Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cemetery Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council discusses Edgewood Greenwood online cemetery map and Bay Ridge ownership; annexation, signage on the table
Summary
City staff said a $40,000 line for an online cemetery search and map will allow residents to find graves; council and staff also discussed Bay Ridge Cemetery ownership questions and the need to determine legal ownership before city takeover or partnership with Orange County.
City Clerk nd staff told the council they will fund a project to develop an online searchable map for Edgewood Greenwood Cemetery, and Grama Williams confirmed the FY26 draft includes a $40,000 request for a stand-alone election elsewhere in the budget. Williams said the city clerk's office is "moving towards an online cemetery search and map for Edgewood Greenwood Cemetery" to allow family members to search gravesites online.
Bay Ridge Cemetery: council members raised the long-running Bay Ridge Cemetery issue and pressed staff on ownership and maintenance. Council discussion noted previous council votes and budgeted funds for takeover, but staff said they still lack documentation from the person listed as "care of" on county records. "The cemetery would also need to be annexed into the city," Williams said, adding that the owner or their representative would have to initiate annexation; staff suggested partnering with Orange County for quicker maintenance given the parcel currently sits in county jurisdiction.
Why it matters: the Edgewood Greenwood map is a public-facing service for families of decedents and reduces staff time handling location requests; Bay Ridge has historical significance and overgrown maintenance issues affecting families of those interred.
Next steps: staff said the cemetery signage/directional signage work is underway (directional signs and a permanent sign in this year's budget) and will follow up on Bay Ridge ownership research and possible Orange County partnership. The clerk and staff will provide updates as documents are located and legal steps are clarified.
