P.O. Box 24381
Rochester, New York 14624
Westside Memorial Gardens is a cemetery located on Stryker Road in the Town of Chili, New York, owned and operated by Grove Place Cemetery, which was originally formed in 1856 under the Rural Cemetery Associations Law Passed April 27, 1847.
The mission of Grove Place Cemetery is to provide a dignified and respectful setting for the interment and repose of our loved ones. It is with this mission in mind that the Board of Trustees has adopted the following rules and regulations for Westside Memorial Gardens to be observed by all lot owners, visitors and vendors.
Grove Place Cemetery operates in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and under the jurisdiction of the New York State Division of Cemeteries.
Section 1. General
A) All lots in Westside Memorial Garden are sold in accordance with the provisions of New York State Law and the Rules and Regulations of the Grove Place Cemetery.
B) Interments in a lot are restricted to those entitled to burial therein according to the terms of Article 15 of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. Permission for burial of those not entitled to burial according to said Article must be filed by lot owner(s) with Grove Place Cemetery or designated by statute.
C) No interment shall be allowed without permission being first obtained from Grove Place Cemetery. At the time of interment, a Burial - Transit Permit or a Certificate of Cremation must be furnished that provides the following information, if known:
a) Name of Deceased
b) Age of deceased – including date of birth
c) Place of birth of deceased
d) Date of Death
e) Date of interment
f) If not an adult, the name(s) of parent(s) or legal guardian(s)
g) Name of funeral home
h) Name of spouse
D) The full purchase price of a lot must be assured before a deed will be issued or a burial allowed in a lot.
E) Except as provided for in Article 15 of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law, no lot owner may transfer his or her lot.
Transfer requests must be filed using an Application for Approval to Transfer Cemetery Property and properly notarized. Application to be reviewed by Grove Place Cemetery and upon approval, a new indenture will be issued. Only unoccupied lots can be considered for transfer.
F) Lot owners are prohibited from allowing interments to be made in their lots for compensation.
G) Grove Place Cemetery may buy back unused lots at the original price together with simple interest at 4% per annum, not to exceed current prices.
H) Disinterment shall be allowed provided the applicant provides the Board with substantiation that they are in compliance with the provisions of Section 1510e of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. Grove Place Cemetery shall not be responsible for any damage resulting from the disinterment and the party seeking disinterment agrees to indemnify Grove Place Cemetery from all liability thereon.
Lot owners shall notify Grove Place Cemetery of an address change. Notices sent to lot owners by Grove Place Cemetery shall be sent to the last recorded address and shall be deemed adequate.
J) The President of the Cemetery or in his/her absence or unavailability, the Vice President, shall have the authority to delay burials, interments or entombments for a reasonable period of time, if, in the sole opinion or such officer, such activity would result in harm or damage to the property or environment of the Cemetery.
K) In order to main the dignity of Westside Memorial Gardens, Grove Place Cemetery requires that all proposed monuments be submitted for review prior to installation to ensure that the contents are in keeping with the mission of Grove Place Cemetery. Grove Place Cemetery reserves the right to disapprove any contents or inscriptions that are unsightly, hazardous or adverse to the mission of providing a dignified and respectful setting for the interment and repose of our loved ones. Further, Grove Place Cemetery reserves the right to remove, after due notice, any embellishment, effigy or inscription that, in the judgment of a majority of the Board of Trustees, is unsightly, hazardous or adverse to the mission of Grove Place Cemetery.
L) Firearms/weapons are prohibited from Westside Memorial Gardens except for active members of the military or law enforcement while participating in a military or law enforcement funeral.
M) The President of the Cemetery or in his/her absence or unavailability, the Vice President, shall have the authority to refuse entrance or demand removal of any vehicular traffic that, in the opinion of the President or Vice President, may result in injury to the roads and driveways of the Cemetery.
Section 2. Operating Rules
A) Hours:
All persons shall be allowed access to the Cemetery daily during the daylight hours commencing at 8:00 A.M. and no later than 8:00 P.M., weather permitting. Grove Place Cemetery reserves the right to restrict the foregoing as the circumstances and conditions may require.
B) Advance Notice:
In order to allow the Cemetery sufficient time to prepare, Grove Place Cemetery requires 48 hours advance notice from the funeral director or other responsible parties.
C) Pavilion/Graveside Services:
Westside Cemetery Gardens requires 24 hours advance notice of any planned event to be conducted in the pavilion or at the gravesite.
D) Carry In-Carry Out:
Westside Cemetery Gardens is a “carry in-carry out” cemetery. The funeral director, responsible parties and family members are all jointly responsible for cleaning up upon the conclusion of the event.
F) Vaults:
In compliance with New York State Law, concrete vaults or concrete grave liners are required to meet the NYSCRR Part 201 Section 201.6 minimum specifications.
G) Cremains:
No more than two (2) sets of human cremains shall be placed in an urn. In accordance with Cemetery Directive 202.6., interment of cremated remains will be permitted only in appropriate urns such as plastic, metal, ceramic, wooden or concrete. Scattering of cremains in any part of the Cemetery is prohibited.
H) Interment Restrictions:
Interments per full size lot are restricted to the following: (a) One (1) casketed remains; or (b) One (1) casketed remains plus Two (2) urns; or (c) Three (3) urns. Interments per cremains lot are restricted to Three (3) urns. The funeral director is responsible for depositing the remains in each receptacle.
I) Surcharges:
Extra charges will be incurred:
a) Saturday, Sunday or Holiday Interment
b) After Hours Burials after 3:00 P.M. Monday – Saturday
c) Funeral Arrivals Late by more than one (1) hour
d) During the Winter, namely 12/15 – 3/15 for all full casket and cremation openings
J) Work:
All maintenance work performed in the Cemetery shall be done by Cemetery employees or under the control of Grove Place Cemetery, except as permitted upon request of the lot owner or designee.
