 Definitions:
As used in the District Rules & Regulations, the following terms shall have the following meaning:
- “Cemetery” or “District” or “Cemetery District” shall mean the Goleta Cemetery District.
- “Burial Right” shall mean the rights held by an owner to use the grave, subject to the rules and regulations listed below, for full casket burials as well as inurnment and interment of cremains.
- “Purchaser” shall mean the person who has purchased the Burial Right.
- District Office hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm; Monday through Friday.
- Cemetery grounds are open Monday–Friday, 7 am–5 pm during Pacific Standard Time, and open Monday–Friday, 7 am–5:30 pm during Daylight Saving Time. On weekends and holidays the grounds open at 8:00 am.
- All visitors are expected to conduct themselves and their activities in a manner appropriate for a cemetery, as determined by the cemetery authority.
- Consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on cemetery property, per Chapter 36 of the Santa Barbara County Code.
- Smoking (of any kind) is prohibited on cemetery property, per Chapter 37 of the Santa Barbara County Code.
- No commercial or student photography of any kind will be permitted.
- Amplified music is not permitted.
- The recreational or commercial operation of drones is not permitted over cemetery grounds.
- Pets must be on a leash and under control at all times. Pets, other than service animals, are not permitted on the grass; they are only allowed on paved areas. Waste is to be picked up and properly disposed.
- All items left on the grounds will be picked up and removed by grounds staff on Wednesday mornings.
- Anything of a permanent or semi-permanent nature not owned by the Cemetery District, (some examples being, but NOT limited to, trees, plants, shrubs, benches, memorial structures, planters) is not permitted on or near gravesites or on any District-owned property. Only one approved memorial marker (as described in these Rules and Regulations) is permitted on a gravesite.
The Board shall establish District fees. A general price list of the current fees shall be available for inspection during regular business hours in the cemetery office.
 The Board has established the amount to be paid for deposit into the Endowment Care Fund in accordance with Section 9065 of the California Health and Safety Code. Such amount paid into the Endowment Care Fund is not refundable.
- Interment in the District’s Cemetery shall be limited to qualifying persons in accordance with Sections 9060, 9061, 9065, and 9068 of the California Health and Safety Code as it now exists or may be hereafter amended. Persons who qualify for In-District interment must meet at least one of the following requirements: (1) reside or pay taxes within the District boundaries; or (2) formerly resided or paid property taxes within the District boundaries and purchased the interment right while so residing or paying those taxes. Per Health and Safety Code section 9061(a)(2), the Board of Trustees, by adopting this policy, expressly waive the Out-of-District fees for persons who purchased their interment rights while residing or paying taxes in the District boundaries.
- Out-of-District fees shall be charged for interment of qualifying persons in accordance with Section 9061 of the Health and Safety Code. Such qualifying persons are as follows: Family members to persons already interred in the Cemetery, or family members to those listed above who qualify for In-District interments. Family is defined as any spouse, by marriage or otherwise (including domestic partner), child or step-child, by natural birth or adoption, parent, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, parent-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nephew, niece, aunt, uncle, first cousin or any person denoted by the prefix “grand” or “great” or the spouse of any of these persons. For a complete list of qualifying persons and related requirements see Sections 9060 and 9061 of the Health and Safety Code.
- Determination of whether the person qualifies for In-District or Out-of-District interment shall be made at time of purchase of the interment right, regardless of whether the right is purchased at-need or pre-need. Likewise, the charge for Out-of-District interment shall be paid at time of purchase and is non-refundable, even if a Purchaser becomes eligible for In-District interment at some later date.
 Burial services at the gravesite are to begin no earlier than 9:00 am. Services must conclude with the gravesite available to staff for closing no later than 3:00 pm; Monday through Friday. No services on Saturday or Sunday. No services on designated holidays.
- Interment Order and Authorization documents must be completed fully and signed by appropriate next of kin/designee at least 24 hours prior to time of service; in addition to payment being received in full.
- All caskets or urns must be interred in a vault or liner of a durable material approved by the cemetery authority.
- No body shall be received for interment unless it is in a proper container acceptable to the cemetery authority.
- Caskets, urns, or any receptacle containing human remains or cremated remains are not to be opened on cemetery grounds.
- Single (Full) plots, without a casket interment, will hold up to six (6) cremation urn interments.
- Single (Full) plots, with a casket interment, will hold up to two (2) cremation urn interments, and they must be interred under the memorial marker.
- No more than two cremation urns in a cremation plot.
