Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cemetery Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council adopts cemetery policy changes to allow columbariums, limit lot purchases and reduce cremations per traditional lot
Summary
Parks Director Deon Giles said the cemetery expansion allows additional columbariums and staff proposed updating policies: limit lot purchases to 10 per person, add columbarium niche rules (no photos or vases on shutters), and reduce allowed cremations in traditional lots from four to one; council adopted Resolution 2025-043.
Parks Director Deon Giles told the council that the Pleasant Grove Cemetery expansion requires updates to the city’s Policies and Procedures Manual. Staff proposed adding policies to allow columbariums (niches), defining shutter rules for columbarium fronts (no photos or vases), and changing interment allowances for traditional lots.
Giles said the manual’s introduction numbers were updated to reflect current inventory. One substantive change is a proposed cap of 10 lots per purchaser to discourage unused large holdings. Staff also recommended reducing the number of cremations permitted in a traditional lot from four to one so cremains can be placed instead in a columbarium niche, and recommended specifying two rows of flat markers and one row of upright headstones in new sections to facilitate maintenance and irrigation.
Council adopted Resolution 2025-043 to amend the cemetery policies. Giles said details on urn sizes and columbarium shutter design were developed after consultation with other cemeteries; the policy prohibits decorative items on shutters to keep high niches accessible.
