)
Sec. 4-3015. Lots sold to be in perpetuity.
Cemetery lots under the jurisdiction of the City of Savannah shall be sold only in perpetuity.
(Code 1977, § 4-3018)
Sec. 4-3016. Cemetery accounts.
All fees, charges, duties and services performed in connection with the cemeteries shall be billed by the director. Payments shall be made to the city treasurer.
(Code 1977, § 4-3019)
Sec. 4-3017. Removal of trees and shrubbery.
(a) The director is hereby authorized to require the removal of any trees or shrubbery on privately owned lots which are causing damage to adjacent lots or to city-owned property. Removal of such trees and/or shrubbery is to be accomplished within 30 days after notice has been given to the respective property owner. The director is hereby authorized to effect the removal and to assess the respective property owner for the cost of the removal. Payments of assessments shall be made to the city treasurer.
(b) All removal of trees and shrubbery from lots shall be subject to the approval of the director and shall be at the expense of the respective lot owner. The city shall be held harmless from any damages occurring as a result of the removals.
(Code 1977, § 4-3020)
Sec. 4-3018. Indigent burials.
Indigent burials in city-operated cemeteries shall be made in an acceptable burial receptacle. The minimum acceptable burial receptacle shall be a covered box of no less than one-half-inch plywood construction.
(Code 1977, § 4-3021)
Sec. 4-3019. Repairs of vaults, mausoleums, monuments and other structures.
(a) The director is hereby authorized to require the repair of any vault, mausoleum, monument or other structure on privately owned lots which has been damaged from causes beyond the cemeteries' reasonable control. Repair of such damage is to be accomplished within 45 days after notice has been given to the property owner. The director is hereby authorized to effect the repair and assess the respective property owner for the cost of repair. Payment of assessment shall be made to the city treasurer.
(b) All repairs of any vault, mausoleum, monument, or other structure on lots shall be subject to the approval of the director and shall be at the expense of the respective lot owner. The city shall be held harmless from damages occurring as a result of the repairs.
(Code 1977, § 4-3022)
Sec. 4-3020. Work performed on burial lots.
The cemeteries director shall have authority to perform work on any burial lot without first obtaining permission of the lot owner when the lot has not been used for the interment of human remains for a period of at least 70 years and a diligent search has failed to produce the present owner of the lot.
(Ord. of 12-12-1995(1), § 1(4-3024))
Sec. 4-3021. Stone rubbings.
Stone rubbings shall not be conducted in Bonaventure, Greenwich, Laurel Grove North and Laurel Grove South cemeteries unless approved by the cemeteries director, and in Colonial Cemetery unless approved by the park and tree director.
(Ord. of 12-12-1995(2), § 1(4-3025)) |
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