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RULES AND REGULATIONS 

(Revised April 10, 2026) 

Introduction 

The following Rules and Regulations, revised as of April 10, 2026, have been established by the Board of Trustees of Long Ridge Union Cemetery (hereinafter referred to as the “Cemetery”) for the mutual protection of plot owners and the Cemetery. The Cemetery is located at 151 Erskine Road, North Stamford, CT. All plots, plot owners, and visitors within the Cemetery shall be subject to these Rules and Regulations, and shall also be subject to all future modifications or amendments to them as established by the Cemetery from time to time. Reference to these Rules and Regulations in the deed or certificate of ownership to a plot shall have the same force and effect as if set forth therein. 

Definition of terms. 

 

Cemetery. The Long Ridge Union Cemetery and its Board of Trustees. 

Management. The superintendent, appointed by the Board of Trustees for the purpose of conducting and managing the affairs of the Cemetery. 

 

Plot. A space of sufficient size to accommodate one adult in-ground interment grave (three feet four inches wide by nine feet long in some sections, and ten feet long in other sections). Plot also indicates from one through five graves in a plat. 

 

Plot owner. The grantee listed on an official deed issued by the Cemetery, or his or her legal heirs. 

Lot. Numbered divisions as shown on the record plat, which consists of six or more graves. 

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1.     Sole agreement. The instrument of conveyance of these regulations and any amendments thereto constitute the sole agreement between the Cemetery and plot owner. The statement of any representative regarding an exception to these regulations, unless confirmed by the Cemetery in writing, shall in no way bind the Cemetery.

 

2.     Limit to number of plots purchased. No person shall be allowed to purchase more than ten 

(10) plots within the Cemetery. 

 

3.     Payment for plot(s) purchased. Payment may be deferred for ninety (90) days upon the purchase of multiple plots. If a burial is to be made at once on a plot so purchased, the initial payment must be set forth in a contract and the full price of the space to be occupied must be paid in full. If payment in full is not received by the due date, the reserved plot(s) will become available to others. 

4.     Right to refuse interment if charges owed. The Cemetery reserves the right to refuse an interment in any plot that has any charges due, until all indebtedness has been paid in full. 

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5.     Sale, transfer, or assignment of plot(s) for remuneration. No plot owners of record, or their heirs or assigns, or other persons beneficially interested, shall permit interments in said plot(s) for remuneration. No sale, transfer, or assignment of any lot or interest therein shall be made without the written consent of the Cemetery. If a plot owner wishes to dispose of an unoccupied grave, the Board of Trustees may, at its option, offer to repurchase it. In such cases, the price paid by the Cemetery to repurchase a grave shall be no more than 100% of the original purchase price paid by the plot owner for that specific grave, as indicated on the deed. 

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6.     Use of plot(s). No plot shall be used for a purpose other than the burial of the human dead. 

 

7.     Use of areas within the Cemetery. The Cemetery reserves the right to enlarge, reduce, re- plat, or change the boundaries or grading of the cemetery, or a section or sections of it, from time to time. This includes the right to modify, change the locations of, remove, re-grade, or repair roadways. The Cemetery also reserves the right to use Cemetery property not sold to individual plot owners for Cemetery purposes, including interment of the human dead, or for anything necessary, incidental, or convenient thereto. The Cemetery reserves the right to itself and to those lawfully entitled, a right of ingress and egress over all plots for the purpose of passing to and from other plots. 

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8.     Care of Cemetery. The general care of the Cemetery property is assumed by the Board of Trustees. It includes the cutting and trimming of grass at reasonable intervals, removing leaves from the grounds, and pruning of the shrubs and trees that are placed by the Cemetery only. This general care shall in no case include: 

 

  • Maintenance, repair, or replacement of any memorial, tomb, crypt, marker, or monument placed or erected upon plots.

  • Special or unusual work in the Cemetery, including work caused by the impoverishment of the soil.

  • Reconstruction or repair of damage to any marble or granite work caused by the elements, an act of God, common enemy, thieves, vandals, strikers, malicious mischief- makers, explosions, unavoidable accidents, invasions, insurrections, riots, or by the order of any military or civil authority.

 

9.     Perpetual care of graves. Subject to these Rules and Regulations, all graves shall include perpetual care provided by the Cemetery. Perpetual care does not include trimming of plantings placed by a plot owner, where allowed. 

