TOWN OF ROCKPORT

CEMETERY DIVISION

RULES AND REGULATIONS

CHAPTER 3

3.1     General Provisions


3.1.1   The terms contained in this Regulation shall be defined as set forth in Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 114, Section 1, as may be amended from time-to-time, unless another meaning is subscribed.


3.1.2   Cemeteries shall be held subject to the provisions of the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in relation to cemeteries and cemetery corporations, in particular Chapter 114 of the Massachusetts General Laws, all by-laws of the Town of Rockport, and all rules and regulations made and to be made by the Board of Commissioners of Public Works (“DPW Commission”).


3.1.3   For purposes of this Regulation, the term “Cemetery” shall mean a public cemetery owned and/or operated by the Town of Rockport. The term “Director” shall mean the Director of the Town of Rockport Department of Public Works. The term “Proprietor” shall mean the individual who purchased a License for Burial in a Lot within a Cemetery.


3.1.4   No Lot within a Cemetery shall be used for any purpose other than as a place of burial for the human dead, and all burials therein shall be under the charge of the Director or his agent. All fees and paperwork must be paid and filed at the DPW office prior to burial.


3.1.5   No Lots or Graves shall be sold to any person or persons in the new Beech Grove Extension Cemetery and/or the new section of Locust Grove Cemetery unless provision is made for Perpetual Care of said Lots and/or Graves.


3.1.6   Special consideration may be given by the DPW Commission in regard to needy and special cases in the matter of the sale of single Graves or Lots, including provisions for Perpetual Care in all cemeteries in the Town of Rockport.


3.1.7   Any person wishing to reserve a place in a Cemetery for themselves and/or others, may purchase a License of Burial in a Lot, subject to availability. The License of Burial grants the Proprietor and any other person designated in the License the sole and exclusive right of burial in a specific Lot or portion thereof within the Cemetery. At no time does said Proprietor actually own the property.


3.1.8   The License of Burial is non-transferable except to the Proprietor’s heirs in accordance with G.L.c. 114, §29 and 31. The Proprietor of a lot must obtain permission from the DPW Commission before transferring the Lot or any part thereof to anyone not named at the time of purchase. Unused Lots or individual Graves may not be sold by the Proprietor to anyone except back to the Town of Rockport at the rate of the original purchase price, minus perpetual care. Neither any deed nor other transfer of said Lot shall take effect until the request has been notarized and approved by the Department of Public Works.


3.1.9   Lots will not be sold to non-residents. A resident shall be defined as an individual whose legal residence is maintained in Rockport, as shown in the records of the Town Clerk. The only condition which will permit a former resident to purchase a Lot will be if he/she resided in Rockport for more than twenty (20) years and lived in town within the last five (5) years.  Notwithstanding this section, once a Lot is purchased it will not be forfeited as a result of the change of residence of the Proprietor, or anyone who has been designated for burial in the Lot, to another community.


3.1.10  The DPW Commission shall adopt and may from time-to-time amend a schedule of  fees for Licenses of Burial, interments, perpetual care, and other services and privileges.


3.2     Burials


3.2.1   All burials shall be under the charge of the Director, or their designee.  No interments shall be made without the following: (a) burial permit from the Rockport Board of Health; (b) interment order; c) Cremation Certificate and (d) all required fees paid in full.


3.2.2   Interment orders shall be signed by the funeral director, Proprietor of the Lot, or the Proprietor's heirs or legal representatives, and next of kin of the deceased, and furnished to the Department of Public Works, at least forty-eight (48) hours, exclusive  of Sundays and holidays, before the time of interment. The Order shall include  instructions as to the location of the Grave within a Lot containing multiple graves, if applicable.


3.3.3   The Town shall not be liable for obtaining the burial permit or interment order, for the accuracy of the contents thereof, for determining the identity of the person to be interred, or for confirming that the deceased has a legal right to be buried in the location specified in the interment order.


3.2.4   Interments may be scheduled for the following times:


3.2.5   No grave shall be opened for interment or disinterment by any person not employed by the Town of Rockport. Disinterment will occur only under an order of a Court of competent jurisdiction.


3.2.6   So-called “Green Burials” are not allowed.


3.3     Monuments and Markers


3.3.1  The Proprietor of a lot shall have the right to erect a headstone and  footstone of uniform size except natural boulders; and to cultivate shrubs and plants as described further in this section.


