Policies & Park Guidelines

Battle Creek Memorial Park Association

Battle Creek Memorial Park is dedicated to providing a place of dignity, remembrance, and peace for the families we serve. If you’re planning ahead, you can review available arrangement options. The following policies are designed to preserve the beauty of the grounds, protect the rights of property owners, and ensure the orderly operation of the Park.

All persons and property within the boundaries of Battle Creek Memorial Park are subject to the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the Association, whether currently in effect or adopted in the future. The Board of Directors reserves the right to amend these policies at any time without prior notice.

All applicable laws and statutes of the State of Michigan governing cemetery operations are incorporated by reference. If any individual provision is found to be contrary to law, only that provision shall be void, and all remaining policies shall remain in effect.

Visiting the Park

Battle Creek Memorial Park is maintained as a place of reflection and respect. We ask all visitors to help preserve the peaceful atmosphere for all families.

Hours of Operation

  • The Park grounds are open daily from 8:00 a.m. until dusk.

  • The Administration Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding major holidays.

  • Evening and weekend appointments are available for property selection and memorial sales.

  • The Mausoleum Chapel is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., including Christmas Day, Easter Sunday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Memorial Day Weekend.

  • Special visitation hours may be arranged in advance.

Hours may be modified due to inclement weather or circumstances beyond the Park’s control.

Conduct

Visitors are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly and respectful manner. The following are prohibited:

  • Loud or disruptive behavior

  • Unauthorized gatherings

  • Soliciting or peddling

  • Recreational activities such as skating, ball games, or climbing on monuments

  • Swimming or wading in lakes or fountains

Children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

The Association reserves the right to refuse admission or require the departure of any person acting in a disorderly or disrespectful manner.

Vehicles & Processions

All vehicles must proceed at a moderate speed and come to a full stop when encountering a funeral procession. Vehicles may not pass or drive through a procession once parked.

Please park on pavement only and avoid driving on grass.

Pets

Pets must remain inside vehicles while visiting. The grounds are not designated for walking dogs.

Trash & Grounds

Trash receptacles are for cemetery-related items only. Household waste is prohibited.

Employees of the Park are not permitted to accept gratuities.

Flowers & Decorations

We understand that decorating a loved one’s resting place is a meaningful expression of remembrance. To preserve the natural beauty and maintenance of the Park, the following guidelines apply.

Year-Round

  • Cut flowers are welcome at any time.

  • Flowers may be placed in vases or laid on memorials.

  • Nothing may be attached to the face of a crypt or niche.

Spring & Summer (May 15 – September 15)

  • One potted plant (8”–12” diameter) per interment is permitted.

  • Potted plants may be placed at the base of mausoleum or columbarium units.

Fall

  • Mums (8”–12”) are permitted until November 15.

Winter (November 15 – March 15)

  • Evergreen wreaths, grave blankets, and saddles are permitted.

  • One decoration per interment is allowed.

  • Wreaths are not permitted inside the Chapel building.

Prohibited Decorations

Artificial decorations and items including but not limited to toys, balloons, candles, lights, statues, wind chimes, fences, permanent plantings, decorative stones, and similar objects are not permitted.

American flags placed on veteran graves for Memorial Day weekend are permitted.

Removal Policy

Decorations may be removed when:

  • They become unsightly

  • They are out of season

  • They are damaged

  • They are prohibited by policy

The Association assumes no responsibility for lost, stolen, or damaged decorations and is not obligated to notify families of removal.

Purchasing & Ownership

Cemetery property ownership carries important legal responsibilities.

Pricing & Payment

Pricing is established by the Board of Directors. Property may be paid in full at purchase or through approved installment arrangements.

All property must be paid in full prior to:

  • Interment, entombment, or inurnment

  • Installation of memorials

  • Lettering of crypts or niches

Failure to complete payment may result in forfeiture of prior payments.

Certificates

Upon full payment, a Certificate of Interment/Entombment/Inurnment Rights will be issued. This certificate serves as evidence of ownership.

Transfers

Transfers or sales of cemetery property require:

  • Approval of the Association

  • Proper documentation of ownership

  • Completion of Association transfer forms

  • Payment of applicable fees

No use of a space (including interment or installation of a memorial) may occur after transfer without proper documentation.

Joint ownership is discouraged. Where multiple owners exist, written agreement regarding use is strongly recommended.

Cemetery property is exempt from taxation and may not be mortgaged or encumbered.

Interments & Committal Services

We understand that arranging services is deeply personal. The following policies ensure clarity and proper care.

Scheduling

Services must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance during normal business hours. Committal services are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Standard service hours:

  • Monday through Friday

  • Arrival between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

  • Excluding major holidays

Weekend, holiday, and late afternoon services are available at premium fees and require advance approval.

Authorization & Permits

Interments, entombments, and inurnments are restricted to the owners of rights. Written authorization and required State of Michigan permits must be received prior to service.

The Association assumes no liability for identification of remains beyond the information provided on official permits.

Burial Requirements

  • Each body must be contained in a casket.

  • Caskets must be enclosed in an outer burial container or vault.

  • Vaults must be concrete or steel unless otherwise approved.

  • Only one person per space is permitted, with limited exception for mother and infant interred simultaneously.

  • Cremated remains may not be scattered within the Park.

Disinterment or relocation requires court order or proper governmental authorization and written consent of next of kin.

Monuments & Markers

Memorials are important expressions of remembrance. To maintain uniformity and long-term care, the following standards apply.

Definitions

  • A monument is an upright granite memorial.

  • A marker is a granite or bronze memorial installed flush with the ground.

Material & Size Requirements

  • Granite only for monuments.

  • Granite or bronze for markers.

  • Specific dimensional requirements apply to bases and dies.

  • Overall monument height may not exceed 60 inches.

All names and dates must be engraved at least 3/16” into granite. Paints and applied colorings are prohibited.

Installation

  • All foundations are installed by the Association.

  • Installation authorization and fees must be received in advance.

  • Installations are typically seasonal due to weather conditions.

Lettering for mausoleum crypts and niches must be completed by the Association according to established patterns.

All memorials are placed at the sole risk of the property owner.

Mausoleum & Columbarium

Battle Creek Memorial Park offers mausoleum crypts and columbarium niches in designated areas.

Crypt and niche sizes vary by building and unit. Crypts may not be subdivided. Columbarium niches may not be subdivided except where designated companion units are sold.

Urns must meet size requirements. Glass-front niches include designated bronze urns that may not be exchanged.

Private mausoleums are permitted in designated island areas and must be constructed through the Association.

General Care & Maintenance

The Association provides general care of the Park grounds, including:

  • Lawn maintenance

  • Tree and shrub care

  • Roadway maintenance

  • Building upkeep

General care does not include:

  • Personal decorations

  • Monuments

  • Markers

  • Urns

  • Other personal property

The Association reserves the right to remove or repair items deemed unsafe, inappropriate, or injurious to the appearance of the Park.

The Association is not responsible for loss resulting from acts of God, war, vandalism, or public insurrection.

Perpetual Care & Governance

The future care of Battle Creek Memorial Park is secured through fully funded perpetual care trusts.

Funding sources include:

  • Sale of cemetery property

  • Service fees

  • Investment income from trust funds

The perpetual care trusts are professionally administered by a commercial bank and overseen by a Board of Trustees in compliance with all applicable regulations.

Battle Creek Memorial Park will remain self-sufficient and is not dependent on local, state, or federal funding.

For questions or clarification, please feel free to contact us.