Gardens of Peace
Cheshire · Connecticut

Rules and Regulations

For the mutual protection of the families of those who have chosen Gardens of Peace as their final resting place, and the cemetery as a whole.

Last revised May 2026 Originally adopted 2016 Issuing authority Board of Trustees
01

Introduction

These Rules and Regulations exist to preserve the dignity of those buried here and to support the families who visit them.

For the mutual protection of the families of those who have chosen Gardens of Peace as their final resting place and the cemetery as a whole, the following Rules and Regulations have been adopted by the Board of Trustees of Gardens of Peace, Inc. (the “Cemetery”). All families; visitors; funeral directors and their agents, vendors, and outside contractors; employees; contractors; and agents of the Cemetery shall be subject to these Rules and Regulations, and, subject further, to such other rules, regulations, amendments, or alterations as shall be adopted by the Board from time to time as deemed necessary.

The Cemetery and its Superintendent are empowered to enforce all Rules and Regulations and to exclude from the Cemetery any person violating the same. The Cemetery shall have charge of the grounds and buildings — including the control of funerals, traffic, employees, vendors, outside contractors, and visitors — and at all times shall have supervision and control of all persons in the Cemetery.

The Cemetery, after adequate consultation with community members and scholars, maintains the right to prevent any actions, behavior, or rituals conducted on the cemetery grounds that are deemed to be in contradiction with the mainstream and fundamental Islamic tradition.

02

For Visitors

Practical information for anyone coming to pay respects.

Hours & access

The Cemetery is open to the public daily, weather permitting, from sunrise to sunset. The right of admittance to the grounds may be restricted. Entering the grounds by any means other than through the regularly established entrances is not permitted.

Ownership & fees

Gardens of Peace, Inc. shall own and maintain the Cemetery and individual interment lots. The Cemetery shall establish fees for the various services outlined in these Rules and Regulations. A schedule of fees shall be available to the public on request. All fees are subject to change at the discretion of the Cemetery.

Vehicles & parking

It is prohibited to operate a motor vehicle within the Cemetery at a speed in excess of ten (10) miles per hour. All vehicles are restricted to the Cemetery access roads and shall honor and grant a funeral procession the right of way at all times. Motor vehicles shall not be left with the engine running and shall not interfere with the movement of other vehicles.

Except for the purpose of performing approved work within the grounds, attending a funeral, or caring for or visiting a grave, parking anywhere within the limits of the Cemetery is strictly prohibited. The Superintendent reserves the right to have any vehicle found in violation of this rule removed at the owner's expense. The Superintendent also reserves the right to exclude from the grounds any vehicle that, in his/her judgment, might in any way damage the roads or any other property within the Cemetery.

Pets

Dogs or other pets must remain in vehicles and are not allowed to cause nuisance or distraction. Service dogs are permitted only when on duty.

Children

No one under sixteen (16) years of age is permitted on the grounds at any time, except during funerals, unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult who shall be responsible for their conduct.

Care of property

Anyone visiting the Cemetery or attending a funeral is prohibited from removing any flowers, plants, or shrubs, whether cultivated or wild; breaking or injuring any tree or shrub; marring, defacing, breaking, or removing any gravestone; and defacing or injuring any property whatsoever. No one shall place, throw, or discharge any trash, bottles, cans, refuse, or debris anywhere within the Cemetery.

At a funeral

Persons who are not members of a funeral party shall not loiter or intrude upon a funeral service or open grave.

Liability

The Cemetery will take all reasonable precautions to protect lot and grave holders, and the rights of said holders, within the Cemetery, from loss or damage. The Cemetery, however, disclaims all responsibility for vandalism or theft of any gravestones, flowers, trees, shrubs, or other property.

03

Conduct on the Grounds

Visitors shall respect the solemnity of the grounds, conduct themselves with proper decorum, and strictly observe these rules for the purpose of securing quiet and good order at all times within the Cemetery.

