Smithfield
modernizes city rules for cemetery behavior
By Kathryn Kemp
September 30, 2005 | SMITHFIELD -- In
the Smithfield City Cemetery, the rule used to be that
you couldn't tie your horse to a headstone, monument,
tree, or fence; but as of Wednesday night that rule
has been crossed off. But that doesn't mean that now
you can tie a horse up in the cemetery, it just means
that the times have changed, so some of the rules have
to be updated too.
"It's changes in the wording and taking out some of
the not applicable portions in our cemetery ordinance,"
said Councilwoman Janice Mikkelsen at the City Council
meeting Wednesday.
The council voted unanimously to pass a revised cemetery
ordinance that included a few new regulations, as well
as eliminated those that were no longer needed. The
cemetery no longer does perpetual care; which is when
the owner of the lot pays for the cemetery to keep up
maintenance on the area. That service is now automatically
provided. The requirement for a burial permit has been
eliminated from the ordinance, among other changes in
the wording of some sections, and the deletion of others.
The list of activities that are prohibited in the
cemetery was also updated. Skateboarding, sledding,
motorcycles, ATV's, bicycles and scooters, and dogs
are among the things not allowed on the premises. When
some council members expressed concern about not being
able to ride bicycles on the grounds, Mikkelsen explained
that, "we were thinking more along the lines of kids
racing their bikes around and there's really no other
way to regulate that."
The ordinance also says that no activities are allowed
in the cemetery from dusk until dawn, a rule that is
also enforced in the city parks. After further discussion
on this point, the council decided that for those who
would like to include their deceased family members
in family activities (such as at Christmas or Thanksgiving)
and need access to the cemetery after dark, they can
obtain permission from the city to do so. This has been
done in the past for citizens who wanted access to the
city parks after dark and James Gass, the city manager,
said it has worked well in that situation. The plan
will be to post a sign at the cemetery informing patrons
of the dusk-to-dawn rule, as well as explaining that
they can get a permit from the city if needed.
Other items that were discussed by the council on
Wednesday included passing the Telecommunications Tower
Facilities ordinance. It was created as a result of
a new telecommunications tower that is being built in
Smithfield. The city previously had no regulations concerning
such a procedure, and this ordinance will provide those
guidelines.
Another ordinance titled "Storm Water Regulations"
was also discussed and passed. "This is being proposed
for adoption because it's required," Gass said. It is
a federal mandate for cities to have an ordinance regulating
activities and requirements to keep the storm water
and sewer drains clear. This ordinance will go into
effect on Jan. 1.
NW
MS
|
