Revised: July 12, 2016

*Special attention to double depth interment and outer container requirements as the rules have been changed with approval from the GMCF board.  The spanish .pdf for rules must be updated with an up to date translation.  It will be replaced upon completion.

 

 

Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation Rules and Regulations are established and enforced so that the parks can be maintained to the highest possible standards.  Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation expressly reserves the right to amend, alter or reeal any rule or regulation listed, adopt new Rules and regulations, or revoke and replace these rules and Regulations, without notice.  These Rules and Regulations are adopted by the Board of Directors of Garland - Mills cemetery Foundation and no individual employee or agent of Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation has the right or ability to waive or amend these Rules and Regulations without the Board of Directors' written approval.

 

Exceptions and Modifications: Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation reserves the right, without notice, to make exceptions, suspensions, or modifications to any rule or regulation when in its sole judgement it is in the best interest of the memorial park to do so.  Such temporary exception, suspension, or modification shall in no way be construed as affecting the general application of such rule or regulation.  All such permission granted must be in writing and executed by the memorial park's management.

 

Operating Hours: Garland Memorial park and Mills Cemetery will open for visitors between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and sunset seven days a week.  Persons occupying the park before or after the posted operating hours will be considered trespassers.

 

Interment Rights: A deed of interment rights in Garland Memorial Park or Mills Cemetery conveys to the owner the exclusive Right of Sepulture therein and conveys no other interest in the property of Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation.  Interment rights are subject to these Rules and Regulations.  Right of Sepulture will not be granted to the purchaser until full and final payment has been made according to the sales contract.

 

Transfer of Interment Rights: Interment rights may not be subsequently transferred or sold without the prior consent and registration of Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation.  There will be a fee for this service.

 

Interments:  Interments may be scheduled between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. seven days a week excluding holidays.  A minimum of 48 hours notice is required prior to the scheduled committal time.  Written authorization by the lot owner (or if the lot owner is to be interred, the lot owner's next of kin) will be required to open and close an interment space.  Committal services will be scheduled on a "first come" basis.  Workload or proximity to a previously scheduled interment may require an interment to be scheduled at a time other than the requested time.  Committal services commencing in the park later than 4:30 P.M. are subject to overtime charges as fixed by the cemetery managment.

 

Outer Burial Container Requirements: 

Single depth interments: Interments must be made utilizing a permanent outer burial container constructed of no less than two-inch reinforced concrete or no less than 12 gauge steel.

 

Double depth interments: The first interment of a double depth interment must be made utilizing a Wilbert or Doric style top-seal concrete vault in order to support the weight of the interment to follow and are required even in those areas of the parks in which the outer burial container requirement is waived.

 

Requirements Waived: Outer burial container requirements are waived in the following sections of Garland Memorial Park: Masonic Section, Knights of Pythias Section, and the Joyce Addition.  Outer burial container requirements are waived in the following sections of Mills Cemetery: Mills Family Section, East of Mills Drive North and Central Sections, J. S. Mason Addition, and Weaver Addition.

 

Ground surface vaults are prohibited.

 

Multiple Interments: Multiple interments are permitted in those areas of the parks specifically designated for companion interments, or in those crypts or niches specifically designated for companion interments.  Double depth interments may be permitted with the prior written consent of the Foundation, providing that the memorial park is notified at the time of the first interment that double depth burial is requested.  With the written consent of the Foundation, one cremated remains may be interred on an occupid adult lot or in an occupied adult crypt.

 

Opening and Closing of Graves, Crypts, and Niches:  Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation's designated contractor or personnel will perform the opening and closing of all graves, crypts, and niches.

 

Monuments, Markers, and Memorials: Memorials may not be placed on any lot until full and final payment has been made according to the sales contract.  Each garden of Garland Memorial Park and Mills Cemetery is designed and dedicated for a particular type of memorial.  No memorial will be allowed that does not conform to the specifications of the individual garden or section within which it will be placed.  Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation, in its sole discretion, may prohibit the installation or require the removal of any memorial that is deems inappropriate either in design, material or workmanship.  Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation's designated contractor or personnel will perform the installation of all memorials.  All memorials must be approved by the foundation using the official approval form prior to delivery.  Setting fees will be determined after manufacturer's have submitted the approved form with the original property owner's permission.  Memorials must fit within the size constraints of the designated space(s) and include a minimum 3" easement to the adjacent space.

