WALNUT HILL CEMETERY
BYLAWS
GROVE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATOR
June 1, 2026
For the mutual protection of every purchaser of the right of burial in the Walnut Hill Cemetery, the Grove Township Board hereby adopts the following rules and regulations. All purchasers of right of burial in graves shall be subject to said rules and regulations, and further subject to any new rules and regulations and/or any amendments or alterations as shall be adopted by the Grove Township Board.
- Walnut Hill Cemetery is governed by the Grove Township Board. The Clerk of the Board operates as the sexton of the cemetery.
- Grave – defined – The term “grave” means a space of ground in a cemetery used or intended to be used for burial (interment or inurnment) of human remains.
- Vault – defined – The term “vault” means a permanently sealed container constructed of concrete or metal, used for the entombment of human remains.
- The cemetery shall be closed to the public from sunset to sunrise.
- All interments and inurnments will have a permanent marker within one year of the burial. All markers and decorations are subject to Grove Township Board approval.
- Caskets and urns, in all earth interments or inurnments, shall be enclosed in sealed concrete, steel, or cemetery approved receptacle or vault. No grave liners will be allowed.
- To purchase a grave for burial in the Walnut Hill Cemetery, if the purchaser/burial recipient is a resident of Grove Township or owns property in Grove Township, the fee per grave is $400.00. For those who do not meet the previously listed requirements, the fee per grave is $800.00. This fee for a grave must be paid in advance of any burial in said grave. A “staking” fee of $50.00 is to be paid to the sexton.
- There may be one (1) casket/vault interment per grave space or up to two (2) inurnments per grave space.
- The grave opening/closing is the responsibility of the funeral home director.
- Only one above ground monument may be placed on each grave space and must be placed at the head of the grave space. All foot monuments must be installed at ground level. The township reserves the right to reset any non-conforming foot monument, at ground level. No center lot monuments, benches, etc., are allowed. No grave shall be defined by the placing of any kind of fence, coping, railing, ribbons, borders, etc., or the filling of soil above the established grade of the cemetery.
- All monuments will be placed by monument companies approved by the Grove Township Board. Workman employed in placing or erecting monuments, operate as independent contractors, but must do so under permission, and the general supervision of the cemetery sexton. The Township is in no way liable for disputes arising from independent contractors’ workmanship. Independent contractors are responsible for any damages to existing monuments, trees, grass, etc., and must remove all debris, and restore the grounds and sod to its original condition. Completed work is subject to approval of the cemetery sexton, and if unsatisfactory, must be removed or corrected by the installer.
- All plantings are subject to Grove Township Board approval. Plantings shall be non-obstructive to the regular maintenance of the cemetery. Planting trees on the premises is not allowed.
- The placement of fencing, glass containers, or ornaments, trellises, wire, arches, rock, inappropriate items, etc., is not permitted on the grave sites, and will be removed by the sexton. Digging or the planting of flowers or live foliage on the premises, is not allowed unless approved by the Grove Township Board.
- All grading, landscape work, and improvements to the grounds, shall be made by the cemetery sexton. The Township reserves the right to remove any or all adornments made without approval of the Township board, or if appendices become unsightly or present a danger to the well-being of Township personnel or visitors.
- Recording of all grave owners and interments/inurnments, will be kept by Grove Township, as completely as possible. No person/persons will be recognized as an owner or part owner, of the right to burial unless his or her name appears upon the records of the cemetery, as such. The Township is in no way liable for mistakes made by omission or loss of records, beyond its control. It is the responsibility of the grave purchaser to supply proof of purchase of “right to burial”.
- No person shall sell, transfer, or assign any grave or interest therein, of the right to burial, without written notice and approval of the Grove Township Board.
- Removals – The Township shall exercise due care in making all disinterments or disinurnments; but shall in no way assume liability for damage to any interment or inurnment device, incurred in making the disinterment or disinurnment. All expenses for disinterments or disinurnments, shall be incurred by the requesting party.
- Special cases may arise in which the literal enforcement of a rule/regulation may impose unnecessary hardship. The Township Board therefore reserves the right, without notice, to make exceptions, suspensions, or modifications, in any of these rules and regulations, when in it’s judgement, the same appear advisable and justifiable.
- The Grove Township Board consisting of the Trustee, Treasurer, and Clerk, also serving as sexton, is herby empowered to enforce all rules and regulations, as hereto approved by the Grove Township Board.
- These rules and regulations, for the governing of the Walnut Hill Cemetery, have been approved, in their entirety, by the following members of the Grove Township Board as of the date entered below.