Monuments, Headstone & Marker Information

Basic Information

1. The Cemetery and the Legal Description for grave locations are broken down by Block, Lot, and Space Number. Each lot has 6 spaces. Lot spaces are numbered from North to South (Space 1 to Space 6).
2. For traditional casket burials, the head of the coffin is placed on the West side of the space.  The feet are on the East side of the space.
3. Grave Space Size: A grave space is four (4’) feet wide and twelve (12’) feet long. Headstones and their foundations (pad) shall only be installed, reasonably centered, along and/or parallel to the Western-most four (4’) foot edge of the space. Any remains to be interred shall be reasonably centered and within the parameters of the same space to the East of the established/designated row reserved only for headstones/raised markers of any type and their corresponding foundations.
4. Lot owners shall not create or erect improvements, monuments, markers of any type or otherwise install anything or structure upon any grave space. Such improvements or markers as may be placed or installed shall be done by or under the direction of the Cemetery Superintendent, their designee, or authorized employees or officers according to the specifications of the City within normal business hours (Mon.- Fri. 8am-5pm).
5. Benches and statuary are not permitted on or around grave spaces.  
6. Special corner markers may be installed with permission of the Cemetery Superintendent. Such markers shall be installed by employees of the City, or their designee, at the sole expense of the grave space owner. The corner markers shall be of granite, marble, slate or bronze construction and set flush with the existing surrounding terrain, and may not encroach on any other grave space. Corner markers installed on the West side of spaces will reduce the overall space available for monument/headstones/markers and foundations. Before ordering, visit with the Cemetery Superintendent to determine the parameters of the work. 
7. No mausoleum or mausoleum like structures shall be permitted.
8. Working on monuments/headstones/markers is prohibited without written permission of the space owner, or their designated heir. All such work must be reported to the City Administrator before such work is started. 
9. Monuments/Markers must be set by a monument company. 
10. Any work to be done inside the Cemetery by someone other than a City employee or monument company must be arranged in advance with the Cemetery Administrator. Proof of license, bond and insurance (as applies) must be provided. Work shall commence only after the request has been reviewed by the Cemetery Superintendent and approved by the Public Works Director or his/her designee.  A signed written agreement must be in place. 
11. Monument companies must submit a completed City of Bixby Monument Work Order form regarding a headstone/monument/marker order to the Cemetery Administrator for approval PRIOR to ordering or production. The City will review the order, existing cemetery records, and the existing space where it is to be placed to make sure the order follows the City’s rules and regulations, and there are no issues or concerns. Once reviewed and approved, the monument company will be notified. 
12. Veteran’s Marker and/or Headstone Orders: A family can honor their loved one with a military marker and/or headstone provided by the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. A funeral home can assist families with this process, or you can contact the Cemetery Administrator for more information. The City Administrator needs to be notified at the time of ordering, be provided a copy of the VA Form 40-1330, and will need to gather additional information. No monuments or markers are permitted to be set in the Bixby Cemetery without prior approval from the Cemetery Administrator.
13. Foundation Required: No headstone/monument/marker of any description that is to be installed within the established/designated row of headstones shall hereafter be erected/installed or by any manner created on any lot or grave in the cemetery unless there is a concrete or granite foundation (also referred to as a pad) provided. Foundations must be reinforced, cured, and be of a size that is at minimum, four inches (4") in thickness with a minimum of two inches (2") of space between any adjacent grave borders that are not owned/involved in the placement of said foundation/monument/marker (maximum length and width for a single space's marker/monument foundation is 44"L x 24"W, double space 92"L x 24” W, triple space 140"L x 24"W so on and so forth). This foundation must be installed flush with the ground/natural grade of the block and reasonably centered, along and/or parallel to the Western-most four (4') foot edge of the space, within the exact location that will be marked by the Cemetery Superintendent or his designee. Any monument requiring a foundation, must be reasonably anchored to its corresponding foundation. “Wet Pour” foundations/pads will not be allowed.
14. Materials:  All monuments/markers of any type shall be made of granite, marble, slate or bronze; foundations shall be made of reinforced concrete or granite; any and all monument accessories including but not limited to, urns, vases, and the like must be reasonably attached/anchored to the monument, and shall be made of marble, granite, slate or bronze. If circumstances require securing an accessory to the foundation, monument companies should include that information in their work order. Absolutely no glass shall be placed/used in/on graves, grave spaces, headstones, markers, foundations and/or any area within the cemetery. Any items not anchored to the monument are subject to removal.
15. Monument Size:  As of the date of approval of these current regulations, a 36” height threshold will be in effect for monuments. This height threshold begins from the flush concrete foundation. No monuments/foundations/markers of any type hereafter with a width exceeding twenty-four inches (24") shall be installed, to allow necessary space for interment. 
    1. Any pre-existing monuments that have been installed prior to the approval date of these current regulations that exceeds the new 36” height threshold, or the 24” width maximum and therefore need to be moved in order to excavate for a burial, will be moved at the expense of the space owner. Families choosing to install new monuments prior to burial that exceed the 36” height threshold, will be charged an additional fee per space to have the monument picked up and moved at the time of need for the open and close of corresponding space(s). This fee will be due and payable before the Monument Work Order can be approved.
    2. Any articles of any description found on the grave space that are inconsistent with the regulations listed herein that are within the area necessary for excavation, are subject to removal to make necessary room for the excavation of the same burial.
16. Reserved Graves: If any monuments/headstones/footstones/benches/markers of any type need to be removed, either temporarily or permanently, to allow for the performance of a burial, the cost of doing so may be added to the opening and closing fees of the same burial. Benches that have been installed in, on or around an unoccupied grave space area that interfere with the interment of remains, shall be removed by the Cemetery Superintendent or their designee, and may be subject to the same fees as listed above.
17. Lot Regulations:  Grave spaces and/or markers of any type, installed within the grave spaces, which are not located within the established/designated row of headstones, must be flush with the natural grade of the surrounding terrain and shall not be raised above the established grade. If a grave space includes cremains burials, there will be a limit of no more than two (2) flat markers allowed per space.

Questions

Please refer to our Bixby Cemetery Rules and Regulations Ordinances for complete information as pertains to grave spaces, lot regulations and the ordering and setting of monuments/headstones/markers. 

Feel free to contact the Cemetery Administrator with questions.

Please Note 

Our Rules & Regulations state that benches are prohibited. There are some options as to how a family might still put a bench at a loved one’s space: 

1) It would need to be in the designated area at the farthest West end (the head) of the grave space, in lieu of a monument/headstone/marker, or as part of the monument, and only under conditions that meet our regulations pertaining to dimensions. A traditional size bench (4’ bench with 4’ pad) will exceed our maximum length requirements in a single space.

 2) Families may purchase (2) two spaces side-by-side to allow for a traditional size bench or larger to be set at the farthest West designated area of the grave space. 

Again, please refer to the complete Rules & Regulations for all dimension restrictions; and always feel free to reach out to the Cemetery Administrator with questions.