Please
  • Speak quietly and walk respectfully
  • Stay on roads and paths
  • Yield to funeral processions at all times
  • Carry out anything you bring in
  • Supervise children at all times
  • Follow direction from the Superintendent
Strictly forbidden
  • Loud or boisterous talking
  • Music
  • Peddling or soliciting the sale of any commodity
  • Placing signs, notices, or advertisements of any kind
  • Loitering
  • Display of firearms or other dangerous weapons*
  • Skating, skiing, sledding, tobogganing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling
  • Alcoholic beverages and smoking
  • Picnicking, sporting events, and game activities
  • Horseback riding, off-road motorcycle or motorbike use

* Except by a military escort accompanying a veteran's funeral or attending memorial services, and persons authorized to carry a firearm in the performance of their professional duties.

Enforcement. The Superintendent or his/her agent may expel from the grounds any person violating any of these rules and regulations or disturbing the sanctity of the place by noisy or improper conduct.
04

Lots & Plot Holders

Information for families who have reserved or purchased a plot.

Right to refuse

Gardens of Peace reserves the right to refuse any request for burial without providing any reasons.

Right of interment

Lot owners are granted only the right of interment. The purchase of a lot is not a real estate transaction. All land and buildings located within the grounds will forever remain the property of the Cemetery. Once granted by the Cemetery, the right of interment cannot be sold, alienated, conveyed, or otherwise disposed of by the grantee or his/her heirs.

The grantee must, at the Superintendent's request, indicate his/her intentions regarding the need for the granted plot.

Forfeiture

In the event that the grantee no longer is interested in the assigned plot, such right of interment will be forfeited and the perpetual care fee will not be refunded. Lots in which interment rights have been forfeited shall be available for use by the Cemetery for other burial purposes as needed.

Reservation payments & partial-payment forfeiture

A plot reservation may be secured by a partial payment toward the total plot price. A maximum of three (3) installment payments are permitted on a single plot reservation. Each payment is recorded separately in the cemetery's records, and the reservation is considered partial — balance due until paid in full.

A reservation is not final until full payment is received. The plot remains held in the family's name and will not be released so long as the reservation is in good standing.

If payment in full is not received within six (6) months of the first partial payment, the reservation shall be automatically cancelled. Any partial payments already made shall be forfeited to Gardens of Peace, Inc. as liquidated damages and to cover the cemetery's administrative costs of holding the plot. Forfeited funds are non-refundable and the plot will be returned to inventory and made available to other families.

Staff will make a reasonable effort to remind the purchaser before the deadline expires; however, the responsibility to complete payment remains with the purchaser. To make a payment or discuss options, contact the office at gardensofpeacect@gmail.com or +1 (203) 718-6678.

Perpetual care

The Cemetery assumes the perpetual care of the cemetery, which includes mowing and trimming of grass at reasonable intervals, pruning of trees and shrubs, raking and cleaning of grounds, raising and grading sunken graves and flush markers, and removal of unsightly decorations. The intent is the general preservation of the lots and grounds, walks, roadways, boundaries, and structures, so that said grounds shall remain and be reasonably maintained as cemetery grounds forever.

Limits of perpetual care

The general care assumed by the Cemetery shall in no way include the maintenance, cleaning, repair, reconstruction, or replacement of a gravestone placed or erected upon a lot, due to damage caused by the elements, an act of God, thieves, or vandals — especially in the case where heirs are still alive and are responsible for doing such work. The Cemetery, however, reserves the right to maintain and repair any gravestone as it, in its discretion, deems appropriate.

Adornments

The Cemetery is hereby empowered to prohibit, remove, or modify any object or adornment — including any planting or work done in violation of these rules, or which it judges objectionable or injurious to the lots, its environs, or any adjoining lot.

Boundaries

No fence, hedge, railing, or coping will be allowed to enclose a lot, unless otherwise authorized by the Superintendent. All boundaries between lots shall be provided by the Cemetery.

05

Plantings & Decorations

Cut & artificial flowers

Cut and artificial flowers shall be permitted when securely placed in a vase or container. They may also be placed in a cone-type plastic vase that anchors in the ground. Glass or metal containers, pieces of wire, or similar materials used to secure any kind of container are not permitted.

