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Hendry County adopts revised cemetery ordinance after resident asks to keep family memorials
Summary
The Hendry County Board adopted a revision to the county’s cemetery ordinance after public comment from a LaBelle resident who asked that a cement bench and brick border placed in 2011 be allowed to remain. County staff said they will work with the resident to find an appropriate way to keep memorials while enforcing consistent rules.
Hendry County commissioners adopted a revised cemetery ordinance Nov. 12 after a public hearing and a LaBelle resident’s plea to preserve family memorials.
County Attorney Matt Rollerson presented the ordinance revisions that the board had discussed previously and said staff had worked with the sponsor to address the board’s concerns. During public comment, Traded Perez of LaBelle said her daughter had placed a small brick border and a cement bench at a gravesite in 2011 — before the county’s 2021 rules — and asked that those items be allowed to remain. "I'm just asking, please, can we just leave that there?" Perez said, explaining the bench and border were the family’s only remaining memorial for an infant grandson.
Staff and commissioners told Perez there are methods to preserve memorial items if installed in compliance with cemetery rules and invited her to work with cemetery staff to find a compliant solution. One staff member said the county would work with Perez and cemetery officials to explore an appropriate installation that would allow the family to keep those memories while maintaining consistent standards for the cemetery.
Commissioner Emery Howard moved to adopt Option 1 (conduct the public hearing and adopt the attached ordinance); Commissioner Raymond Iglesias seconded. A roll‑call vote recorded each commissioner voting "Yes," and the motion carried.
Next steps: County staff will publish the adopted ordinance and work with affected families and cemetery staff to implement compliance guidance and any necessary remediation or accommodation arrangements.
