Grave decoration at municipal sites OK'd until further talks with Austin stakeholders

"Until the city starts abiding by state law to straighten and level stones, pick up the trash and old flowers and repair buildings and roads, they have no businesses enforcing rules about cemetery honors without public comment," Blythe said.

Blythe also showed photographs illustrating the infractions to which she was referring.

The resolution states that the city has regulations restricting certain grave decorations at municipal cemeteries but has not consistently enforced those regulations. On Oct. 1, the city sent out a release stating staff will begin documenting and sending out notices Nov. 1 and Jan. 1 to plot owners of graves at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery and Evergreen Cemetery that are out of compliance.

Councilwoman Kathie Tovo said grave decoration is a matter of great concern and thought it would be better to have a discussion about the policy before the city begins enforcing it.

"I do not want to see us as a city move forward with the enforcement of requiring the removal personal objects, at least without having a conversation about where we might set that policy in a way that allows people to honor their deceased loved ones in a way that is meaningful to them and still provide the kind of safeties and protections that we all expect in visiting our public facilities," Tovo said.

The city's previous policy restricted the placing of boxes, shells, toys and discarded glassware on graves, and flowers were allowed to be placed on the graves but could be removed by staff each month. Installing a bench also was restricted.

A cemetery stakeholder public meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the Northwest Recreation Center, 2913 Northland Drive. For more information about city cemeteries, visit https://austintexas.gov/department/cemeteries.