Cemetery Rules and Regulations

2.44.045 Regulations for cemetery vases and/or containers – Grave decorations.

No glass containers are allowed. Only cut flowers are allowed on graves. Decorations other than cut flowers are prohibited and will be placed by the dumpster and disposed of after one week. Decorations other than cut flowers, including artificial flowers, will be allowed from November 1st through March 1st and one week before and after Memorial Day. No breakable decorations are allowed, e.g., terra cotta, ceramic, etc. Further, the city will not be held responsible for broken or stolen grave decorations and has the authority to remove any unauthorized decorations. (Ord. 1926 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 1839 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 1320 § 1 (Exh. A), 1998; Ord. 1105 § 1 (Exh. A), 1993; Ord. 922 § 1, 1988)

2.44.050 Sale of interment rights and burial permits.

(1) Family of the deceased, or, in the absence of family, friends, or a licensed funeral director in the absence of family, taking responsibility for the funeral arrangements, shall contact the city of Washougal in order to authorize the interment, make necessary arrangements and make payment therefor.

(2) Persons owning interment rights to lots in the cemetery will not be permitted to sell those rights, except to the city, for the original purchase price. The city treasurer will take one-half of the money from the cemetery operating fund and one-half of the money from the perpetual care fund to buy back such interment rights to lots.

(3) Burial permits will be issued by the city through the office of the city clerk, or other city officials as the council may direct.

(4) Funds received from the sale of interment rights to lots or burial permits will be paid to the city treasurer, who will keep a record thereof; such portion shall be deposited in the cemetery fund, with 10 percent being deposited into a capital fund for future cemetery needs.

(5) Except as provided herein, no person or persons shall be interred in any cemetery lot except a person or persons who appear in the records of Washougal Memorial Cemetery as the holder or holders of the interment right or the designee or designees of such holder or holders of the interment right; provided, that such designation must be in writing and recorded in the official records of Washougal Memorial Cemetery or a beneficial interest in the interment right is specifically granted in a will or trust pursuant to Washington law.

(6) All funerals will take place during the regular business hours of the cemetery, Monday through Friday, except by special permission and will be subject to overtime rates. (Ord. 1926 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 1839 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 1802 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016; Ord. 1304 § 1, 1998; Ord. 1311 § 1, 1994; Ord. 1105 § 1 (Exh. A), 1993; Ord. 119 § 5, 1945)

2.44.052 Grave digger and marker installation permit.

(1) The city shall maintain a revocable grave digging and marker installation permit with any funeral home that services the Washougal Memorial Cemetery.

(2) A funeral home shall contract for the services of a grave digger and marker installation whose service fee shall be set by the funeral home. The grave digger shall be an independent contractor, not a city employee. The city will provide standard operating procedures to the funeral home for this service, and the funeral home shall supervise and conduct all such operations consistent with the city’s procedures. (Ord. 1926 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020)

2.44.056 Burial of cremains on graves.

(1) No more than three cremains shall be buried on top of a casket, and no more than four cremains shall be buried without a casket in any adult grave lot.

(2) Cremains to be buried prior to a casket burial shall be buried at the top of the grave where the headstone is to be located. In the case whereby the headstone has been set, the cremains shall not be buried until after the casket burial. The city will not be responsible for holding cremains. (Ord. 1926 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 1839 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 1320 § 1 (Exh. C), 1998)

2.44.060 Trust fund for perpetual care established.

(1) There is established a cemetery perpetual care trust fund.

(2) The perpetual care fee from the sale of interment rights to lots shall be deposited in the cemetery perpetual care trust fund, until such time as the fund shall be of sufficient amount that the revenue received therefrom will provide ample funds for the perpetual care and keep of the cemetery.

(3) It shall be the duty of the council to provide sufficient funds from taxation or otherwise to provide for the care and maintenance of the cemetery, if there is not sufficient income received from the trust fund for that purpose.

(4) Public donations, and other funds received by the city for that purpose, shall be deposited in the cemetery cumulative fund.

(5) The trust fund shall be kept by the city treasurer, and shall be open for public inspection, and audited by such committee as the council shall, from time to time, direct.

(6) The trust fund shall be invested by the city treasurer only in the same type of bonds and investments as the city treasurer is authorized by law to invest or deposit general municipal funds.

(7) The principal of the fund shall be kept intact and not diminished. The interest therefrom shall be used for the expenses of operation, and any excess may be used for capital improvements and additions to the cemetery, or if not needed for such purposes shall be added to the principal amount.

(8) The expenditure of interest from the trust fund shall be made only on claims filed with the city clerk, and approved by the city council, and vouchers drawn by the city clerk and paid by the city treasurer. (Ord. 1926 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 1839 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 1802 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016; Ord. 1105 § 1 (Exh. A), 1993; Ord. 255 § 6, 1960; Ord. 119 § 6, 1945)

2.44.070 Interment rights procedures for lots.

Upon the payment of the proper fee for the purchase of any interment rights to a lot or lots in the Memorial Cemetery, the city clerk is authorized to execute and issue on behalf of the city interment rights to a lot or lots, and no other signature shall be required on such interment rights other than a proper acknowledgment and the corporate seal of the city. (Ord. 1926 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 1839 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 126 § 1, 1947)

2.44.095 Combined burials.

When two burials occur together such as when two cremain urns are inurned in a double niche at the same time, or when two cremation urns are ground-buried in a single liner at the same time in a full grave, or when the ashes from two single urns are combined in one uni-vault for ground burial in a full grave, or when a casket contains cremated remains of a second individual, the burial with the higher rate will be charged the full respective rate and the burial with the lower rate will be charged for half of its respective rate. A maximum of two cremated remains per burial discount is allowed. The discounted rate does not apply to single cremation lots or the cremain garden. (Ord. 1926 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 1839 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 1762 § 1 (Exh. A), 2014)

2.44.100 Violations.

It is unlawful:

(1) For any person, firm or corporation to violate any of the provisions of this chapter;

(2) To violate any of the rules and regulations adopted by the cemetery board for the beautification, maintenance and upkeep of the cemetery;

(3) To wilfully damage any tombstone, monument, or marker or to wilfully destroy any cemetery property;

(4) To permit any livestock within the cemetery grounds;

(5) Any person violating any portion of this chapter shall be punished according to the provisions set forth in WMC 1.04.010;

(6) To permit any pets within the cemetery grounds. (Ord. 1926 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 1839 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 1105 § 1 (Exh. A), 1993; Ord. 119 § 7, 1945)

2.44.120 Multiple headstones prohibited.

It is specifically prohibited to place more than one headstone on any grave lot in any section in the Washougal Cemetery. (Ord. 1926 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 1839 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 916 § 3, 1988)

 2.44.125 Temporary markers required.

All burials must be marked by a minimum of a temporary marker at the time of interment. This shall be the sole responsibility of the funeral director involved. In the case of no funeral director, the city shall provide such marker. Temporary markers shall include the name of the deceased, year of birth and year of death. (Ord. 1926 § 1 (Exh. A), 2020; Ord. 1839 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018; Ord. 1105 § 1 (Exh. A), 1993)