K) Foundations:
Grove Place Cemetery shall have the exclusive control over the installation of all foundations. No monument will be allowed to be delivered at the Cemetery until the foundation is installed.
L) Vault/Mausoleum:
No vault or Mausoleum shall be built above ground without the permission of the Cemetery and then only in such locations as they may approve. No Vault or Mausoleum will be approved for construction by the Cemetery unless sufficient endowment is set up to provide adequate income to maintain the structure.
M.) Monuments:
Unless permission is given by the Board of Trustees of Grove Place Cemetery for a variance, the following rules apply:
a) All monuments or markers must be constructed of marble, granite or bronze.
b) The maximum height of a monument is limited to four feet (48”) above the foundation and the maximum length of three feet (36”).
c) Veterans section is limited to flat military monuments (granite military monuments 24 inches long, 12 inches wide and 4 inches thick).
d) Footstones must be positioned flush to the ground.
e) Grove Place Cemetery shall be provided with a key for any monument capable of housing cremains.
N) Pet Remains:
Pets or domestic animals are not allowed to be buried at Westside Memorial Gardens.
O) Maintenance:
Grove Place Cemetery respects the rights of its guests to honor the deceased and strives to balance the traditions and practices of individuals with the overall desire to provide a uniform, consistent appearance for the benefit of all. In order to facilitate a safe environment, Grove Place Cemetery reserves the right to remove any potentially dangerous condition, including, but not limited to wire base decorations or vegetation that potentially obstructs, damages monuments or encroaches upon surrounding lots. Accordingly the following rules apply to all graves except those in the Military Section and Infinity Walk:
1. Plantings
All persons are forbidden to remove or pick flowers (except the owners thereof) from the grounds, building, equipment, monuments or improvements thereon, and it shall be the duty of an officer of the Cemetery to cause any offender in this respect to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
2. Trees and Shrubs:
The unauthorized planting of trees and shrubs of any kind is prohibited. A written request can be directed to Grove Place Cemetery for the planting of a tree or shrub in an area designated as a future tree area.
3. Decorations:
Live flowers or wreaths may be placed on a gravesite to commemorate a special day or holiday. All decorations of this type must be removed within two weeks following the holiday or special occasion. Christmas wreaths on wire stands are permitted from November 15th through March 1st. If left beyond that date, they will be removed by cemetery maintenance crews. Balloons may be placed only temporarily and will be removed at the next grass mowing and trimming time or after two weeks during the dormant season. Artificial flowers, hanging baskets, shepherd hooks, plants or shrubs, dolls, glass bottles, porcelain figures and other mementoes and/or personal objects are prohibited and may not be placed on graves and/or monuments. Any object or decoration that is located in the grass/lawn that grows around a monument can become entangled in the grass trimmers and cause damage to the equipment and danger to the operator. ALL SUCH OBJECTS AND DECORATIONS THAT INTERFERE WITH GRASS MOWING AND TRIMMING WILL BE SUMMARILY REMOVED..
4. Enclosures:
No fence or enclosure is allowed around any lot and graves must be level. Flowers may be planted in front of a monument but may not exceed the width of the stone or extend more than 18 inches outward from the base of the stone. If flowers are planted, the grass must be removed so it is not required to be trimmed. Owners are required to maintain this area grass and weed free. The Cemetery reserves the right to remove all flowers from lots as soon as
they become grassed over or become unsightly with weeds. A paver enclosure is allowed in front of the monument
not to exceed 18 inches from the base of the stone as long as the area within the pavers is maintained grass and weed
free. ANY FLOWERS PLANTED IN AN AREA WHERE GRASS GROWS WILL BE CUT OFF BY THE
TRIMMERS WHEN THE GRASS IS MOWED.
P) Military:
1. Only military personnel, veterans and spouses can be buried in the Military Section. Graves in the Military Section are restricted to the following decorations, so long as they are in good condition:
a) 12” x 18” Flags of the United States of America or Military Branch of Service.
b) 12” – 16” Wreaths Mounted on a Stand/
2. Flowers, trees, shrubs, plants and decorations of any kind are prohibited and will be summarily removed.
Q) Pavers:
Pavers are available to purchase to honor all military personnel and first responders even though they may not be interred at Westside Memorial Gardens. Pavers are 8 inches by 8 inches and will be inscribed by the Cemetery .
Section 3. Infinity Walk:
The infinity walk is an eternal resting place for cremated remains combining a perpetual walkway with natural markers thereby creating a unique memorial option. While creating a more natural setting than the traditional cemetery, our infinity walk receives the same amount of care and reverence. With the foregoing in mind, the following rules and regulations pertain exclusively to our infinity walk:
1. Only one (1) urn with a maximum of two (2) cremains can be interred on each lot.
2. All urns must fit within a 14x14x14 space.
3. Memorials are restricted to natural stones that must be approved by Grove Place Cemetery.
4. All inscriptions must be submitted in the form of a picture for approval by Grove Place Cemetery.
5. Wreaths in good condition may be placed over the memorial stone for the celebration of holidays or special
occasions.
6. A written request can be directed to Grove Place Cemetery for the planting of a shrub or perennial
flower in an area designated by Grove Place Cemetery.
7. Flowers, plants and decorations of any kind are not all allowed and will be summarily removed.
These Rules and Regulations have been approved by New York State Department of State pursuant to Section 1509(c) of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law and Section 200.2 of the Rules of Procedure of the State Cemetery Board.
These Rules and Regulations may be amended by the Trustees of Grove Place Cemetery, but no such amendments shall be effective until approved by the New York State Cemetery Board.
Rules & Regulations Amended May 10, 2022 and Approved August 30, 2022
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