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10.  Plot identification required before interment. The Cemetery and its Management shall not be responsible for any grave opening orders given via telephone that do not include section and lot numbers specified in the deed. In the case of a large lot, Management may require a family representative to come to the Cemetery and point out the grave to be used. 
 

11.  Plot interment limitations. Plot interment limitations are as follows: 

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  • In a single regular grave

    • Either one in-ground interment and up to three (3) cinerary remains, or up to four (4) cinerary remains. 

  • In a single cremation grave -      One (1) cinerary remains. 

 

Effective November 25, 1978, all plots sold are for single-depth burial only. Graves sold prior to this date with the intent of double-depth burial as shown on the deed shall be honored as such. 

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12.  Concrete grave liner vault required. In order to maintain a high standard of care, a concrete grave liner vault is required for each full-body burial. Such vault must be of two- piece construction, and used as the outer case. Cinerary remains must be interred in an urn or container made of non-permeable material such as concrete, brass, bronze, steel, stainless steel, copper, stone, or composite. 

 

13.  Monument specifications. 

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  • Ownership and responsibility

    • The selection, purchase, placement, cleaning, and maintenance of approved grave monuments is the sole responsibility of individual plot owners and their heirs. 

  • Material

    • All grave markers, monuments, and memorials shall be made of granite only. 

  • Dimensions for monuments with base and die, and all flush markers​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

- Regardless of the number and combination of interments in a single grave, no more than one (1) single upright monument per grave may be used to accommodate all names and epitaphs.

- A monument base shall be set flush to the grade, and shall not exceed eight inches from grade to die. 

- Maximum height of any monument shall be forty-four inches (44”)  from grade to top of die, including colonial tablets.

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  • Cremation graves and markers

    • Certain areas of Sections H, M, and N are designated for cremation graves only. In such areas, only flush markers that are set flush to the grade shall be permitted. Dimensions for such markers shall be no larger than 24” wide x 12” deep. 

 

  • Other monuments

    • Colonial tablets shall have a minimum thickness of four inches, and shall be set a minimum of twelve inches (12”) below grade. 

    • Hickey markers are permitted in older sections that have them. 

    • Benches shall be made of granite, have a minimum thickness of four inches for the seat, and legs shall be set on a foundation installed by the Cemetery. No bench will be permitted on a single-grave plot. 

    • Foot markers are permitted (one per grave), and must be set flush to the grade. 

 

  • A concrete foundation is required to be installed before a monument and/or marker is set in place. All foundations are required to be installed by the Cemetery Caretaker or other person designated by the Board of Trustees.

  • Etchings of any type or size must be within the boundaries of good taste as determined solely by the Cemetery, and require pre-approval by the Cemetery.

  • No paint of any kind or color is permitted on a monument or marker.

  • Monument installers shall not under any circumstances drive a motor vehicle over any occupied graves. If a motor vehicle must be driven over a grass area for the purpose of setting a monument, a request for this must be submitted to the Cemetery in advance. If permission is granted, plywood dunnage or other suitable protection must be used under the vehicle’s wheels.

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14.  Pre-approval of all monuments and grave markers required. All grave monuments, markers, and memorials of any kind require pre-approval by the Cemetery before they are ordered, fabricated, and placed. 

  • All orders for proposed monuments, markers, or benches require the plot owner or monument dealer to provide to the Cemetery a scale drawing including all dimensions, lettering, and artwork for approval.

  • In its sole discretion, the Cemetery reserves the right to reject any proposed monument or epitaph that is either not in accordance with these Rules and Regulations, or too large in height, width, or depth for the safe setting on a plot, or is otherwise deemed inappropriate. In such cases, the Cemetery will return the proposal to the plot owner or monument dealer, noting changes required for approval.

  • If, after a drawing is approved by the Cemetery, a plot owner wishes to make an alteration to the monument’s design or content, or wishes to add an epitaph to an existing monument, such alterations or additions require pre-approval by the Cemetery.

  • If any plot owner or monument installer sets a monument or marker that has not been approved by the Cemetery, such monument or marker is subject to immediate removal, the cost for which shall be invoiced to the plot owner or monument dealer.

