TOWN OF ROCKPORT
CEMETERY DIVISION
RULES AND REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 3
3.1 No lot shall be used for any purpose other than as a place of burial for the dead, and all burials therein shall be under the charge of the Director of Public Works or his agent. All fees must be paid prior to burial.
3.2 The proprietor of a lot shall have the right to erect monuments, stones or structures, except natural boulders, to cultivate shrubs and plants in the same, but must first consult the Department of Public Works as to location, size of monuments, stones or structures, including the size of shrubs. Corner markers for lot will be furnished by the town.
3.3 Any memorial bench placed on a lot shall meet the size and quality requirements as stated in the Town of Rockport Memorial Bench Policy.
3.4 All foundations must be paid for in advance. Orders for foundations must be in writing. Foundation prices will be determined by size of stones and monuments.
3.5 Multi-Grave Lots: Headstones shall be no higher than 3 feet, no longer than 4 feet and no wider than 1 foot. Only one upright headstone shall be placed on a multi-grave lot. All footstones will be flush or match other footstones on the lot.
3.6 Single Grave Lots: No upright stones will be allowed in a single grave section. Only stones measuring 1 x 2 feet shall be put on single graves to match what is on other graves on that section.
3.7 No stones or monuments or corner posts shall be removed from any cemetery without permission from the Department of Public Works.
3.8 The proprietor of a lot must obtain permission from the Department of Public Works before transferring said cemetery lot or any part thereof to anyone. 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.
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.
3.10 That if any monument or effigy, or any structure whatever, or any inscriptions be placed in or upon a lot, which shall be determined by the Department of Public Works to be offensive or improper, it shall have the right and it shall be their duty to enter said lot and remove the improper object or objects.
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.
3.12 No tomb shall be constructed or allowed within the bounds of the cemetery unless by special permission of the Department of Public Works and in such places and manner as the department shall direct. No proprietor shall suffer the remains of any persons to be deposited within the bounds of his lot for hire.
3.13 Neither any deed nor other transfer of said lots of land shall take effect until the same shall be recorded by the Town Clerk with approval of the Department of Public Works.
3.14 Any lot of land shall be held subject to the provisions of the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in relation to cemeteries, and cemetery corporations, and to all by-laws, rules and regulations made and to be made by the Department of Public Works.
3.15 No lots or graves shall be sold to any person or persons in the new Beech Grove Extension Cemetery and the new section of Locust Grove Cemetery unless provision is made for Perpetual Care of said lots or graves.
3.16 Special consideration may be given by the Department of Public Works 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.
3.17 No firearms are permitted in any cemetery, except a military funeral and lawful ceremonial services and gatherings.
3.18 Undertakers are required to have all orders for interments signed by the proprietor or legal representative of the lot with all necessary town or burial permits.
3.19 A twenty-four (24) hour notice is required for all interments by undertakers on Monday through Thursday burials; forty-eight (48) hour notice on Friday and Saturday. No interments are allowed on Sunday or town holidays.
3.20 No automobiles, horses or other powered vehicles are allowed in cemeteries except on paved roadways.
3.21 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. All holy lights shall be kept in this area only.
3.22 All cemeteries shall be closed to the public from sunset to sunrise each day.
3.23 Artificial flowers will be allowed from December 1 to April 1 during the winter months.
3.24 Lots will not be sold to non-residents or summer residents. A resident shall further be defined as an individual whose legal residence is maintained in Rockport, is registered to vote in Rockport, or is the owner on record of property in Rockport. 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.
3.25 In accordance with the Rockport Code of Town By-Laws, Chapter 10 – Public Peace and Order; B – Animal Control; Section 4 – Prohibited Areas, the following applies:
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; upon any public school property between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday during the school year and any special session; or upon any public beach from June 1 to September 15. This section, however, shall not prohibit a trained guide dog accompanying a person with visual impairment.
Department of Public Works
Revised November 14, 1996
Revised June 6, 1998
Revised April 26, 1999
November 17, 2008