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Washington City raises cemetery nonresident fees as staff outlines limited plot supply and options for expansion
Summary
Council unanimously approved revised cemetery fees intended to discourage nonresident buyers. Staff said about 590 plots remain, the city is selling 150–200 plots a year and could run out in roughly three to five years unless new land is secured; staff is pursuing BLM land transfer (RMP) options.
Washington City Council on Sept. 24 unanimously approved an amendment to cemetery fees that raises nonresident rates while holding resident rates lower, a change staff said is intended to discourage people from buying burial plots in Washington City when they live in neighboring municipalities.
Paul Walker, assistant leisure services director, told the council comparable rates among surrounding cities pushed Washington City to adjust nonresident pricing: “some of the surrounding cities have increased their rates and that's kind of created a situation that we want to get away from.” Walker said higher nonresident fees will help preserve plots for residents.
Walker said the city has about 590 plots available and has sold between 150 and 200 plots per year, “so 3 to 4 years is probably what we've got remaining with our current cemetery,” and that a reasonable estimate for remaining capacity was three to five years at current consumption patterns. He told council staff are seeking additional land, including Bureau of Land Management property that could be transferred to the city under a Recreation and Public Purposes (R&PP / RMPP) mechanism, which would allow municipal use as a cemetery rather than a lease.
Council members asked about limiting early plot purchases, because purchased plots held for years can accelerate depletion. Walker said staff were considering policy changes, including restrictions on buying plots long before burial, but emphasized that finding less-expensive land near the city was the preferred route to increase capacity.
Action and vote: Councilman Coates moved to approve the fee changes; Councilman Ivy seconded. The roll-call vote was unanimous (recorded in the transcript as approved 5–0).
Why it matters: With fewer than a few hundred burial plots available at current sales rates, the fee change and land-acquisition efforts influence cemetery access, municipal land use and long-term planning for burial needs.