- The District shall issue a certificate of Burial Rights to the Purchaser. The interest acquired by such purchase is not an interest in real property, but instead, a revocable right granted to the Purchaser to use the site for interment purposes in accordance with the District’s Rules and Regulations.
- A Purchaser of a Burial Right may not sell that right to another, except to sell directly back to the District for the same dollar amount as was originally purchased.
- Unless otherwise ordered by a court, disinterment will be at the discretion of the District Manager. When allowed, District personnel will open the grave with the assistance of a local mortuary and disinter the casket. Then, the casket will be released to the assisting mortuary. The District shall not be financially responsible or liable for any claim relating to the removal of the casket, or damage to the vault, casket, or remains.
- Only markers that can be installed with the surface flat, level, and flush with the lawn will be permitted. A limited number of exceptions to this may be granted in areas of existing upright monuments by management on a case-by-case basis, depending upon (but not limited to) size of marker, number of plots owned, and proximity to other uprights monuments.
- Only one marker is permitted per plot.
- Markers for Single plots and Cremation plots are to be made of either granite, marble, or bronze. Markers for Double plots (two full plots) are to be made of granite only.
- Granite and marble markers must be one solid piece of stone. (Markers that are hollow, or created from multiple pieces, will not be accepted.)
- Markers for Single plots and Cremation plots must be at least 3" thick, but not more than 4" thick. Markers for Double plots (two full plots) must be exactly 4" thick.
- Maximum dimensions, width (left to right) by depth (front to back), permitted are:
Single (One Full Plot) Marker: 28" x 16"
Double (Two Full Plots) Marker: 40" x 16"
Small Cremation (One Plot) Marker: 24" x 12"
Standard Cremation (One Plot) Marker: 28" x 16"
- Bronze markers (not provided for veterans by the Veterans Administration) must be delivered firmly mounted on a 3" to 4" thick granite base.
- Markers are to only be placed by District staff, or an agent approved by management. No alteration of the placement of the marker, including the border area, will be permitted by other than District staff.
 It is requested that flowers be placed in the District-provided vases only. The District will provide, at no charge, up to two vases per gravesite.
- Any non-District provided vases, or any other items, must be placed within the specific grave plot. Any items extending beyond that will be immediately removed.
- No fencing or bordering of grave plots is permitted.
- Any items placed on a gravesite of a material or design that would be considered by cemetery management to be unsafe, or prevent a possible hazard to staff, visitors, or cemetery equipment, will be immediately removed.
- Any food items, beverages, and candles are not permitted on cemetery grounds, and will be immediately removed.
- Any items placed on gravesites that might impede the safe and normal operations of the cemetery staff, or might be damaged by normal cemetery operations, will be immediately removed.
Approved by the Goleta Cemetery District Board of Trustees September 15, 2022
Download the District Rules & Regulations in PDF format
 Inurnment services at the niche site are to begin no earlier than 9:00 am and conclude with the niche available for closing no later than 3:30 pm; Monday through Friday. No services on Saturday or Sunday. No services on designated holidays.
- Inurnment Order and Authorization documents must be completed fully and signed by appropriate next of kin/designee at least 24 hours prior to time of service, in addition to receipt of payment in full.
- No more than two sets of cremated remains in a single niche, and two urns can only be inurned in the same niche, at the same time. Niches will not be reopened for a second urn. Niches are approximately 9.5 inches square. Urns are not to be opened on cemetery grounds.
Please Note: Niches at the Veteran’s Memorial Monument (near the flag pole) are reserved for veterans and their spouse.
- Niches in 5 South are for all who qualify for interment in our cemetery.
5 South Niches
- Memorial markers (niche plates) are to be identical in size, shape, color and material as the acceptable marker for the particular niche feature displayed in the District office.
- No items other than the memorial marker (niche plate) may be affixed, either temporarily or permanently, to the niche face. Any items found so affixed will be immediately removed by staff and disposed of.
- Flowers are to be placed only on the concrete walkway in front of the niche feature, and not blocking or obstructing other niches. Flowers are not to be placed on top of niche feature. Flowers, or any items placed on top of niche feature will be immediately removed by staff.
- Flowers are not to be affixed in any fashion to the niche face (shutter). Flowers so affixed will be immediately removed by staff.
- Vases made of a material or design that would be considered by management to be unsafe and present a possible hazard to staff or visitors will be removed.
Approved by the Goleta Cemetery District Board of Trustees September 14, 2021
Download the Addendum to the District Rules & Regulations regarding Niches in PDF format |
