These Rules and Regulations may be amended by the Trustees of said Oak Hill Cemetery Association, Inc., but no such amendment(s) shall be effective until approved by the NYS Cemetery Board. The following Rules and Regulations were approved on June 27, 2023.
1. No interment shall be allowed without permission being first obtained from the Oak Hill Cemetery Association. At the time of applying for permission, the following information must be furnished:
a. Memorialization on the Cemetery-owned columbarium unit is at the discretion of the Oak Hill Cemetery Association and will be arranged through the Cemetery’s selected contractor only.
2. The total number of human interments per single burial grave is restricted to a maximum of two (2) cremains in one grave, or one (1) vaulted burial plus one (1) cremains placed in one grave.
3. Except as provided for section 1513(c) of the Non-for-Profit Corporation Law, no lot or niche owner may transfer or sell his/ her ownership of a grave plot without providing written notification to the Cemetery Association, and receipt of written acknowledgement of the Association recognizing the new ownership information.
4. The full purchase price must be paid before a deed will be given or interment allowed in lot or niche.
5. It is the responsibility of the owner to check with the Cemetery Association for any restrictions pertaining to their individual lot or niche before purchasing a monument.
6. While the columbarium falls under the Cemetery rules and regulations, there are different, specific ones that must be followed.
a. Memorialization on the Cemetery-owned columbarium unit is at the discretion of the Oak Hill Cemetery Association and will be arranged through the Cemetery’s selected contractor only.
i. Inscriptions will consist only of name (first, middle initial and last), date of birth and date of death in the following style: numerals for month/ day/ year with slashes between.
ii. Typeface and size are also predetermined to ensure consistency and fit.
iii. A modification is allowed to ensure a VA provided veteran’s medallion can be affixed. It is the responsibility of representative for the deceased to provide details to the selected memorialization vendor.
b. Nothing is allowed to be placed on the top of the columbarium unit or affixed to any place on it.
c. Disinterment and niche front stone replacement charges are to be received prior to remains being released. Cost for the stone replacement will depend on availability at the time.
d. A maximum of two sets of remains per niche space is allowed.
e. If plans include 2 urns per niche, it is the responsibility of the owner to ensure both will fit into a niche
12” x 12” x12.”
7. All work done in the cemetery must be done by cemetery employees or under the direction and control of the Caretaker of the Cemetery. An individual or business performing any unauthorized work in the Cemetery including digging graves, installing foundations or headstones, etc., will be liable for any and all costs relating to correcting the work including disinterment and re-burial. In addition, the Cemetery Association views such activities as trespassing and will enlist the services of the police if deemed necessary.
8. All foundations will be constructed by or under direction the Oak Hill Cemetery.
9. Bluestone foundations will be permitted for monuments and markers.
10. All monuments must be built of granite, marble or some other durable stone. Memorials of cement, artificial stone, wood or metal will not be permitted. A bronze Veteran’s marker and/or aluminum Firefighter’s marker can be placed in addition to the monument.
11. No work or burials will be performed on Sundays, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Day.
12. Cremated remains will not be permitted to be scattered in any part of the cemetery.
13. The interment of cremated remains will be permitted only in appropriate rigid receptacles, for example, made of wood, metal, concrete, fiberglass or plastic.
14. Concrete vaults/ grave liners are required (Board of Directives 201.6).
15. Effective August 31, 2016, the Cemetery Association does not allow the planting of shrubs, trees, or bushes and reserves the right to remove any such plantings.
16. The Cemetery Association reserves the right to remove any/ all shrubs, trees and bushes deemed to be dangerous to the public, affecting the stability of an existing memorial, or encroaching on adjoining lot, upon due notice to the lot owner.
17. The Oak Hill Cemetery Association reserves the right to remove all flowers, wreaths or other decorations as they become unsightly.
18. No vault or mausoleum shall be built or erected above ground without permission of the Board of Trustees, and then, only in such an approved location.
19. Placing of glass bottles or vases either artificial or grown in pots, is prohibited, and will be removed.
20. Disinterment of either a body or cremated remains may be made upon written request to the Oak Hill Cemetery Association by the grave owner and the consent of the legal representatives of the deceased.
21. Graves will not be opened when frost and weather conditions warrant such refusal. Oak Hill Cemetery does not provide snow removal during the winter months and the cost for snow removal will be additional. The Cemetery retains the right to refuse winter burials if the Caretaker or other Cemetery representative determines snow removal may cause any damage to existing stones or grounds.
22. The Cemetery is open daily from dawn to dusk.
23. Photography for private (non-commercial) use is permitted so long as it does not interfere with the quiet enjoyment of the cemetery by other visitors.
a. Photography of burials is permitted only with the express permission of the person authorizing the burial.
b. Photography for commercial use is prohibited, except with the written permission of the President or Vice President of the Association.
24. Oak Hill Cemetery will accept only cremated remains of domestic pets to be buried with human remains, and as such, all interments of cremated domestic pets are subject to these Rules and Regulations, and permitted only under the following conditions:
a. A Pet Disposal Form or other certificate must be submitted when the interment is incidental to the interment of human remains.
b. The scattering of any pet cremains is prohibited.
c. Interment of cremated domestic pets are only permitted when the interment is incidental to the interment of human remains.
d. Interment of cremated domestic pet remains that have been placed in a casket containing human remains will be treated as a separate interment subject to separate and additional fees.
e. All interments of cremated domestic pets must be scheduled and approved by the Cemetery. In the event of a scheduling conflict, the interment of human remains will always take precedence over the interment of cremated domestic pet remains.
f. The Cemetery will record the interment of pet remains in the same manner human remains are handled.
g. A standard grave will allow for one sealed urn containing up to 2 cremated domestic pet cremains. (Please refer to Item #12 for a description of acceptable materials for the urn). Up to 2 pet cremains may be contained within the coffin of a human burial.
h. In an instance where the cremated remains of a domestic pet have been placed in a casket for a human burial, the casket will remain untouched and as buried.
i. The following memorialization options may be considered for the pet:
i. Placement of a photo or medallion is allowed without any wording or inscription on the monument. Work should be completed
by a qualified monument contractor and arranged with the approval of the Cemetery.
j. Disinterment of a cremated domestic pet will be permitted only as requested by the lot owner or court order.
25. As the burial of cremated domestic pet remains are incidental to the business of the Cemetery, the Cemetery will place 100% of income from the interment of pet remains into the Permanent Maintenance Fund.
The NYS Cemetery Board provides additional information to allow consumers to educate themselves on various options and make informed decisions at:
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