RULES & REGULATIONS

I. GENERAL RULES

A. Hours and Contact Information

 

1. The Cemetery will be open during daylight hours. The Fourth Street gate will be open during daylight hours and closed at dark. Entrance by the Third Street gates will be limited to special events, maintenance operations, and otherwise at the discretion of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of St. John’s Cemetery, Inc. (the “Corporation”).
2. Contact Information: Mailing address: St. John Cemetery, Inc., 112 E. 2nd Street, Frederick, Maryland 21701; Email address: info.stjohnscemeterymd@gmail.com; Voice mail: (301) 917-3099;
Website: StJohnsCemetery-MD.org.

 

B. Conduct

1. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
2. Children are not permitted to play in the Cemetery.
3. Pets must be on leashes, kept on the paths and properly cleaned up after.
4. Trash, recycling and plant matter must be disposed of in the designated receptacles behind the screening near the shed or removed from the Cemetery.
5. Sitting or climbing on monuments, headstones, and crypts is strictly prohibited.
6. Any person found to have caused damage within the Cemetery shall be liable for such damage.
7. All persons, while in the Cemetery, will conduct themselves in a reverent manner, remembering that these grounds are dedicated to the sacred memory of those buried here.

 

II. GROUNDS

A. Flowers and Ancillary Items

1. Artificial flowers and arrangements are permitted only from December 1st through April 1st. 
2. Live flowers and arrangements may not be placed in such a manner as to impede mowing and other maintenance of the Cemetery.
3. Placement of large shrubs or trees is not permitted. In-ground plants, flowers and small shrubs may be placed on graves so long as properly maintained.
4. Fencing or hedges to enclose a grave or portion of a grave for plantings is not permitted. Curbing may be acceptable if approved by the Board or its representative.
5. Personal items and memorabilia left at a grave should be removed in a timely fashion. Items that have deteriorated or weathered may be removed by the Cemetery. The Corporation is not responsible for lost, stolen or removed items.
6. Installation of electronic devices (audio, video, lighting, recording, etc.) are not permitted within the cemetery grounds. Any items will be removed immediately when found.

 

B. Graves

1. Only full body and cremation burials are permitted in the Cemetery. Scattering of ashes is never
permitted.
2. Outer Burial Containers constructed of concrete or steel are required for all full body burials.
3. All graves must be paid for in full prior to burial.
4. Grave opening charges will be set by the Board from time to time. Grave opening charges shall be paid prior to interment, but may not be pre-paid before the grave is needed.
5. Only under extreme circumstances will Sunday burials be permitted and additional grave opening charges may be applied to a Sunday burial.
6. Any other charges for interment are the responsibility of the lot owner. Please refer to the Cemetery’s website for current charges.
7. Buy-Back and Sale of Grave.

a. If a purchaser decides that they no longer need a grave, St. John’s Cemetery, Inc. will buy-back
the grave for 75% of the purchase price.
b. If a purchaser wishes to donate a grave back to the Cemetery, the Corporation will provide a
letter recognizing the donation for tax purposes based on the full current purchase price for graves.
c. A purchaser may sell or transfer their grave to another party, subject to approval by the Board.
Please contact a representative of the Board at info.stjohnscemeterymd@gmail.com or 301-917-
3099. The Corporation will provide a Certificate for Burial to the new owner.

 

C. Monuments

1. Within one year of a burial (cremation or full body) a permanent monument must be installed. If no monument is installed after one year the Right to Burial contract is considered in default. The Corporation may take actions it deems appropriate for compliance.
2. Erection of monument, i.e., headstone, footstone, or marker, is subject to approval of the Board or a designated agent.
3. All monuments will be set on concrete foundations at the lot owner's expense.
4. Any unauthorized monument considered by the Board to be inappropriate in material, design, workmanship, location, or inscription, may be removed or modified by the Corporation at the lot owner's expense.
5. All flat markers must have concrete foundations and be set at ground level so as not to impede mowing of the Cemetery.
6. Cornerstones may be placed to mark four or more contiguous graves and must be placed on concrete foundations.

 

D. Damages

1. All damages resulting from work done by monument companies, vault companies, morticians or
individuals shall be the sole responsibility of those companies or individuals.
2. The Corporation is not responsible for the removal, disappearance, theft, damage or destruction
of flowers, decorations or other items of personal property placed at graves. Items that pose a safety
hazard to visitors or staff will be removed as soon as identified and without notice.

