SUMMARY
Township of North Star, Gratiot County, Michigan
NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO NORTH STAR CEMETERY ORDINANCE
To: The residents and burial space owners in the North Star Cemetery, Gratiot County, Michigan and any other interested persons.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at a Regular Meeting held on Monday, June 9, 2025, the Township Board revised and amended the North Star Township Cemetery Ordinance. The changes will take effect on Sunday, June 29, 2025.
The summary of the ordinance appears below:
NORTH STAR TOWNSHIP CEMETERY ORDINANCE
Section 1: Title
Section 2: Definition of Cemetery Lots and Burial Spaces
Section 3: Purchasing Procedures. Purchasing of cemetery lots or burial spaces explained. Rights of burial explained in detail and transfers of ownership.
Section 4: Purchase price and transfer fees
Section 5: Grave opening charges
Section 6: Interment regulations. One person in a concrete vault, one person in a concrete vault along with one set of cremains, or two sets of cremains in a burial space is allowed.
Section 7: Disinterment regulations. No disinterment shall occur until a permit is obtained from the Mid-Michigan Health Department and a notarized, written request including consent from all living heirs at law is submitted to the Township. A reasonable basis for the disinterment with relocation plans must be included in the request. The only exception is a court order from a competent jurisdiction. All disinterment’s are at the discretion of the Township and will only be done between April 1st – November 30th.
Section 8: Disinterment/Reinter charges
Section 9: Markers, Monuments, Materials & Foundations. All monuments and markers must be placed on a foundation. Foundations fees will be assessed on a square inch of surface area basis and may only be installed by cemetery management.
Section 10: Decorations of Burial Spaces. Decorations allowed on the burial space explained as well as things not allowed in detail. Flowers allowed are not to be placed until after May 1st. Grave blankets are not to be placed until after November 1st and must be removed by April 1st. Items not in compliance will be removed by cemetery management.
Section 11: Ground Maintenance. General maintenance of North Star Cemetery explained. The well water in the cemetery has not been approved for drinking.
Section 12: Records. All records shall be maintained by the Township Clerk.
Section 13: Cemetery hours. Cemetery is open from dawn to dusk each day.
Section 14: Penalties. Violations of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of up to $500 and or imprisonment for up to 90 days in jail as may be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Section 15: Severability.
Section 16: Effective Date. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 20 days from and after its adoption by the North Star Township Board. All existing ordinances and/or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the full text of this Ordinance will be available for inspection and may be purchased at the office of the Township Clerk from the date of this publication. This Ordinance is also available on our website www.northstartwp.com.
NORTH STAR TOWNSHIP
Heidi Drowley, Clerk
3064 S. Crapo Rd., Ithaca, MI 48847
(989) 875-3352
Website: www.northstartwp.com
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a meeting Thursday, July 10th, 2025 at 4:00pm in the Board of Commissioner’s Room Level 1 of Gratiot County Courthouse 214 E. Center Rd., Ithaca, MI 48847 regarding Use-Variance Request for Parcel #08-006-007-01. If you have any questions, please contact Diandra Messer at dmesser@gratiotmi.comor (989) 875-5201.