3.3.2   The Town shall have the authority to remove all floral designs, flowers,  weeds, trees, plants, herbage, or decorations of any kind from the cemetery lot as soon as, in the judgement of the Town, they become unsightly, dangerous, detrimental or diseased, or do not conform to the standards.


3.3.3   Any memorial bench placed on a lot, in lieu of headstone, shall meet the headstone size and quality requirements as stated herein.


3.3.4   All stonework, with the exception of corner markers, requires concrete  foundations to be installed by a professional monument company and must be approved in advance. Once approved, the DPW will mark the grave location prior to the installation taking place by the monument company.


3.3.5   Multi-Grave Lots:  Headstones with foundation shall be no higher than 3 feet, no wider than 4 feet and a depth of no more than 14 inches. Only one upright headstone shall be placed on a multi-grave lot. All footstones will be flush or match other footstones on the lot.


3.3.6   Single Grave Lots:  No upright stones will be allowed in a single grave section. Only flush markers shall be put on single graves and nothing raised above ground shall be installed.


3.3.7   Cremation Lots: Beveled slant markers and flush markers only. Foundation and slant marker together should be no taller than 20 inches. Flush markers should be no wider than 2 ft.


3.3.8   No stones, markers or corner posts shall be installed or removed from any cemetery without permission from the Director.


3.3.9   If any trees or shrubs situated on a lot shall, by means of their roots,  branches or otherwise become detrimental to the adjacent lots, avenues or paths or dangerous or inconvenient to passengers, it shall be the duty of the Department of Public Works to have the right to enter on said lot and remove said trees and shrubs or such parts thereof as are thus detrimental, dangerous or inconvenient.


3.3.10   Any inscriptions placed in or upon a lot, which shall be determined by the Department of Public Works to be offensive or improper, shall be removed.


3.3.11  No fence or curbing shall at any time be erected or placed in or around any lot without permission of the Department of Public Works. Establishment of grades and re-grading shall be under the jurisdiction of the public works.


3.3.12  No tomb shall be constructed or allowed within the bounds of the cemetery unless by special permission of the DPW Commission and in such places and manner as the Director shall specify.  No Proprietor shall suffer the remains of any persons to be deposited within the bounds of his Lot for hire.


3.3.13  In a four (4) Grave Lot, permanent or annual plantings, including placing of temporary planters, shall be limited to an area not exceeding 18 inches in front of the monument and 2 feet on each side of the monument. For Cremation lots, not exceeding 12 inches in front and 15 inches on the sides of beveled markers. All holy lights shall be kept in this  area only. If no monument is erected, these regulations still apply.


3.3.14  Artificial flowers will be allowed from December 1 to April 1 during the winter months. Clean up of seasonal decor and winter artificial plants etc. will begin April 1st.


3.3.15  If the Proprietor or any other person has installed a monument, marker or  other item in a manner that is not in compliance with this section, or that is prohibited by this section, the Proprietor shall correct the violation within a time specified by the Director.  If compliance is not achieved within that time, the Director or his designee may correct the violation, and any expenses incurred by the Town shall be charged to the Proprietor of 

the Lot.


3.4     Cemetery Code of Conduct


3.4.1   All those visiting the cemetery shall conduct themselves in a manner befitting the respect due these hallowed grounds.


3.4.2   No person shall damage any tree, shrub or plant; to write upon or in any way deface or injure any monument, fence or structure; to walk upon any Lot; or to behave in any manner disruptive of interments or the peace and quiet reflection of mourners.


3.4.3   No firearms are permitted in any cemetery, except a military funeral and lawful ceremonial services and gatherings.


3.4.4   No automobiles, horses or other powered vehicles are allowed in cemeteries except on paved roadways.


3.4.5   All cemeteries shall be closed to the public from sunset to sunrise each day.


3.4.6   No person owning, harboring or having custody or control of a dog shall allow such dog to enter or remain upon any cemetery grounds at any time. This section, however, shall not prohibit a marked service animal who is accompanied by their handlers.


3.4.7   The Department of Public Works and the Rockport Police Department are empowered to enforce the Code of Conduct.



Department of Public Works

Revised November 14, 1996

Revised June 6, 1998

Revised April 26, 1999

November 17, 2008

Revised March 20, 2026


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