Memory Gardens

Meadowview, Tawas City MI

Memory Gardens is located off Harris Ave- Take First Street to Harris Ave and continue through stop sign, staying on First Street. First Street will curve to the left and you then are on Meadowview Rd. Continue on Meadowview for approximately 500 feet and you will enter Memory Gardens

A portion of the Donations from the Marsh family has been used to refurbish the roads in the Cemetery.  This was completed by Sept 5, 2008. The cemetery also has new pillars at the entrance. New signs have been placed on Harris and in the Cemetery.

 

   

 

     

 Cemetery Lot Fees:

          Resident                              $250.00

            Non- Resident                       $500.00

            Baby land  & Cremations         $50.00

Ordinance No. 292

Cemetery

The City of Tawas City Ordains

Sec.  1  General purposes.

Municipal cemeteries are hereby declared to be public burial grounds for the remains of human bodies only.  The ownership of lots sold for burial purposes will remain in the city and the city reserves the right to enter upon any such lot to provide for its care and upkeep.

Sec.  2  Maintenance of grounds.

In order to facilitate mowing and to improve the general appearance of any cemetery, no mounds, boundary walls, shrubbery or trees shall be installed on burial lots.  Grave markers shall be flush with the ground surface in the north addition, north of Block N-11 through N-15 of the municipal cemetery and future additions.

All grave markers must be placed on a foundation that must exceed the dimensions of the base of monument or memorial by three (3) inches on all sides when installed.

Sec.  3  Designation of portions for specific use.

The city council may contract with religious, fraternal or veteran organizations to designate the use and care of certain portions of any cemetery.

Sec.  4  Traffic restricted.

Vehicular traffic shall not exceed ten (10) miles per hour and shall be excluded from cemeteries during nighttime hours.  No snowmobiles, quad runners, or other A.T.V.'s are permitted in the cemetery at any time.

Sec.  5  Animals restricted.

No animals shall be allowed in any cemetery except within the confines of a vehicle.

Sec.  6  Unlawful acts.

1. It shall be unlawful for the owner of any burial lot to allow interment to be made in the cemetery for remuneration.
2. It shall be unlawful for any person to deface, injure, disturb, mark or write upon, any marker, monument or headstone, except when the work is done to improve or stabilize these things.
3. No person shall injure, destroy or take away any vases, flower pots, or other containers or ornaments placed upon graves, except such as were originally brought in by the party so removing them, and except when such displays are no longer attractive, or hinder maintenance, in which case they may be removed by cemetery maintenance personnel.
4. No person or vehicle may enter any cemetery except through the established gates and entrances thereof, and only during daylight hours, and on the public roads and paths provided for their use.
5. No person shall create any improper noise, disorderly conduct, carelessness, or any other activity, which tends to destroy the peace, tranquility and attractiveness of any cemetery and its sacred devotion to the interment and repose of the dead.
6. No person shall open any gravesite for the purpose of burying cremens without first securing city approval, payment of any fees and providing a cremation certificate.

Sec.  7  Sexton.

The city manager shall act as cemetery sexton, unless otherwise arranged for by council, and he shall be responsible for carrying out the policies and procedures established herein.  All grave openings and closures shall be under his direction and he may deny any requests for disinterment not authorized in writing by a member of the immediate family; husband, wife, father, mother, son or daughter.

Sec.  8  Cost, conveyance of lots.

1. The cost of burial lots shall be determined from time to time by the city council in response to recommendations by the city manager.  The general approach to such rates shall be in the sense of nominal rates for those living in the city recognizing their contribution to the city operating expenses, while rates for those living outside the city shall more nearly reflect the actual cost of the extended care provided.  Rates shall be set by council resolution.
2. Deeds shall be prepared for each sale of lots.  The ownership of lots shall not be transferred to another without written approval of the city manager.  The city manager shall deny any such transfer if it is being done for purely speculative purposes.
3. Burial lots may be returned to the city for the price at which they were purchased. 
4. Lost or destroyed deeds may be replaced if city records indicate that the claimant is indeed the owner of the lot.
5. Burial lots shall be paid for in full at the time of purchase.

Sec.  9  Extended care and maintenance.

City care and maintenance of purchased burial lots shall be carried on for twenty (20) years.  After that time, the heirs may be required to contribute an annual dollar amount set by council resolution for the care of each lot.  Should the heirs default in this payment or, upon proper publication, it is impossible to locate them, the city manager may proceed to remove walls or other objects, except for grave stones or markers, in the interest of simplifying maintenance procedures and improving the general appearance of each cemetery.  After forty (40) years of city financed maintenance, lots having no record or indication of use may be offered for sale.

Sec. 10  Cemetery fund.

1. A Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund shall be established and used to account for money held by the city for the perpetual care of cemetery lots.  This fund has both an expendable and non-expendable fund balance.  The non-expendable fund balance contains the amounts placed with the city to be invested.  The interest earned on the investments would be closed to the expendable fund balance and may only be used for the perpetual care of the cemetery lots.
2. A Cemetery Trust Fund may be established and used to account for money held by the city in trust for the perpetual care of cemetery lots.  This fund has both an expendable and non-expendable fund balance.  The non-expendable fund balance contains the amounts placed with the city in trust to be invested.  The interest earned on the investments would be closed to the expendable fund balance and may only be used for the perpetual care of the cemetery lots.

Sec. 11  Multiple use of lots.

1. If possible, the burial of two (2) or more persons in one (1) grave is permitted, subject to Sec. 13 of this chapter.
2. The ashes from human cremation, appropriately contained, may be placed in purchased burial lots if they are those of a relative to the owner.  Any marker for same shall be installed flush with the ground surface.

Sec. 12  Removal of unsightly objects.

Unsightly objects placed upon graves, including withered flowers and emblems, may be removed from the graves as part of the program to keep each cemetery attractive.

Sec. 13  Operation/maintenance and rules and regulations.

The city council shall approve all other cemetery rules and regulations as well as costs and fees related thereto by council resolution.

Sec. 14  Conflicting regulations.

Where there is a difference or conflict between this ordinance other provisions of city ordinances contained in lawfully adopted county, state, city, federal or other governmental agency rules, regulations, ordinances or laws, the most liberal interpretation of the most restrictive or the one (1) imposing the most desirable standard shall prevail.

Sec. 15  General penalty.

1.      Every person convicted of a violation of any provision of this ordinance, or any rule, regulation or order adopted or issued in pursuance thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) and costs of prosecution or by imprisonment for not more than ninety (90) days, or by both such fine, costs and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.  Each act of violation and every day upon which any such violation shall occur shall constitute a separate offense.

2.      The penalty shall be in addition to the abatement of the violating condition, any injunctive relief, or revocation of any permit or license.

Sec. 16.  Severability.

Should any provision or part of this ordinance be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, the same shall be deemed a distinct, separate and severable part of this ordinance and shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision or part hereof, all of which shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 17.  Effective Date.

This ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication in the Iosco County News Herald.

Dated:  April 16, 2007