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15.  Prohibited monuments and materials. The following items are not permitted to be placed on or near monuments or in the Cemetery, and shall be removed by the Cemetery if placed: 

  • Monuments or markers made of field stone. 

  • Statuary and other objects made of wood, glass, metal, granite, marble, concrete, or other materials. 

  • Vigil lights, solar lights, or candles of any type or size. 

  • Hangers, banners, pinwheels, flags, cards, letters, or signs of any type or size. 

  • Artwork, photographs, or cameos of any type or size. 

  • Electric or electronic devices. 

  • Bottles or cans of any type or size. 

  • Coping or railings of any type or size. 

  • Plantings that cover a plot fully. 

  • Non-metal containers for cut flowers. 

 

16.  Maintenance of monuments. Plot owners, their heirs or assigns shall at all times keep all monuments on their plot(s) in a safe and upright position. If monument re-setting, repair, or replacement is required, the Cemetery will advise the plot owner or heir, and allow thirty (30) days for them to have the monument re-set. If the re-setting or repair is not completed within thirty (30) days of notification, the Cemetery will have the monument repaired or reset, and invoice the plot owner or heir for the full cost thereof. 

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17.  Crypts. All crypt plots set aside in Section “M” of the Cemetery are sold, and no additional plots will be available in the Cemetery for crypts. All plots sold are for in-ground interments, including cinerary remains. No below-grade crypts may be installed on any plot. 

 

18.  Plantings permitted. Flowers may be planted up to the full width of a monument, up to a maximum of twelve (12) inches in depth. Subject to prior approval by the Cemetery, only upright taxus, emerald green arborvitae, or boxwood shrubbery may be planted on a plot. However, single plots may not have shrubs on each side of a headstone due to lack of room. 

 

19.  Prohibited plantings. No trees of any kind are permitted to be planted. Nothing shall be planted the full length of the grave. 

 

20.  Authority to trim or remove plantings and materials. In its sole discretion, the Cemetery shall have the authority to remove all floral and other materials from new interments after three (3) days. The Cemetery shall also have the authority to trim or remove trees, plantings, and unauthorized monuments and memorial materials of any kind, if in the judgment of Management they become too large, unsightly, dangerous, diseased, encroach on surrounding plots, or otherwise are not in compliance with these Rules and Regulations. 

 

22.  Disinterment. A request for a disinterment must be given to the Cemetery in advance, in writing. Such request must be signed by the person making the request and all legal heirs to the deceased, and must include the following: 

  • Name of deceased.

  • Plot number and grave number where deceased is presently interred.

  • Preferred date and time of disinterment.

  • Location of re-interment (or other final disposition) of remains.

  • Legal documents required by the State of Connecticut.

  • Name of the funeral home that will represent the person(s) making the request.

  • Certification that no other person has a legal right to approve or disapprove said disinterment.

  • Witness by Notary Public(s) of all signatures accompanying such request.

 

Payment of all charges for the disinterment shall be due at the time the disinterment is completed. 

 

23.  Plot owner change of name and/or address. From time to time the Cemetery communicates by mail and email with plot owners regarding Cemetery matters, including notification of the annual Memorial Service (traditionally conducted on the third Sunday of each September at 2:30 PM). All plot owners are requested to inform the Cemetery of changes in legal name and/or mailing address. Such notice should be mailed to: 

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Long Ridge Union Cemetery, P.O. Box 4021, Camp Avenue Station, Stamford, Connecticut 06907, or emailed to longridgeunioncemetery@gmail.com. 

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24.  Special exceptions. Special cases may arise in which the literal enforcement of a rule or regulation may impose hardship on a plot owner. The Cemetery therefore reserves the right to make temporary exceptions, suspensions, or modifications of these Rules and Regulations without notice when, in the judgment of the Board of Trustees, it is determined that such action is necessary or appropriate. Such temporary exceptions or modifications shall not be construed as affecting the general application of these Rules and Regulations, nor establish precedence. 

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25.  Resolution of disputes. Any plot owners, their heirs or assigns who have a complaint or dispute with the Cemetery have the right to meet first with Management. If the dispute is not resolved, Management will refer the issue to the Board of Trustees for resolution. 

Complainants also have the right to contact the Stamford Public Health Director, and/or the Public Health Department of the State of Connecticut. 

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