Groton Rural Cemetery
Clark Street, Groton, New York

1. Lot owners shall not allow interments to be made in their lot/s for remuneration; nor shall any transfer or assignment of a lot be valid until filed with the Association. Should a lot owner desire to dispose of his/her interest in the lot, the approval of the State Cemetery Board must be obtained before the Cemetery Association can record any conveyance of interest. No transfer or assignment can be made after an interment has been made in the lot. 

2. Authorization should be made in writing by the owner or legal representative whenever a grave is to be opened. All interments and disinterments are to be made by the Cemetery. 

3. The Cemetery assumes no responsibility for errors in accepting orders over the telephone. 

4. Disinterments may be made on the consent of the Association and the written consent of the owner/owners of the lot and the surviving spouse and children, if of legal age, and the parents of the deceased. If the consent of any such person/s cannot be obtained, or if the Association refuses its consent, the consent of the Supreme Court of Tompkins County shall suffice. 

5. Plantings of any description shall not be made on any lot or grave except as outlined in Regulation #6 and/or where the written approval of the Cemetery has been obtained. Any planting made without approval may be removed without notice. 

6. Planting of flowers, vines, or other plants on graves is a privilege granted, provided adequate provision is made for the care required to keep such plantings in order. Flowers, plantings, decorations of any kind may only be placed on the memorial monument/marker, on the monument/marker’s concrete foundation or directly in front of the monument/marker’s foundation for a length of twelve (12) inches extending from the front edge of such foundation. No wire, glass, plastic, or a material deemed harmful to cemetery equipment or personnel by the Cemetery sexton/caretaker will be permitted to be used as edging of this defined area. Should the plantings or decorations become overgrown, unsightly or encroach on adjacent graves or lots, due notice will be sent to the lot owner after which the Association shall have the right to remove such plantings and put the lot or grave in order at the expense of the lot owner. 

7. No trees, bushes (including rose bushes) or ornamental shrubs shall be planted on any lot and or grave without the express written permission of the Cemetery sexton/caretaker. If any trees or shrubs shall by means of their roots or branches become detrimental to or encroach upon adjacent lots or paths or become unsightly, after due notice has been given to the lot owner, the Association shall have the right to enter said lot and remove said trees, shrubs, or such parts thereof as they determine to be detrimental or unsightly. No tree growing in the Cemetery shall be cut down, trimmed, or otherwise altered without the consent of the Association. 

8. A maximum of two metal flag holders shall be allowed on any grave.

9. Ornamental plant/flower hangers or solar lights of any kind must either be installed in the ground in front of the memorial monument/marker as defined in Regulation #6 or securely attached to the memorial monument/marker or concrete foundation. A maximum of two in any combination are allowed with each memorial monument/marker placed on any lot or grave. 10. No more than one piece of artificial /decoration, flowers, light, etc. shall be allowed on or in front of any memorial monument/marker. This rule also applies to any unmarked grave or lot that contains a burial. Any more than one item shall be removed by the Cemetery sexton/caretaker. The use of glass or china plant/flower holders is prohibited. 

11. Plant/s in pots or urns may be placed for Memorial Day. They should be reclaimed by October 15th. After that date, any items of obvious value will be placed by the cemetery equipment building for reclamation until the following Memorial Day weekend holiday. 

12. While the Cemetery Association is concerned with the protection of lot decorations, such as plantings, flowers, etc., it cannot assume responsibility for their protection from unauthorized removal by unknown persons (theft). 

13. No memorial monument/marker shall be placed on any lot until a deed for such lot shall have been issued to the lot owner/s. 

14. All foundations for memorials shall be placed by the Cemetery, the charges for which shall be reasonable, uniform, and approved by the State Cemetery Board. The Cemetery shall accept responsibility for the proper construction of such foundations. Application for installation of foundations shall be in writing, giving a lot owner/s name, address, section, and number of lot. 

15. Should any memorial monument/marker become unsightly, dilapidated, or a menace to visitors, the Cemetery shall have the right, at the expense of the owner/s, to correct the condition of the memorial monument/marker. 16. Dogs shall not be permitted in the Cemetery. 

17. Use of lanes or roads for motorcycles, bicycles, snowmobiles, and other unauthorized vehicles is prohibited. 

18. Any soliciting of memorial business within the Cemetery including unsolicited approaching of the bereaved for any purpose is not permitted. 

19. No lot owner shall erect, or cause to be erected or placed in any lot, any memorial monument/marker in respect of which the Cemetery Association disapproves because it is detrimental to the harmonious appearance of the cemetery grounds in general. 

20. All prices, charges, and fees shall be authorized by the State Cemetery Board and be available upon request. 

21. A minimum non-refundable deposit of $100.00 per lot is due at time of purchase. Balance due in full within twelve (12) months from the date of purchase. 

22. Foundations and/or monuments/markers on single grave lots shall not exceed a maximum of 30” (30 inches) in width. Foundations and/or monuments/markers on multiple grave lots shall not exceed 60% of width of said lots. 

23. A single full lot (4’ x 10’ or 4’ x 11’) may have a maximum of one regular adult burial and two cremation burials or a maximum of four cremation burials. 

24. Monuments for such burial lots as outlined in Regulation #22 will be limited in one (1) upright monument/marker or stone with a flush marker at the opposite end of lot or two flush markers, one at each end of the lot.