RULES and REGULATIONS
Be Respectfull
Secty/Mngr and Grounds Superintendent are authorized to remove any persons, obstructions, or items interfering with the safety of employees and/or the public in general, whether in or around the perimeter of the Cemeteries
Be Responsible
All persons on the Grounds are responsible for their own clean-up and disposal of flower arrangements around their family gravesites. Receptacles for refuse are located in the designated areas.
No Alcohol
ALCOHOL is forbidden on these grounds. ALL Visitors to the Cemeteries with alcohol will be reported to the Merced County Sheriff Department; any alcohol found at a gravesite will be immediately removed and discarded.
Check First
Effective March 15, 2021 ALL persons/ Grave Lot owners/ must receive WRITTEN PERMISSION from the Secretary and/or Manager of the District to place ANY ornamentation or “decorations” or Memorials onto a grave monument. (Contact information is above). The District may allow a fourteen (14 ) day period for Artificial Flowers: ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS or ‘everlasting’ flowers OR potted plants are allowed on a TEMPORARY basis to be placed ON the concrete foundation base or in the Monument’s vases of the Plot owned by the Family ONLY. Nothing is to be dug nor placed into the area lawns, tree wells, nor fences – NO GLASS VASES nor JARS of any kind even on the concrete foundation – they will be discarded immediately by the District. Easter Week, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving week, and Christmas Season …after those periods, such artificials may be removed due to neglect or by wear and weather; the District is not responsible for any loss nor damage to articles- memorials- photos- statues – artificial flowers and the like when placed on or around a family monument. It is the responsibility of the plot owner to obtain, complete, and submit the Written Permission to the District. All adornments will be removed from the premises if an Approved Form is not on-file with Secretary after March15th. Anything left at a gravesite – even with Permission -- along with the care & cleaning for a headstone—(monument)-- is the Family’s responsibility. ** Fresh cut Flowers will be allowed at ANY time provided they are properly placed in an approved Vase on the family monument**
Nothing can be planted
Trees, plants, or shrubs of any kind will be planted ONLY by the Cemetery District.
Days of the week
Burials for Saturday morning Services have an additional Fee; Weekdays or Saturday Services AFTER 12: 00 pm have an additional Fee* - all fees are subject to change by the Board of Directors of the Hilmar Cemetery District and are available at the Secty/Mngr Office. No Interments, disinterments, removals or other Services shall be permitted on Saturday Afternoons*, Sundays, or on any of the following Holidays: New Year’s Day; ‘Good Friday’ through Easter Monday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving Day; Dec 24th <Christmas Eve> through Dec 27th.
Markers and Memorials
RAISED granite or marble memorial markers shall NOT exceed the following dimensions: SINGLE monuments (MAXIMUMS):Base= Width 36” X Total Height 34” X Depth 14” COMPANION monuments < spanning TWO LOTS> (MAXIMUMS): Base= Width 60” X Total Height 36” X Depth 14”; < A “companion” marker but spanning ONE –single- Lot > (MAXIMUM) : Base= 36”W X 34”H X 14”D **see Mngr for Authorization Form ** All memorial markers MUST sit on a concrete foundation poured for each LOT to a uniform minimum depth of 5” X width of 24” X length of 48” ** < the District expansions since 2017 may have minor variations – Secty/Mngr will provide correct dimensions upon submission of “Request for Authorization Form” and whether Lot already contains a concrete foundation >** Majority of Cemetery Lots in the expanded areas of North Cemetery have a pre-installed Concrete foundation, other than Lots designated along driveway curbs which will require Flat markers ONLY. NO MEMORIAL can be installed until the Hilmar Cemetery District has been paid for its services, AND a “Request for Authorization to Install Memorial Marker or Monument” form has been completed ** and Approved. The Cemetery District does NOT install memorials; all memorial markers MUST be installed professionally. #Contractors must be licensed and provide Proof of Insurance prior to installation < Worker Compensation and General Liability and Commercial Automobile requirements are available from the Secty/Mngr > District has the right to request removal and replacement for poor workmanship or excessive height or width of a marker – at the expense of the Lot Owner. A $35.00 Lot Locator Fee is required prior to installation for any marker/headstone.
Flush Mount and Infant Markers
FLUSH mount memorial markers are required for specific Lot areas of North and South Cemeteries : this includes: “Infant Only” plots; and outer perimeter Lots of the cemeteries – this includes Lots along all the curbs of entry driveways and parking lots. *See Secty/Mngr who has the specific maps designating such areas.*
...in the ground
The casket in every interment (except an infant) shall be enclosed within a concrete liner (OR vault) <State of California Code> Cremation container will be placed in a sealable, approved ‘Dish/Liner’ for those interments in the ground *notify the District IF Mortuary uses a “fully sealed” Urn*. A Columbarium Niche for cremations will not require a ‘Dish/Liner’ from the District.
Refunds and Resales
REFUNDS or RESALE of PLOTS/ Transfer Fees: (a). In cases where a plot is purchased, the ENDOWMENT CARE FEE is NOT refundable; (b). Resale of LOTS purchased after 1980, the District pays only up to the original amount paid of the “Lot Fee”…exception= Lots acquired prior to 1980- a flat refund per Lot of $165.00; (c). Transfer-of-Lot Fee of $175.00* < when transferring a plot to a family member, etc> *fee is subject to change at the direction of the Board*. New Certificate of Burial Rites will be issued upon surrender of original, prior Certificate(s).