City of Athens

CEDAR GROVE
HAMMONDS
SULLINS

Mary Scudder 
Cemetery Coordinator
423-744-2753

Cemetery Hours
November 1 – March 31 – 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
April 1 – October 31 – 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Cemetery Maps (click on name of cemetery to view)
Cedar Grove Cemetary

CITY OF ATHENS CEMETERY RULES & REGULATIONS

Rules and Regulations
Cedar Grove Cemetery
Section 8

Care of Cemetery

1.             The general care of the entire cemetery is undertaken by the City of Athens.  The city of Athens will take reasonable precautions to protect the rights of owners, but it disclaims responsibility for loss or damage beyond its reasonable control, including, but not limited to, damages caused by the elements, acts of God, thieves, vandals, trespassers, riot, or public disturbances.

2.            The City of Athens has a right to ingress and egress over lots and the entire cemetery for purpose of general care and passage to and from other lots.

3.             The City of Athens may enlarge or reduce the boundaries of the cemetery, change the location of roadways and walks, replace or modify drainage and watering systems, and replot sections of the cemetery so long as there is no encroachment upon the right of the owners.

4.            All grading, planting, trimming, landscaping work, improvements of any kind, and all care of lots shall be done by the contractor designated by the City.

5.            The City of Athens reserves the right to correct any errors that may be made by it in interments, disinterments or removals, or in transfers of conveyances.

Memorials

For the purpose of maintaining uniformity of quality and appearance, the marking of lots or burial spaces is limited to flat markers set flush to the turf.  These flat markers shall be installed at the upper part (head of the burial lot), as to maintain the uniformity of surrounding markers.

Flower vases shall be permitted provided that vases are attached as part of the memorial type markers.  Lot markers are the property of the purchaser and are not the responsibility of the city to maintain, clean, or repair.

Luminaries (crosses, etc.) of any kind are not permitted in the cemeteries that are owned by the City of Athens, these being; Sullins, Cedar Grove, and Hammonds Cemeteries.

Use of Cemetery

All cemeteries owned and operated by the City of Athens open their gates to the public at sunrise and close their gates at sunset.  Funerals shall be subject to the direction of the City's cemetery coordinator.

Regulations of Floral Decorations

1. In the summer period, March 1st until November 15th, the replacement of fresh or artificial flowers is permitted only in the vases located on the burial markers (not to include the placement of flowers at the time of interment).

2. During the summer period while the grass is growing, potted plants, wreaths, and baskets are permitted only at Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving for a period not to exceed seven (7) days.  Any persons availing themselves for this privilege should remove the container within seven (7) days of the holiday.

3. No articles of any kind except those specifically authorized by these rules and regulations shall be permitted on any interment space, lot, or other part of the cemetery.  The City shall have the full authority to remove immediately from any type of interment space or any part of the cemetery, anything that may have been placed thereon without specific authorization.

4. Effective January 1, 2003, fencing of lots is prohibited. Those existing prior to this date will be tolerated provided they are maintained by the family members that have installed them. This includes mowing and trimming inside the fenced area and the immediate area at the base of the fence.  Any fencing which is not maintained as stated above will be removed and disposed of.

1. Effective January 1, 2003, planting of trees, shrubs, bushes, flowers, etc., is prohibited without written approval of the City of Athens.

CEDAR GROVE CEMETERY OLD-SECTION
HAMMONDS CEMETERY 
& 
SULLINS CEMETERY

Rules and Regulations

Care of Cemetery

1.             The general care of the entire cemetery is undertaken by the City of Athens.  The city of
Athens will take reasonable precautions to protect the rights of owners, but it disclaims responsibility for loss or damage beyond its reasonable control, including, but not limited to, damages caused by the elements, acts of God, thieves, vandals, trespassers, riot, or public disturbances.

2.            The City of Athens has a right to ingress and egress over lots and the entire cemetery for purpose of general care and passage to and from other lots.

3.             The City of Athens may enlarge or reduce the boundaries of the cemetery, change the location of roadways and walks, replace or modify drainage and watering systems, and replot sections of the cemetery so long as there is no encroachment upon the right of the owners.

4.            All grading, planting, trimming, landscaping work, improvements of any kind, and all care of lots shall be done by the contractor designated by the City.

5.            The City of Athens reserves the right to correct any errors that may be made by it in interments, disinterments or removals, or in transfers of conveyances.

Memorials

The markers shall be installed at the upper part (head of the burial lot), as to maintain the uniformity of surrounding markers.

Flower vases shall be permitted provided that vases are attached as part of the memorial type markers.  Lot markers are the property of the purchaser and are not the responsibility of the city to maintain, clean, or repair.

Use of Cemetery

All cemeteries owned and operated by the City of Athens open their gates to the public at sunrise and close their gates at sunset.  Funerals shall be subject to the direction of the City's cemetery coordinator.

Regulations of Floral Decorations

1.             In the summer period, March 1st until November 15th, the replacement of fresh or artificial flowers is permitted only in the vases located on the burial markers (not to include the placement of flowers at the time of interment).

2.            During the summer period while the grass is growing, potted plants, wreaths, and baskets are permitted only at Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Father's Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving for a period not to exceed seven (7) days.  Any persons availing themselves for this privilege should remove the container within seven (7) days of the holiday.

3.             During the winter period, November 15th to March 1st, floral baskets and wreaths are permitted and will not be removed by the cemetery employees, unless they are considered withered or unsightly.

4.            No articles of any kind except those specifically authorized by these rules and regulations shall be permitted on any interment space, lot, or other part of the cemetery.  The City shall have the full authority to remove immediately from any type of interment space or any part of the cemetery, anything that may have been placed thereon without specific authorization.

1. Effective January 1, 2003, fencing of lots is prohibited. Those existing prior to this date will be tolerated provided they are maintained by the family members that have installed them. This includes mowing and trimming inside the fenced area and the immediate area at the base of the fence.  Any fencing which is not maintained as stated above will be removed and disposed of.

1. Effective January 1, 2003, planting of trees, shrubs, bushes, flowers, etc., is prohibited without written approval of the City of Athens.