On July 7, the Pagosa Springs Town Council approved a second reading of an ordinance adopting revised rules and regulations for Hilltop Cemetery.
The changes follow discussions in open meetings with the public in April 2025 and April 2026, according to an agenda document on the matter.
“Changes to the fee structure for the cemetery services will be forthcoming with the fee schedule adoption in December to go into effect in January of 2027,” the document states.
Some of the major changes include: clarification on the scheduled maintenance processes on the cemetery grounds and a new requirement for a permit to install benches near grave sites.
The resolution also sets new rules around “Ornamental Structures and Objects,” limiting those to four items and placement within 12 inches in front of the headstone, while also limiting the placement of flowers (natural and artificial) to within 12 inches in front of the headstone.
These changes update ordinances passed by the council in 2018 and 2021.
Administrative Services Manager Kathy Harker explained that “it’s been about four and a half years since we’ve made any revision to the cemetery rules and regulations.”
Before coming up with these changes, Harker said, “we did quite a bit of community outreach with people from the community about the cemetery on some of the issues that they have with our rules and regulations.”
She added that a major part of the changes has to do with “increasing the readability” of the rules and regulations document and to clarify the town’s maintenance processes.
She also explained that, in her discussions, what she found to be “very important to the public” were ornamental objects, benches and having flowers, so town staff chose to revise the rules in these categories.
She noted that keeping these objects closer to the grave sites would allow the town staff to better maintain the areas around the grave sites.
The previous rules and regulations did not allow for benches, but “we still have them popping up all over the cemetery,” she said.
She added, “So, we have revised the rules to allow for monument benches,” and other benches through a “bench permit process.”
“Benches are very important to people in this community, so we are working on a solution,” she said.
Town Manager David Harris gave a “hats off” to the staff who have “put a lot of time and effort into” this, “meeting with people and trying to find a better understanding for our cemetery and how we have rules and how we enforce them without being overbearing, so thank y’all.”
Harris explained the town would inform people of the changes through its newsletter and website.
“This is not just a town cemetery. It’s a community cemetery, and we have the honor and blessing to be the stewards of this,” he said.
When a motion was made to approve the ordinance to adopt the new changes, it was passed unanimously by the council.
derek@pagosasun.com
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