New Sweden Cemetery Rules and Regulations

1. Notification of a board member is required (normally) 3 days prior to placing any remains into the cemetery.



2. Please contact the Cemetery Board 7 days before a stone or memorial monument is to be placed, to allow time to mark out the location. No markers or monuments will be placed in the cemetery without first being measured and marked by the cemetery. One gravestone per grave lot above the level of the ground will be allowed. If the family wishes to put in more markers in the case of cremations, these markers must fit within the gravesite and be level with the ground or recessed so that the lawn mower can cross over them.



3. One full burial and up to four sets of cremains are allowed per gravesite. The size of the cremation container, and any associated vault, must be such that it can be buried at least 12 inches below ground level and fit within the gravesite. For example, for four sets of cremated remains to fit on a grave, the container sizes must be limited to 18" x 18" x 12."



4. Maintenance and cleaning of all headstones and their base are the responsibility of the owner. New Sweden Cemetery Maintenance District shall bear no liability for any damage, deterioration, destruction, theft, or vandalism of headstones or their bases.



5. Cemetery staff endeavors to take reasonable care to maintain orderly, well-kept grounds. Over time, there is normal aging and upkeep required for all of the headstones in the cemetery. Some headstone designs are more susceptible to damage than others, even with care being taken (for example, observation of headstones in this and other cemeteries indicates that rust stains may develop over time from various and/or unknown causes).



6. Maintenance of headstones and their base is the responsibility of the owner. New headstones will be limited to 48" high and shall have a base. Bases shall allow for two inches of space on all four sides from adjacent gravesites. Temporary grave markers will be considered to be decorations once permanent markers are installed. Permanent markers should be installed within one year of interment. For graves without permanent markers after one year, the board reserves the right to install a small solid set marker, at owner expense.



7. Decorations (including flowers, poles, solar lights, ornaments, etc.) must be contained on the headstone or base.



8. According to the wounded warrior project website: "Placing a coin on headstones of a service member or veteran is a show of respect and honor, as well as letting the deceased service member's family know someone was there. Leaving coins on military headstones and veterans graves is a kind and appreciated gesture, but what generally happens with them after time is also significant and special. The coins are usually collected and used for upkeep of the cemetery or to help pay for burial costs for homeless veterans." New Sweden Cemetery Maintenance District staff may periodically collect money/coins left.



9. All trees and bushes will be trimmed to no higher than 36", and the branches and roots cannot encroach upon any adjoining properties/grave sites or mowing aisles. Overgrown trees and bushes may be trimmed by the district. Trees /bushes may be removed by the New Sweden Cemetery Maintenance District, after an attempt to contact gravesite owners or heirs. No new trees may be placed in or along the border of the cemetery.



10. Mowing of the cemetery will be done on a schedule at the discretion of the cemetery between April 1 and December 1. While mowing, decorations found placed outside of the base of headstones may be removed and disposed of without notice. As of April 1, all decorations outside of headstones or bases will be removed.


11. Decorations may be removed at any time of the year when they are dead, worn, faded or broken.


12. No alcoholic beverages, or their containers, are allowed to be placed on graves.


13. Please no domestic animals in the cemetery.


14. Restricted vehicle access in cemetery.


15. No alcohol in cemetery.

The only exception to the above policies is item # 10 above during the Memorial Day Holiday and the following week. We will suspend mowing from the Friday before Memorial Day until the Tuesday 8 days after. At this time, all decorations outside of headstones or bases, as well as flowers placed for Memorial Day, will be removed. If there is anything that you do not wish to be discarded from the gravesite of a loved one, please remove it prior to this day. It may be replaced the weekend after Memorial Day if it meets the above policies.