Last Updated:April, 2007

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Regulations Governing Public Cemeteries in the Town of Stratham

Adopted by the Board of Selectmen: February 5, 2007

1. PURPOSE: To establish requirements for the purchase of cemetery lots, internment of deceased, lot site regulations, and maintenance of facilities and grounds for all public cemeteries in Stratham. These regulations shall remain in force on a continuing basis unless modified by the Board of Selectmen. Any future modifications shall be appended to these regulations, dated and signed by the Board of Selectmen making such changes.

2. AUTHORITY: The care and use of public cemeteries will be under the authority of the Board of Selectmen and administered by the Cemetery Committee in accordance with these regulations and the requirements of New Hampshire State Law RSA 31, 289 & 290, to the extent of appropriated Town funds, interest from the Cemetery Trust Fund and donations.

3. CEMETERY COMMITTEE: The Committee shall be elected by the annual Town Meeting and consist of three members. The term of office shall be for three years. Initially, the appointment of the three members shall be for one, two and three years respectively; thereafter, a new member will be elected each year. Any member may serve for more than one term. Each member shall serve as Committee Chairperson during the last year of their three year term unless otherwise voted by the Committee. Decisions of the Committee shall be determined by majority vote. Frequency of meetings shall be determined at the discretion of the Chairperson: however, the Committee shall meeat at least once each quarter as a minimum. The Committee shall serve without pay but will be compensated for out-of-pocket expenses that may occur in carrying out the duties of the Committee.

4. CEMETERY RECORDS: The Cemetery Committee shall maintain custody of all documents, records, site plans and such other records associated with the cemeteries except those records required by the Trustees. All records shall be stored in the Town Office vault and accessible to the Town Clerk for recording cemetery lot sales and other related Town Clerk matters.

5. CEMETERY BUDGET: The Cemetery Committee and the Highway Agent shall develop and recommend to the Selectmen the annual budget for the maintenance, care, capital improvements, and acquisition of property for public cemeteries. The budget shall include anticipated receipt of monies from the Cemetery Trustees.

6. CEMETERY VISITORS: The cemetery is open to visitors during daylight hours only. No skate boarding, roller skating, recreational bicycling or any other recreational activities are allowed on cemetery grounds. No animals are allowed on cemetery grounds unless they are a part of a ceremony or service animals including guide dogs.

7. SALE OF CEMETERY LOTS: Cemetery lots are available for purchase from the Town in accordance with the following regulations:
          a. Lots may be purchased only by present or former residents of the Town of Stratham
          b. The number of lots that may be purchased is restricted to the number of persons in the           immediate family. The immediate family would include grandparents, parents, and
          children. Appeals for exception to this requirement, such as hardship cases, may be
          submitted to the Cemetery Committee who will make a decision to grant or reject
          the appeal. All appeals must be submitted in writing and include the specific
          reason for requesting the exception.
          c. Lot owners who subsequently determine that they no longer need a lot and wish to
          dispose of it, must give the Town of Stratham first refusal rights to procure ownership.
          The selling price shall not exceed the current selling price of cemetery lots.

8. COST AND DEEDING OF CEMETERY LOTS:
          a. The Town Clerk is responsible for the sale and receipt of monies for the sale of           cemetery lots and maintaining a copy of the Deed and official record of each burial on
          the State of N.H. Burial Transit Permit - Form BT-1. The transfer or sale of cemetery
          lots issubject to the requirements of Section 7c above.
          b. The cost of cemetery lots and associated fees are as follows:
             Cost of each lot including perpetual care:   $500.00
             Cost to open each grave:                          $500.00
             Cost to open each cremain:                        $100.00

9. INTERNMENTS:
          a. The maximum number of internments in any one lot shall be limited to:
             One burial, or
             One burial and up to four cremains, or
             Up to six cremains.
          b. The cemetery is closed to internments from November 1 to April 15 of each year
          unless the weather justifies an adjustment to the schedule. Such decisions
          shall be made by the Highway Agent.
          c. No animals are to be interned in any Town cemetery.

10. CREMATIONS:
          a. Cremains may be placed in a lot only after recording actions have been completed by
          the Town Clerk. For recording actions, the owner must provide to the Town Clerk
          a State of N.H. Burial Transit Permit - Form BT-1 or a Certificat of Cremation.
          b. Cremation ashes must be in a permanent container designed for that purpose
          and placed at a minimum depth of two feet to the top of the cremain.
          c. Cremains may be placed in a lot only by an undertaker or the Highway Department.

11. MONUMENTS: Only one monument is allowed on each lot; however, it is preferable to have a singel family monument for two or more adjoining lots. No temporary grave markers made of wood, plastic or other materials are permitted on any lot. The Highway Agent shall determine monument location. Monument size shall not exceed the following dimensions:

Stone corner markers to locate boundaries of family lots, foot stones or metal foot markers may be installed but must be set at ground level. All monuments or head stones shall be erected on a solid concrete base at a depth of not less than three feet. Foundations for corner stones, foot stones and metal markers are optional.

12. GRAVE PREPARATION: Grave preparation shall be the financial responsibility of the lot owner and shall be performed by the Highway Department or others as approved by the Highway Agent in accordance with State Law and under the Agent's supervision. All internments shall be enclosed in a concrete vault except infants for whom a fiberglass container 30 inches in length or less may be used.

13. MAINTENANCE: Public cemeteries shall be maintained or caused to be maintained by the Highway Agent in accordance with these regulations and such other requirements as may be imposed by the Cemetery Committee and/or the Board of Selectmen.
     The Highway Agent shall recommend to the Cemetery Committee removal of any tree, shrub or other item which is consider detrimental, dangerous, infringes on an adjacent lot or inconvenient to the proper care of the cemetery.

14. MEMORIALS: Flowers, wreaths and flags may be placed on a grave. It is desirable that the number of such memorials be limited to two and placed such that they do not inhibit mowing. When memorials become aesthetically undesirable, they shall be removed by the owner or, if not, they will be removed by the Stratham Highway Department.

15. PLANTINGS:
          a. The planting of trees and shrubs is no longer allowed. Existing trees and shrubs may
          remain subject to the conditions noted in Section 15b. If these trees and shrubs die or
          are removed, they may not be replaced.
          b. Existing trees, shrubs, plantings and other items that are consider detrimental,
          dangerous, infringes on an adjacent lot or inconvenient to the proper care
          of the cemetery will be removed by the Highway Department.
          c. Flower gardens are permitted on a grave site in accordance with the following
          requirements:
              i. Gardens shall be placed directly in front of the grave head stone. Gardens behind
              the head stone are not allowed.
              ii. Gardens shall not be larger than three square feet in size.
              iii. Gardens must be maintained in good condition by the owner.
          d. Permanent flower urns or temporary flower pots may be placed on a grave site such
          that they do not inhibit mowing. Temporary flower pots that become aesthetically
          undesirable should be removed by the owner or, if not, they will be removed
          by the Highway Department.
          e. All temporary potted plants and flowers will be removed by the Highway Department
          on or around mid November each year.

Town Cemeteries
Town Cemeteries Selling Lots:

• Maple Lane: Emery Lane, behind Stratham Community Church

• Maple Lane: Emery Lane, behind Stratham Community Church
• Harmony Hill: Emery Lane, behind Stratham Community Church
• Congregational Cemetery: Emery Lane, lot next to Stratham Community Church
• Greenwood: Rte 33, North of Stratham Circle

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