New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 19 - DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Chapter VI - Division of Cemeteries
Part 201 - Cemetery Operations
Section 201.17 - Lawn crypts

Universal Citation: 19 NY Comp Codes Rules and Regs ยง 201.17

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 12, March 20, 2024

(a) A lawn crypt is a single or double receptacle designed for encasement of casketed human remains set into a recess in the earth. No cemetery may install a lawn crypt except in accordance with a plan submitted to the Cemetery Board and acted upon in accordance with the provisions of this directive. A lawn crypt may be installed anywhere in the cemetery provided that its location adheres to such plan and it is installed in conformity with such plan.

(b) Every application and proposed lawn crypt plan shall be submitted to the director of the Division of Cemeteries. All such plans shall meet the design and performance standards set forth in subdivision (c) of this section. The application shall specify:

(1) The means of financing the purchase and installation of the lawn crypt to be employed by the cemetery.

(2) The method of drainage to be used by the cemetery, including the results of percolation tests performed by an engineer licensed by the State of New York.

(3) A statement from the company and/or the organization manufacturing and/or installing the lawn crypts stating that the lawn crypts meet the design and performance standards of subdivision (c) of this section.

(4) Any additional information specifically relating to items in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) deemed by the director to be necessary to make a determination.

(c) Design and performance standards.

(1) General.
(i) The earth cover above the units shall be a minimum of 18" of fill as specified by the engineer and a maximum of 48"

(ii) Crypts shall, at a minimum, be 6' distant from the edge of the road.

(iii) Crypts shall be set on a base of 12" of compacted select granular fill or as recommended by a soil evaluation conducted by a professional engineer licensed by the State of New York.

(iv) Positive drainage beneath the crypts shall be designed by a competent engineer using appropriate soil and survey data as specified in this directive.

(v) Area between crypts shall be filled and compacted with sand or fine stone fill to prevent settlement of top soil.

(2) Concrete.
(i) The concrete cylinder compressive strength must test 4,500 psi plus or minus 10 percent at the end of 28 days after manufacture thereof.

(ii) Entrained air shall be five percent to nine percent by volume.

(3) Design notes.
(i) The manufacturer of the reinforced concrete design must provide a certificate signed by a professional engineer licensed by the State of New York that the lawn crypt will perform to withstand a dead load specified in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph and a live load specified in subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph, which will permit it to function for the purpose of a lawn crypt.

(ii) Dead loads will consist of the weight of structure, earth fill, snow loads and any other material that may produce a static load.

(iii) Live loads will consist of vehicle and pedestrian loads normally encountered in a cemetery and the minimum design wheel load shall be 4,000 lbs.

(iv) Lateral earth pressure loads shall be computed by the Rankine Method using the appropriate soil parameters; the minimum equivalent pressure used shall be 36 psf per foot depth. Lateral pressure induced by live loads on the ground surface shall be considered to be equivalent to a 2' depth of earth.

(4) Other materials.
(i) Crypts may be constructed of material other than concrete provided the above standards are met.

(d) Procedures for applications.

(1) The director shall within 30 days of receipt of the application notify the cemetery of any additional information required by the division. The application shall be deemed complete on the 60th day after the division receives the application, unless such a letter is issued. If additional information is requested, the application shall be complete upon the submission of the requested information.

(2) The Cemetery Board shall have 90 days from the date on which the application is deemed complete within which to object to the application. Failure to so object shall mean that the Cemetery Board has no objection to the application.

(3) If the Cemetery Board shall object to the application, it shall notify the cemetery of its reasons in writing. The cemetery may not install any lawn crypts until such objection has been withdrawn.

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