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Arlington council approves abandonment process to open cemetery plots for sale under state law
Summary
The council authorized declaring portions of Arlington Cemetery abandoned under HB 2371, clearing the way for sales after outreach and surveys; staff said ground-penetrating radar, replanting and a wait list preceded the vote, and an appeals process is available.
The Arlington City Council voted Sept. 16 to declare certain plots at Arlington Cemetery abandoned under state law (HB 2371), a step staff said is required to allow the city to offer those plots for sale.
Sarah Stubblefield of the city's office of strategic initiatives briefed the council on the process: the city conducted ground-penetrating radar in June 2024 to identify unmarked graves, replanted the property in April 2025 to establish saleable sites, and in May 2025 approved an operator contract with Wade Funeral Home for day-to-day cemetery operations. Stubblefield said the city completed outreach to historical organizations and assisted-care facilities and received 42 inquiries and roughly 93 reserved gravesites on a wait list.
"The abandonment is a requirement of HB 2,371," Stubblefield said during the public hearing, adding that the statute allows a court appeal to be filed within 10 days. She explained the city will make good-faith efforts to find equivalent plots for families who later provide documentation tied to existing interments.
Why it matters: Declaring an area abandoned under HB 2371 permits municipalities to sell plots under specified conditions; the city indicated it is targeting an October opening for sales after final administrative steps (websites, forms, fee schedules) and after the 10-day appeal window lapses.
Procedural next steps: With council approval, staff will finish administrative setup for sales, honor the statutory appeals process, and continue community outreach to address family concerns and historical preservation questions.
