Graveyard Restoration Committee

Charge: To maintain and restore old town cemeteries.

    Ridgefield Town Cemeteries
    Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877
    Effective April 1, 2019

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Purpose
The following rules and regulations have been adopted as a guide to the use and management of the Cemetery.  These rules and regulations will protect all who have interest here.

Definitions
Family Lot is an area of six lots or more, restricted to a group of related persons.
Single Grave is a grave for one person, or as defined under “Grave Sizes and Requirements below. 
Memorial is a monument, tombstone, grave marker or headstone identifying a grave or graves.
Monument is an upright memorial made principally of stone.
Urn is a container used for cremated remains or cremains.
Flush Marker is a flat gravestone set flush to the ground.

General Regulations

  • The Cemetery is open to the public seven days a week from dawn to dusk.
  • There will be no burials from after the first hard frost until after adequate thawing in the spring.
  • All burials, including cremains, must be approved and supervised by the Sexton.
  • Hundreds of people visit the Cemetery each year, many visit on a single day.  Because the Cemetery is open to the public, it is very difficult to control the activity of every visitor.  We regret that we cannot protect decorations from damage or theft.
  • To avoid damage to the lawns and grave markers, PLEASE PARK ON THE ROADS, not on the grass.
  • Please use rubbish containers throughout the Cemetery.
  • Lots must be paid in full before a burial is made.  Full purchase price must be paid before a certificate of ownership is issued.
  • All lot owners are required to notify the Cemetery of any change of address.  All notices required to be sent shall be sent to the last recorded address and such notices shall be deemed adequate.
  • The Cemetery will take all reasonable precautions to protect lot owners and their property within the Cemetery from loss, damage or injury but it shall not be responsible for such loss, damage or injury.
  • Bringing alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs into the Cemetery is strictly prohibited.

Grave Sizes and Requirements
A single grave site is approximately 4’ by 10’.  Actual size of the grave is 4’ by 8’.  In one single grave site you may inter:
    One casket, or
    One adult casket and one infant casket, or
    One casket and up to two cremains, or
    Three cremains

Headstone Size Regulations
Single grave       3’ base, overall height 38” Die and Base
2 or 3 graves      4’ base, overall height 38” Die and Base
4 or 5 graves      5’ base, overall height 38” Die and Base
6 graves           6’ base, overall height 38” Die and Base

Cremation Section Grave Sizes and Requirements
Cremation graves are 4’ by 3’ and are located in the cremation area.  One cremation per grave is allowed.  Headstones are not permitted at cremation sites.  Only flush markers are allowed.
Note:  Ashes are to be buried in a cremains urn vault, not in the box provided by the crematorium.

Flush Marker Size Regulation
Single grave       3’ long flush x approximately 18” deep
Two graves         4’ long flush x approximately 18” deep

 

CEMETERY DECORATION SCHEDULES AND PROCEDURES:
Year-round Guidelines
For safety reasons, no crushed stones will be allowed on any graves, in front of monuments or around flush markers. Placing stones or brick in front of monuments or flush markers is not permitted and these will be removed.

Flower & Decoration Regulations
The Cemetery reserves the right to remove all flowers, wreaths or other decorations from lots as soon as they become unsightly. The grounds will be cleared of decorations twice a year.  Spring clean-up begins March 15 and fall clean-up begins October 15. 

  • Decorations that become unsightly or withered will be removed.
  • If you wish to save your decorations, please remove them within the period indicated below.
  • We request that families refrain from placing jars, bottles, Styrofoam objects, crockery, statuary, cans or vigil lights on any grave. Devotional lights of any type are prohibited in the Cemetery. Any other type of decoration we find objectionable or dangerous to our employees will be removed immediately.
  • Grave blankets or sprays will not be permitted and will be removed.

Trees and shrubs are placed throughout the Cemetery by the Cemetery authorities for overall beauty and serenity of the grounds. Individual graves are not permitted to have trees or shrubs. Any such tree or shrub not approved by the Cemetery may be removed without notice to the lot owner.
All fall and winter decorations will be removed during spring clean-up. If at all possible, we request that you refrain from placing any new decorations during this clean-up period. If you wish to save your decorations, please remove them before March 15.

Decorations for the Growing Season – April 1 – November 1
(please limit decorations on graves)

Monument Section

  • Planting of flowers are permitted in front of monuments not to exceed the width of the monument and not to extend more than 10 inches in front of the monument.
  • Potted plants, flower boxes and vases are also permitted in front of monuments, not to exceed the width of the monument and not to extend more than 10 inches in front of the monument.
  • All wilted flowers will be removed by Cemetery personnel without notice.
  • Artificial flowers will be removed periodically by Cemetery personnel. 
  • All cemetery vases installed in the ground must be lowered after the growing season.
  • No statuary, memorabilia, or other decorative items are allowed.
  • No shepherd hooks or hanging baskets are allowed for safety reasons.

Decorations for the Growing Season (cont.)
Flush Marker Section (Cremains Section)

  • Live potted plants and flower boxes are permitted on top of flush markers only.
  • In-ground plantings around flush markers are not permitted and will be removed.
  • All wilted flowers will be removed by Cemetery personnel without notice.
  • Artificial flowers will be removed periodically by Cemetery personnel.
  • The Cemetery will not be responsible for damage to cemetery vases left in an upright position after the “growing season”.
  • No statuary, memorabilia or other decorative items are allowed.
  • No shepherd hooks or hanging baskets are allowed for safety reasons.

Decorations for the Non-growing Season, November 1 – April 1
(Please limit decorations on graves)

Monument Section

  • Christmas wreaths may be a maximum of 21 inches and may either be placed in the 10 inches in front of the monument or secured to the monument.
  • Artificial flowers or evergreen boughs in boxes or pots may be placed in the 10-inch area in front of the monument.
  • No grave blankets or sprays are allowed.

Flush Marker Section (Cremains Section)

  • Artificial flowers and/or evergreen boughs in boxes or pots may be placed on top of flush markers.
  • No grave blankets or sprays are allowed.

THE TOWN OF RIDGEFIELD HAS THE RIGHT TO MODIFY THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS AT ANY TIME AT ITS DISCRETION. 

Committee Members

Name Title
Sara Champion
Susan Law
Nancy Selander Chair
Joel Third
Thomas McManus Treasurer
Sarah Slavin
Miichael Harrington
Susan Kweskin
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