Cemetery in Arlington resumes sale of burial plots following a 30-year halt; necessitates revision of regulations and guidelines.
Arlington's historical burial ground of legends is set to witness a surge in internments, after nearly three decades of limited activity. Here's why.
The famous Arlington Cemetery, sprinkled with graves of individuals like Collins and Ditto - individuals whose influence on the city earned them street and school names - finds itself at the heart of recent city council discussions. City officials are drafting a new ordinance aimed at managing the cemetery's operations effectively.
You guessed it—this wouldn't be happening if it weren't for a 2023 legal shift. Notable living figures in the city expressed a desire to be interred in this hallowed ground, persuading state and city leaders to revise existing laws.
Previously, the city had ownership of the property since 1995, following the State Health and Safety code, Chapter 713. This law prohibited Arlington Cemetery from selling new plots due to the cemetery being classified as abandoned, even though the city had taken control of the property.
However, with the legal shift, the city now has the green light to sell new plots within the cemetery. Yet, before they can, the city council must establish new guidelines.
Sarah Stubblefield, the strategic initiatives manager for Arlington, explains that prior to this change, the city's responsibilities were minimal. "We were more like caretakers," she says, "seeing to it that basic maintenance was done and arranging for internments as needed."
To skip to the exciting part, operating a cemetery demands more complex planning and supervision, involving rules for plot sales, cemetery layout design, and safeguarding purchased plots from being sold to others. The city has been prepping for these changes in several ways, such as utilizing ground-penetrating radar to identify burial sites between headstones and establishing an appeals process for people who own burial plots.
Since records were lost prior to the city's ownership, there might not be an exact record of every purchased plot. To avoid any mistakes, Stubblefield confirms anybody who already owns a plot will have time to provide proof of purchase.
The upcoming ordinance will primarily focus on making the cemetery operable, aligning with industry standards, addressing the role and expectations for third-party operators, the abandonment and appeals process, and a fee schedule for burial rights and internments.
Barbara Odom-Wesley, District 8 council member and head of the Municipal Policy Committee, is spearheading the drafting process of the ordinance. The committee will continue refining the ordinance on May 13 during their next council meeting.
[1] While specific details about the new ordinance are not provided, the article indicates that the process of selling new plots in Arlington Cemetery is re-established after 30 years of inactivity. City leaders are working on new rules and guidelines to govern the cemetery's operations following a change in state law.
- Jhartley, as a city resident, might find the recent news about Arlington Cemetery interesting, as the government is drafting a new ordinance to manage the cemetery's operations efficiently.
- The strategic shift in policy-and-legislation has allowed the government to sell new plots within the historic Arlington Cemetery, a move not seen in 30 years.
- general-news reports suggest that the city has been preparing for this change, utilizing technologies like ground-penetrating radar to identify burial sites and establishing an appeals process for people who own burial plots.
- Barbara Odom-Wesley, District 8 council member and head of the Municipal Policy Committee, is leading the drafting of this new ordinance, with the committee set to refine the ordinance on May 13 during their next council meeting.
- The upcoming ordinance will address key aspects such as making the cemetery operable, aligning with industry standards, rules for plot sales, cemetery layout design, safeguarding purchased plots, and a fee schedule for burial rights and internments.
