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Council discusses clarifying Mayfield cemetery ordinance on resident vs. nonresident lot sales
Summary
The Mayfield Town Council reviewed its cemetery ordinance language and discussed establishing a clear definition and policy for resident, buffer‑zone and nonresident lot purchases, payment differences and limits on the number of spaces one purchaser may buy.
The Mayfield Town Council spent an extended portion of its meeting reviewing the town cemetery ordinance and discussing how to define residents and nonresidents, limit the number of spaces sold to a single purchaser, and protect cemetery capacity for local residents.
Council members said the current ordinance allows each purchaser a maximum of four spaces without council approval, and the council noted it has historically charged higher fees to nonresidents. “Nonresidents pay more money, right?” one council member asked, and staff confirmed a higher nonresident fee has been the practice. The ordinance currently defines resident as “any person currently residing within Mayfield or immediately prior to being placed in a health care institution,” and participants noted there is not a separate written definition for “nonresident” beyond “anybody else.”
Council members described past cases where people outside town limits bought multiple plots for extended family, and some council members said those purchases created equity concerns. One council member recommended keeping the requirement that purchases of more than four spaces come before the council for approval so the town can evaluate individual circumstances. Another suggested adding a buffer‑zone or annexation map exemption for nearby property owners who receive town services (for example, water) but are outside municipal limits.
Possible policy approaches discussed included: defining residency by town boundary (the straightforward approach); creating a three‑tier pricing system (resident, buffer zone/adjacent area, and nonresident); requiring one year of residency before a purchaser qualifies for resident pricing; issuing partial credit if a nonresident later becomes a resident; and keeping a case‑by‑case council approval path for larger purchases. Council members also discussed that any change to rates or the ordinance would require a public hearing.
Council staff said they will research model policies used by similar towns, prepare draft ordinance language clarifying the definitions and purchase limits, and return the item for council review at the next meeting. No ordinance change or vote was taken at this meeting.
Ending: Staff and council agreed to draft proposed ordinance language clarifying resident/nonresident definitions, purchase limits and any buffer‑zone rules and to present those drafts for council review and public hearing at a future meeting.
