Mt. Hope Cemetery

Section 1.  CONDUCT IN CEMETERY. No person shall:

   A.)    Enter the cemetery except through an established gate.
   B.)    Deposit rubbish or debris on cemetery grounds.
   C.)    Pick or mutilate any flowers, either wild or domestic, or disturb any tree, shrub, or other plant material.
   D.)    Consume alcoholic beverages in the cemetery or carry same upon the premises.
   E.)    Permit any animal to enter or remain in the cemetery.
   F.)    Use any form of advertising on cemetery premises.
   G.)    Have or discharge a firearm in or adjacent to the cemetery.  This prohibition shall not apply to authorized volleys at burial services and officers of the law.

Section 2.  FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF CEMETERY FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

The cemetery shall not be financially responsible for any damage to lots and structures or objects thereon, or for flowers or articles removed from any lot or grave.

Section 3.  TRAFFIC REGULATIONS.

All traffic laws of the City of Port Huron that are applicable to operation of vehicles in the cemeteries shall be strictly observed.  A person driving in the cemetery shall be responsible for damage done by the vehicle.  Speed limit 10 M.P.H. Parking on the Grass is not permitted.

Section 4.  CONDITION OF THE LOT PURCHASES.

All lots shall be sold subject to those rules and regulations or those here after adopted and the muniment of easement shall state.  No lot shall be used for any purpose other than the burial of human remains and the placing of appropriate memorials.  Interments of the remains of any person other than the owner of lot or any member of the immediate family will be permitted only after written consent by the owners, or authorized agent has been filed with the cemetery.  No mortgage or other encumbrances shall be given.

Section 5.  PURCHASE PROCEDURE.

The purchase of a plot shall be evidenced by the execution of a receipt of purchase , upon forms furnished by the cemetery, describing the plot and stating the purchase price and amount paid.  The purchase of a plot provides an easement for purpose of burial not the purchase of land.  When a plot is paid for in full, a muniment of easement for cemetery purposes only shall be issues to the purchaser by the cemetery.

Section 6.  TRANSFER OF PLOTS.

Plots shall not be sold, assigned, or transferred except to the cemetery.

DECORATION OF PLOTS RULES & REGULATIONS

Section 7.  DEFINITION.

Plot decorations shall be deemed to include all structures, ornaments, plantings, or other embellishments with the exception of monuments, which are placed on the cemetery plots with the intention of improving their appearance.  Because certain types of individual plot decorations are not in harmony with the development of the cemetery as a whole or because they may intensify maintenance problems, the cemetery enforces certain rules regarding the decoration of cemetery plots.

Section 8.  DECORATION OF PLOTS IN THE CEMETERY.

The following rules shall be observed with regard to the decoration of cemetery plots.

   A.)    Copings, fences, curbs, rocks, cobble stones, garden benches, steps, glass of any kind, structures of wood or other equally perishable materials are strictly prohibited.  All wood chips, stones, gardening filler, etc. must be enclosed by a solid above ground border, so as to not interfere with maintenance.  Preferably cement pavers or the like, for durability and longevity.  These structures or enclosures established on any plot previous to the adoption of these regulations which have, in the judgement of the cemetery management, become unsightly by reason of neglect or age shall be removed without notice.
   B.)    No elevated mounds shall be built over graves and no plot shall be filled above grade level established by the cemetery.
   C.)    ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS will be permitted but they will be removed without notice when, in the judgement of cemetery management, they are deemed faded, dirty, or unsightly.
   D.)    WINTER DECORATIONS may be maintained on graves from November 15th until April 1st.  If such decorations are not removed by April 1st, they shall be considered abandoned and may be disposed of by the cemetery management without notice.
   E.)    URNS shall be permitted only with permission from the cemetery supervisor if space permits.  Permitted urns with growing plants and flowers allowed after May 1st and must be in line with the headstones.  Any urns not in use by June 1st will be considered abandoned and will be removed by cemetery management without notice.  Urns must be dumped and turned over by October 15th.  Any urns with peeling paint and/or missing parts, broken or otherwise will be removed without notice.
   F.)    SHEPHERD HOOKS for hanging baskets and urns shall be permitted with only ONE per plot.  All shepherd hooks must be as close to the monument as possible and either next to or behind the monument.  All shepherd hooks not in use by June 1st with flowers will be considered abandoned and will be removed by cemetery management.  All shepherd hooks not in use by November 15th with a Christmas wreath or flowers will be considered abandoned and will be removed by cemetery management without notice.
   G.)    PLANTINGS shall be permitted only in front of the monument, extending no further than 16 inches in front of and no wider than the monument itself.  The planting of hedges, trees, shrubs, rose bushes, briar bushes, or lilacs are strictly prohibited.  Weeding and general appearance of flowerbeds is your responsibility and any flowerbed, in the judgement of cemetery management, deemed unkept or unsightly will be removed by cemetery management without notice.
   H.)    The cemetery will remove all flowers, hedges, trees and shrubs which have become unsightly or interfere with maintenance, by reason of neglect or other reasons.  No shrubs or hedges shall cover partially or in full any monument.  Any flowers, trees, hedges, or shrubs that the cemetery deems to remove, will be removed without notice.
    I.)    No deciduous tree or conifer shall be removed or pruned except under the direction and with the consent of the Superintendent of the cemetery.
   J.)    The use of any outside lawn or landscaping service is prohibited without the consent of the cemetery superintendent.
   K.)    HANGING PLANTS will be permitted to remain on plots from May 1st through October 15th.  No plastic or otherwise breakable pots permitted to sit on the ground. Pots may not be sunk in the ground.  Refer to part (E.) above for ground urns. Any pots, in the judgement of cemetery management, deemed in need of removal, will be removed by cemetery management and without notice.
   L.)    STATUES AND PERPETUAL LIGHTS are permitted if properly installed.  They must be in line with the head stones.  Statues may not be enclosed in glass or other enclosures.  Any statues with peeling paint and/or missing parts, broken or otherwise will be removed without notice.  All statues must be painted in modest colors.
   M.)     No decorations of markers at the foot of gravesites.
   N.)    Decoration of any plots with no headstone is strictly prohibited.
   O.)    Approved temporary markers are only allowed directly after a funeral service and for no more than 90 days after the funeral service.
   P.)    PINNED GRANITE MEMORIAL BENCHES are allowed; only when approved by the cemetery supervisor, only when installed under the supervision of the cemetery supervisor, and only where space permits.  Any other bench will be removed without notice.
  Q.)    ROCKS OR BOULDERS of any kind will no longer be permitted in place of a granite memorial.

FOUNDATION RULES & REGULATIONS

Section 9. PAYMENT FOR FOUNDATIONS.

All foundations must be paid in full before any foundations are placed on any grave or lot.  No monument or marker may be placed until the foundation has been paid for.

LOT CARE RULES & REGULATIONS

Section 10. LOT CARE.

A.)    General Maintenance of the cemetery, to improve over-all appearance, is the responsibility of the cemetery.  This includes basic lot care such as cutting grass, etc.
B.)    The use of any machinery or equipment such as blowers, mowers, etc. by anyone other than cemetery personnel is strictly prohibited.  The use of any chemicals for the control of unwanted plant growth is strictly prohibited.

GENERAL NOTICE

If there is any question or doubt as to what is allowed or not allowed, it is incumbent upon any person to inquire for specific instruction from the cemetery office.  Mount Hope Cemetery reserves the right to change, add to, and/or delete any rule or regulation at any time.