Part One – General
- There shall be no assignment, exchange, sale or resale of any lot without the consent of the President, and all applications therefore shall be made to the Secretary.
- The grading and improvement of lots shall be under the supervision of the Superintendent, and subject to the approval of the Trustees; but consent shall not, in any case, be granted to raise the surface of any lot above that of adjoining lots.
- All fences, railings, walls, shrubs or hedges in or upon any of the lots are prohibited. The boundaries of lots may be designated by cornerstones or hard bricks installed flush with the ground surface.
- All foundations for monuments or other stones shall be laid by or under the supervision of the Superintendent.
- The planting or trimming of trees, shrubs and plants shall be by, or under, the supervision of the Superintendent and subject to the approval of the Trustees.
- It shall be the duty of the Trustees to cause the removal of trees, branches, or shrubs that are offensive, unsightly, or injurious to the grounds. They may also remove structures deemed improper or offensive, after notifying the lot owner.
- All grave construction, grading, sodding, and care shall be performed by permission and under supervision of the Superintendent.
- No vehicle may deposit materials without prior consent from the Superintendent.
- Visitors are prohibited from disturbing flora, or defacing any monument or structure.
- Flowers and temporary pots must be removed by October 15; holiday memorials by March 1.
- Grave purchase price must be paid before interment; opening/closing costs are the owner's responsibility.
- Burials require burial permits; cremains require a certificate of cremation.
- No vault or mausoleum may be built above ground.
- Concrete vaults or liners are required for graves purchased on or after Sept 24, 2001. Earlier lots without them require an additional fee at burial.
- Monuments/markers require prior approval with a submitted detailed work order. Disputes may be appealed to the Trustees.
- All graves must be marked within 2 years. If not, the Association may install and recover costs.
- Graves (post-October 26, 2019): 1 full + 1 cremation OR 4 cremations allowed per grave. Cremation interment fee applies.
- The Superintendent may delay burials due to severe weather.
- Pet cremains may be buried with human remains per NY State Law (see Part Two).
- No human remains may be scattered on cemetery grounds.
- Rules may be amended by Trustees with NY State Cemetery Board approval.
Approved 2022
Part Two – Pet Burials
- Pet cremains must meet the definition in Section 750-A of NY General Business Law.
- Certificate required verifying cremation per law.
- Pet cremains only interred with human remains (except as allowed in 11b).
- Cemetery records will include details such as authorization, pet name, location, and documentation.
- Pet cremains must be in suitable containers and interred with human remains — no separate pet graves allowed.
- No pet cremains may be scattered.
- Two checks required: one to the grave opener, one to Elma Cemetery Association (goes to maintenance fund).
- Pet cremains may be buried anywhere, if with human remains.
- Memorial options for pets include:
- No memorialization, or
- Bronze medallion or photo on monument (with authorization), or
- Full human-style memorial (all fees apply)
- Each grave: 1 human, 1 cremains, and up to 4 pet cremains.
- Pet burial timing:
- a) Pets buried with human remains inside casket/sarcophagus.
- b) If pet dies after owner, grave may be reopened once for pet interment with permission of spouse or children.
- Pet cremains may be disinterred only if not placed in a human casket. Otherwise, legal steps (court order) apply.
Approved September 2022