 

Plantings: Garland Memorial Park and Mills Cemetery have landscape plans designed by a Registered Professional Landscape Architect to be a beautiful and reverent place with healthy, long-lived trees, shrbs, and floral displays.  Plantings by unauthorized individuals are prohibited anywhere in the park.

 

Floral and Other Decorations: Fresh flowers may be placed in approved containers throughout the year.  They will be removed after they become unsightly.  Artificial flowers may be placed in approved containers from October 1st through March 1st of each year.  They will be removed and disposed of after March 1st or at any time they become unsightly.  Floral arrangements left after an interment will be removed five days following the interment.  Wreaths, potted plants, and basket arrangements may be placed five days prior to Christmas, Thanksgiving, Saint Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Memorial Day and will be removed five days after the occasion.  United States, State of Texas or any State flag may be placed fives days prior to Veteran's Day, Memorial Day,and July 4th and will be removed five days after the occasion.  Curbs, borders, crushed stone, or other improvements are dangers to cemetery maintenance personnel and bystanders, and are prohibited.  Pin wheels, balloons, wooden crosses, souvenirs, wind devices, pennants, and other adorments are prohibited.

 

Approved Flower Containers: In areas designed for ground level monuments, one ground level vase or submersible vase constructed of durable materials such as cast bronze or aluminum may be installed per grave.  Vases must be either integral to the monument or installed within six inches of the monument.  In areas where above ground monuments are allowed, above ground vases are permitted but must be integral to the monument or installed on the same base as the monument.  Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation's designated contractor or personnel, will perform the installation of all vases.  Containers made of glass or ceramics, tin or plastics; wire, rods or brackets; and digging holes are dangers to cemetery maintenance personnel and bystanders are prohibited.

 

Purchase for Speculation:  Graves, crypts, and niches are purchased for cemetery purposes only and not for speculation.  No rights are conferred to the lot owner other than the right of interment.

 

Control of Work:  All grading, landscape work, plantings, alterations or improvements of any kind, and all maintenance of lots, lawns, shrubs, trees, and features will be performed by the Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation's designated contractor or personnel.  All opening and closing of graves, crypts and niches will be performed by Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation's designated contractor or personnel.  Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation reserves the right to remove, alter and change, at the low owner's expense, any item or work performed in violation of these rules and regulations.

 

Benches: With the written permission of the cemetery, benches may be placed in memory of individuals in cemetery designated locations.  Benches much be at least fifty feet from any other bench.  They may be engraved with the surname of the individual memorialized.  Benches must be constructed of granite in a color, style, and size designated by the cemetery.  Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation's designated contractor or personnel will perform the installation of all benches.  Once installed, benches become the property of Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation.

 

Lot Markers: Corner markers for ground burial lots may be placed marking the boundaries of lots of four or more adult graves.  Corner markers must be six square inches, constructed of granite or bronze, installed at ground level, and must be engraved with no more than three letters.  Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation's designated contractor or personnel will perform the installation of all corner markers.

 

Glass Front Niches: Urns placed in glass front niches must be made completely of bronze, aluminum, marble, cultured marble, granite, ceramic, hardwood, or a combination thereof and of a permanent nature.  Personal items such as photographs and mementos are allowed with the memorial park's prior written permission.  Photographs must be framed and not be attached to the glass.  Items are placed at the owner's risk.

 

Right to Re-plat: Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation reserves the right and privilege, at any time, to re-survey, enlarge, diminish, re-plat, alter in shape or size, or otherwise change all or part of the property.  Garland - Mills Cemetery Foundation also reserves the right to lay out, close, or alter the path of roads, walks, or drives; abandon or lay out easements for installing or maintaining pipelines, conduits, drains or other utilities or for any other purposes; erect mausoleums or other buildings for cemetery purposes; or move, alter, remove, and reuse cemetery features.

 

Conduct within the Cemetery: Garland Memorial Park and Mills Cemetery are reverent places.  Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.  Pets must be on a leash at all times and must be curbed when necessary.  Peddling and soliciting are prohibited.  Signs, except those posted b the memorial park, are prohibited.  Visitors who disturb the peace or the conducting of committal or funeral servies will be asked to leave the premises. 

 

General Provisions: Any article, act , item, or work performed that interfers with the proper maintenance or the memorial park, causes a safety hazard either for cemetery personnel, bystanders or visitors, or offends the sensibilities of the surrounding lot owners or cemetery visitors will be remediated or removed at the lot owners cost.