In-ground plantings

In-ground planting of flowers or potted plants on a grave is permitted and may remain at the site for the entire growing season, but plantings may not be placed more than 12 inches from the face of the monument. Care for these plants or flowers is the responsibility of each family. After the plants or flowers have ceased to bloom or have become neglected, they must be removed.

Soil & chemicals

The spreading of fertilizer, ashes, or other material on lots to stimulate the growth of grass is not allowed except by staff. Application of any chemical or compound to control the growth of undesirable grasses or other plants is prohibited, except by staff.

Prohibited items

Devotional or vigil lights, balloons, wind chimes, decorative stones, and pebbles are not allowed.

Temporary removal

The Cemetery reserves the right to remove any plantings, shrubs, flowers, or objects of adornment on any lot to secure access to an interment.

06

Interments & Disinterments

Remains

Only human remains may be interred in the Cemetery. All caskets must be enclosed in a concrete vault or other Cemetery-approved permanent container. The interment of two or more bodies is not allowed except in the case of parent and child or two infants buried in one casket.

Emergency burials

When an immediate burial is required by the laws of the State of Connecticut or under the rules and regulations of the Board of Health, interment may be made on a Sunday or holiday, for an additional fee (see schedule).

Notice

The Cemetery reserves the right to insist on at least twenty-four (24) hours' notice for all interments and at least seven (7) days' notice for a disinterment. The Cemetery reserves the right to charge an extra fee for burials that take place without twenty-four hours' notice, and an extra fee for burials that take place after 2:00 p.m. on a weekday or any time on a weekend.

Permits & payment

When requesting that a site be prepared and a grave opened for a burial, the funeral director must submit to the Superintendent the necessary burial permit from the appropriate authorities. Payment for interment expenses as well as all fees, including perpetual care fees, must also be made at that time. All payments must be made to the funeral home, which in turn will pay the Cemetery.

Conduct at funerals

The Superintendent and/or his/her agents shall be in complete charge of funerals after they enter the Cemetery. Loud conversation, smoking, or improper conduct of any kind during funeral services will not be permitted. Funeral directors are expected to see that these rules are observed. The Superintendent and his/her agents shall have the right to expel from the Cemetery any individual or individuals who violate this rule.

Delays

The Cemetery shall in no way be liable for any delay in the interment of a body when a protest to the interment has been made, when these Rules and Regulations have not been complied with, or when difficulties arise in excavating a grave because of equipment breakdown or ground conditions. The Cemetery further reserves the right to delay or postpone any interment or disinterment when hazardous weather conditions are anticipated.

Funeral flowers

Funeral floral arrangements will be removed from the grave when they become unsightly. Families desiring to retain them should remove them within three (3) days of the interment.

Authority for interments & disinterments

Interments and disinterments shall be made only by the Superintendent or contracted agents who shall be under his/her supervision at all times. No disinterment will be allowed without permission of the next of kin, the Cemetery, and the proper authorities. A request for disinterment, issued by a court order or other appropriate authorities, shall be in writing, and all charges for such service shall be paid in advance.

Coroner-directed disinterments

When the coroner directs a disinterment for the purpose of holding an inquest and requests the release of the body to himself/herself or his/her agents, the Superintendent reserves the right not to perform said disinterment. In such case, the disinterment must be made by the coroner or his/her agents, who will be responsible for leaving the site to the satisfaction of the Superintendent.

Care during disinterment

The Superintendent and/or his/her agents or assistants shall exercise the utmost care in making a disinterment, but the Cemetery assumes no liability for damage to any casket done in the process.

07

Monuments, Headstones & Markers

All graves shall be marked with a standardized stone marker, flush with the ground, engraved with the name and date of birth and death of the deceased. The Superintendent can provide the name of a company authorized to provide this marker.

Acknowledgment of Agreement

By visiting Gardens of Peace — whether by accessing this website or by entering the cemetery grounds — you acknowledge that you have read these Rules and Regulations and the accompanying Terms of Use, and you agree to abide by them in full.

Last revised May 2026 · Originally adopted 2016