Valley View Cemetery and Sunset Memorial Gardens removing decorations April 9

GARDEN CITY – City of Garden City Cemetery staff will begin removing decorations from gravesites at Valley View Cemetery and Sunset Memorial Gardens beginning April 9. Anyone who would like to collect decorations they’ve placed at the cemetery should do so by April 8.

Decorations are removed each spring to allow for regular mowing and maintenance of the cemetery. The only decorations that are permitted year-round are those placed in permanent monument vases. Flowers that were planted in incorrect locations will also be removed. The City of Garden City limits flower plantings on the north and south sides of monuments, space permitting at Valley View Cemetery. No permanent plantings are allowed at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

The City Commission adopted a Grave Decorations Ordinance in May 2010 stating:

Artificial or cut flowers in approved permanent monument vases are permitted year-round. Graves with no monument, flowers are to be placed at the head of the grave in the space provided for a monument until the monument is set. At no time shall flowers not in permanent monument vases, solar lights, or other decorations be placed on a grave or in the grass area around the monument from March 1st to October 31st. Winter decoration from November 1st to February 28th shall be placed around monuments as to not interfere with equipment in process of digging graves. All winter decorations and artificial flowers placed in the ground will be removed and disposed of by cemetery personnel on or after March 1st of each year. Memorial Day decorations are permitted one (1) week before and two (2) weeks after Memorial Day. If not removed by owner, cemetery personnel shall be authorized to remove and dispose of all decorations. Persons wanting to have temporary decoration on a grave for a period not to exceed (1) week must get prior permission by calling the cemetery sexton’s office. Dates to be approved for temporary decorations are the deceased person’s: Birth Date, Death Date Anniversary, Anniversary, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and national or religious holidays.

Nothing shall be placed on any grave or lot except monuments and markers without the special written permit of the cemetery director, except for flowers in permanent monument vases. Wreaths, flags, and other temporary decorations shall be removed at the cemetery director’s discretion. All decorations shall be placed within the boundaries of a lot or space. Any decorations placed outside of the boundaries of lot or space shall be removed by the cemetery sexton without notice to the owner or the person placing the decoration at the location. The cemetery sexton shall be authorized to use the sexton’s discretion to remove and dispose of non-complying decorations. Unless an agreement has been made beforehand with the cemetery director, no articles will be returned to the owner or person placing them on lot or space.

Cemetery staff asks that you only pick up those decorations that belong to you. Please contact Kelly Stevenson, Cemetery Director, at 276-1220, should you have any questions regarding this issue.