Policies and Procedures

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The policies of the Oakwood Cemetery Association of La Salle are made for the mutual protection and benefit of the plot holders and the cemetery and to encourage actions which will preserve and enhance the beauty and tranquility of the property. To read more about our Policies and Procedures

 
GENERAL PROCEDURES

Cemetery Cleanup Schedule

MARCH. The annual spring cleanup will begin March 1, weather permitting. Anyone wishing to save items including winter blankets, wreaths, or flower arrangements from the past year should pick them up before March 15. No items will be saved.

JUNE. All flowers and vases on the ground outside the monument base are to be removed before June 29 for the remainder of the mowing season. After this date all remaining items will be discarded. Flower arrangements on shepherd hooks may remain until the fall cleanup in October.

 
OCTOBER. The annual fall cleanup will occur October 1 through October 15. All flowers should be removed from shepherd hooks as should all other standing pots. Anyone wishing to save items should remove them before October 15. No items will be saved.

 
Decorations & Flowers 

All decorations and flowers must be in a container or attached to the monument. Flowers in moveable containers must be placed on the headstone or base to ensure easy access for lawn maintenance.

Artificial Flowers. Artificial flowers are allowed. They will be removed if they interfere with the maintenance of the cemetery. 

Containers. Flower containers are not allowed on mowing areas. Flower containers must not be glass or any material that could cause damage to mowing equipment.

Enclosures. No curbing, coping, fences, plantings, hedges, borders, or other enclosures of any kind will be permitted on or around any graves or family plots. Exceptions to this policy are the enclosures already in existence. 

Flat Headstones. During the mowing season, all flowers and decorations placed at flat headstone sites must be placed on the headstone or in permanent vases attached to the base so workers can mow around them. These will not be removed unless they become unsightly or a maintenance problem. 

Fresh Cut Flowers. Fresh cut flowers are allowed any time provided they do not interfere with the maintenance, mowing, or edging of the grass.

Materials. No rock, bark or like material shall be allowed around any memorial, monument, marker, or bench; and no walks of brick, cinders, tile, stone, marble, terra-cotta, sand, cement, gravel or wood shall be allowed on any lot. Materials securing displays such as wire, metal hooks, pegs, or rocks must be removed when the display is removed. 

Non-mowing Season. Grave blankets, half blankets, wreaths, bouquets, and flags are allowed during non-mowing season.

Obstructions. No iron ornaments, brackets, foot markers (other than those that already exist), flag poles, or other obstructions or installations except a headstone or monument will be allowed in the cemetery. 

Planting of Flowers, Trees, and Shrubs. The planting of any trees, shrubs, or flowers, etc. in the cemetery by individuals is prohibited. All landscaping shall be done under the direction of the cemetery board of trustees and sexton.

 
Removal of Decorations. Artificial and fresh-cut floral pieces and other decorations will be removed without notice when they become unsightly.

 
Responsibility. Flowers properly displayed add to the beauty and character of the cemetery. cemetery staff will not be responsible for flowers or other personal property left in the cemetery.

Signs. No advertising, notices, or signs of any kind are allowed on cemetery property without the express approval of the board of trustees.

Equipment and Supplies

The sexton shall keep all equipment in good order and shall keep a record of all supplies 

and equipment, and when additional supplies or equipment are needed, approval shall be secured from the trustees covering the purchase of the same.

 
GENERAL POLICIES

Contractors and Outside Workers. Private contractors and others wishing to do work in the cemetery must obtain any applicable permits and notify the sexton before work is started. 

Firearms. No firearms shall be permitted except for military funerals and use by law enforcement personnel.

Pets. No pets shall be permitted in the cemetery except on a leash and in the control of the owners. Owners walking dogs in the cemetery are expected to carry supplies to pick up any solid waste left by their pet and to remove it from the cemetery property entirely. 

Perpetual Care. Perpetual care means that the grass shall be cut at reasonable intervals and reseeded if necessary, the leaves raked, trees and shrubs trimmed and the lots kept in clean and good condition, but does not include any repair work or replacement of monuments, etc. Per Illinois State law, 15% of the purchase price of a plot shall be invested in the Cemetery’s Perpetual Care Fund.

Recreational Riding. No recreational riding of licensed or unlicensed vehicles shall be permitted in the Cemetery.

 
Walkers and Joggers. The cemetery is considered a public park; walkers and joggers are encouraged and welcome to enjoy the beauty and serenity of the Cemetery. 

Headstones, Monuments, & Other Structures 

Benches/Chairs. Benches and permanent chairs must be placed in open areas or on a designated burial plot belonging to the bench/chair owner. All locations will be approved by the Board of Trustees on a case-by-case. A permit fee as specified in the Oakwood Cemetery Fee Policy will accompany the bench/chair placement request. Benches may be no more than four feet long and two feet wide. Benches must be constructed of durable and maintenance free materials and set on a reinforced concrete pad for which a permit must be obtained.

Columbaria. There are no provisions for columbaria in the Cemetery and none shall be constructed without the prior consent of the Board of Trustees

Mausoleums. There are no provisions for mausoleums in the Cemetery and none shall be constructed without the prior consent of the Board of Trustees.

Permits. All headstones and markers require a permit or prior approval from the trustees.

Except for standard grave markers provided by the military, all markers and their inscriptions must be approved by the board of trustees prior to being ordered. Except for historical plots, grave markers must conform to size restrictions as set out below and as may be revised from time to time. Nonconforming grave markers in place prior to September 11, 2019, may remain. General guidelines are as follows:

Grave markers and their inscriptions must be in keeping with the character of the cemetery and of appropriate decorum. They shall be composed of granite, durable metal, or other durable material. Upright markers may be no more than 40” high at grade and must have an appropriate concrete foundation of a width and depth to ensure stability of the marker. The foundation shall extend beyond the actual base of the marker to form a four (4) inch collar below grade on all sides. The maximum side to side width available for a grave marker on a single or double grave is 4” less the overall width of the grave equally spaced on each side.

Responsibility. Cemetery workers are conscientious in their efforts to keep the cemetery grounds well-groomed, and they exercise great caution as they maneuver the mowing equipment around the headstones. The cemetery is not responsible for inadvertent scratches and chips that may occur from routine maintenance. Such happenings are a condition that accompanies the privilege of placing markers in the cemetery. The cemetery is not responsible for any acts of vandalism or damages caused by thoughtless individuals, wildlife, weather conditions, or natural disasters.

Upkeep. The care and upkeep of the markers & monuments is the sole responsibility of the owners.

Approved by the Board of Trustees March 15, 2017

Updated June 5, 2019, and September 11, 2019