 

III. COLUMBARIUM NICHES

A. Proper Handling for Cremains (Ashes) Cremated human remains are treated as reverently as a body. After the remains are placed in an urn, the urn is to be respectfully buried or placed in a niche in a columbarium (inurnment).
B. Urn or Container Criteria

1. The container should be made of durable material, for example: metal or stone or ceramic. If a
wooden container is used, it must include a sealed heavy plastic liner or bag to contain the ashes.
2. Containers must be watertight. Many urn styles with screw-on tops satisfy this requirement. It is
preferred that some type of waterproof sealant be placed around the opening of containers that do
not have screw-on tops.
3. Each niche is a cube of 12 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches and will hold two urns of cremated
remains. There are many different styles, sizes and shapes of urns and containers. Please consult your
funeral director or the crematory for more information.

a. If only one urn or container will occupy a niche, it should be no larger than 11 inches by 11
inches by 11 inches.
b. If two urns of cremated remains are to be interred in one niche, the size and shape of each urn
or container must be considered.

(1) Rectangular shaped (including cube shaped) containers may be no larger than 5 ¾ inches wide
by 11 inches long by 10 ½ inches tall.

(2) Round or cylindrical vase-style urns should be no larger than 6 ¾ inches in diameter at the
widest point. Due to the fact that a taller vase-style urn may need to be turned slightly to one side to place it inside the niche, it should be less than 11 inches tall.

 

4. In the event that one urn cannot contain all the ashes, most funeral homes or crematories offer a
cloth bag which can be placed in the niche with the urn. The ashes must be contained inside a sealed
plastic bag inside the cloth bag.
5. To discourage vandalism and theft, items such as jewelry, photographs, or keepsakes are not to be
placed in the niches or urns.

 

C. Inurnment

1. Inurnment, when the remains are placed in a columbarium niche, may take place immediately
following the funeral service or at another time agreed upon by the family, the Corporation, and
clergy, if desired.
2. In rare cases of extremely severe inclement weather, inurnment might not take place as
scheduled. If a funeral service has already been planned at a church on such a day, the family
should proceed with the service but understand the committal of the ashes might not take place
that day. The Corporation will work with the family to reschedule the inurnment.
3. St. John’s Cemetery, Inc. will issue a Certificate of Right to Inurnment to convey a right of
inurnment for a burial space. This constitutes a receipt for full payment and the description of the
designated niche for inurnment. A Certificate of Right to Inurnment will be issued to the
purchaser upon payment in full.

D. Niche Engraving Standards
Engraving and its cost are the family’s responsibility. The deceased’s representative is responsible
for arranging and paying for the engraving of the deceased’s name and dates of birth and death on
the niche facing. The deceased’s representative will work directly with the approved engraver,
Lough Memorials, Inc., Frederick, Maryland. To maintain a clean and uniform appearance,
engraving is limited to letters, numerals, dashes and slashes. A representative of the Board must
review and approve the niche front design before engraving.

 

E. Fees and Identification of Niche

1. The latest Fee Schedule can be found on the Cemetery’s website. The purchaser may select any
available niche. Full payment is required at the time of selection.
2. The columns in the Columbarium are numbered 1-85; the rows are identified as A-E. Once a
niche is selected, it will be identified as Column ___ Row___. Note that Columns 58-77 do not
have a Row A.
3. Opening the niche for the first inurnment is included in the fee but there will be a charge of $100
(subject to increase) to open the niche for placement of the second set of remains.

 

F. Additional Conditions
There are no provisions in the Columbarium for loose flowers, flowerpots, or wreaths. To prevent
niche damages, the Corporation also forbids attaching embellishments or projections such as
flower vases, photographs, wreaths to the Columbarium.

 

G. Perpetual Care
St. John’s Cemetery, Inc. has established a trust providing for the perpetual care of the Cemetery
and the Columbarium. This trust has been endowed through the sale of graves/niches and generous
donations.

 

H. Buy-Back and Sale of Columbarium Niche

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1. If a purchaser decides that they no longer need a niche, St. John’s Cemetery, Inc. will buy-back
the niche for 75% of the purchase price.
2. If a purchaser wishes to donate the cost of the niche back to the Cemetery, the Corporation will
provide a letter recognizing the donation for tax purposes based on the full current purchase price
for the type of niche to be donated.
3. A purchaser may sell or transfer their niche to another party, subject to approval by St. John’s
Cemetery, Inc. A new Certificate of Right to Inurnment will be issued to the new owner and they
will be subject to the Rules and Regulations in effect at the time of the sale or transfer.