Columbarium Guidelines

General Rules, Regulations, and Policies

These Rules and Regulations are adopted for the common protection of the owners of all columbarium niches and the preservation of the natural beauty of the cemetery grounds.

Each niche shall hold up to two human cremated remains and each person must be in a separate or shared as one urn. No other objects or memorabilia will be permitted inside or outside of the niche. If space permits, up to two pet animal cremations will be permitted. According to New York State Regulations, the pet cremated remains must be placed in the niche at the same time it is opened for internment of human remains. An empty niche cannot be opened just for interment of animal cremated remains. The New York Regulations reads “The interment of pet cremated remains shall be available to a niche owner only . . . where the interment is incidental to the burial of human remains.” At the very least, this means the purpose for every grave, crypt or niche is for the interment of human remains; the interment of pet cremated remains can only be secondary to that purpose, and it must not appear to lot owners or visitors that the primary purpose of any grave, crypt or niche is for the interment of pet cremated remains.” The law requires authorization in a written statement from the cemetery before pet cremated remains may be interred. There actually will have to be two written authorizations; one giving the niche owner the right to inter pet cremated remains generally, and one when the niche owner or his authorized representative exercises the right and actually inters pet cremated remains.

Each niche measures 12 inches high, 12 inches wide and 14 inches deep. All cremated remains must be able to fit within this confinement. Each cremated remains must be in a closed container made of suitable metal, stone, glass, plastic or ceramic. Cremains are not to be placed in cardboard boxes, paper or plastic bags. A wooden box must have a suitable nonporous liner. The Superintendent shall have full authority to refuse the interment of any receptacle deemed unsuitable.

No interments shall be permitted in any niche in the columbarium until all payments due the Fort Plain Cemetery Association have been made. The Association shall not be liable for the identity of the cremains to be inurned.

With the purchase of a niche, a memorial plaque is provided. To ensure uniform design, the engraving will be done by the Cemetery Association according to predetermined size and style. The purchase price of the niche shall include the cost of such inscription. The maximum inscription shall consist of the name or names and date or dates of birth and death (stated in years) of the person or persons whose remains are to be placed in the niche. Arrangements for the inscription to be done, in accordance with the names and dates so furnished, will be made by the Cemetery Association. The Fort Plain Cemetery Association shall be responsible only for errors in the inscription as might be made by the party doing the inscription which deviates from the names and dates as filled in on the signed inscription form. No fraternal emblems are allowed on the columbarium. No inscriptions on niches shall be allowed. An area for veteran plaques will be provided. No memorialization of the inurned pet shall be allowed on the columbarium or on the grounds surrounding the columbariu

No floral memorials or other ornamentations will be attached to the columbarium. Artificial flowers or decorations are not permitted in the area around the columbarium and will be removed. The Association reserves the right to remove such ornamentation without being deemed guilty of any manner of trespass.

Funeral decorations such as flowers or candles may be used for the internment ceremony but must be removed in seven days after the internment. The Association will assume no responsibility for the safekeeping of any floral memorials or containers.

A niche is a lot holder. Lot holders shall constitute the membership of the association. Lot holders can attend the annual meeting, be a trustee and hold an office in the association. No cremains may be inurned in any niche except those for persons listed on the Certificate of Right of Inurnment for that niche. The holder of a Certificate acquires no property rights in the Columbarium, any of its niches or any of the Cemetery Association’s property. Legal title to the Columbarium and all niches remains with the Fort Plain Cemetery Association. The Certificate attests only to the right to inurn the cremains of the person(s) named on the Certificate in the specific niche also stated in the Certificate. Assignment of cremains to a specific niche shall constitute only a license to use such niche. In the event of a discrepancy between the Certificate and the administrative records maintained by the Cemetery, the latter shall take preference.

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