Presenter/Contact
Presenter
Stacey Dicke, Parks and Recreation Director
Contact Info
(830) 221-4350 - sdicke@nbtexas.org
Subject Header
SUBJECT:
Title
Discuss and consider approval of the sale price and sale for lots at the Comal Cemetery.
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BACKGROUND / RATIONALE:
The Comal Cemetery has had a number of unsold lots left “on-hold” since the early 1990s. Working through the City’s Cemetery Committee, City staff identified and sent letters to 96 lot-holders giving them the opportunity to officially secure their lot within 90 days by paying the fee required, or to forfeit their plot back to the City. Fifteen lots were sold through this process.
Following the responses, the City now retains 81 lots available for sale in the Comal Cemetery.
• Block 684 contains 53 plots available for resale
• Block 687 contains 28 plots available for resale
Proposed Fees:
Chapter 26 of the Code of Ordinances authorizes the City Manager to set the price for the sale of lots with City Council approval.
Sec. 26-5. - Sale of cemetery lots.
(a) Sale; price. Lots in the cemetery shall be sold to persons applying therefor, at such price and in such place or part of such cemetery as the city manager may from time to time direct. All prices fixed by the city manager for such lots shall be approved by the city council.
The Cemetery Committee recommends placing these lots for sale and setting the fee to $2,500 for residents and $3,000 for non-residents. The previous fee for the sale of the lots was $375.00. The recommended rate was determined through a survey of other municipal and private cemeteries:
|
Location |
Fee per Lot |
|
City of San Marcos |
$1,400 (resident) $2,500 (non-resident) |
|
City of Boerne |
$3,000 |
|
City of Georgetown |
$1,325 (resident) $1,575 (non-resident) |
|
Guadalupe Valley |
Starts at $2,500 |
|
Hill Country Memorial Garden |
$750 - $2,750 |
The sale of the plots could generate up to $202,500. The Cemetery Committee recommends that this revenue be set aside for proposed improvements identified in the Historic Preservation Plan for the Comal Cemetery.
Proposed Recommended Process:
• Sales for the Comal Cemetery will be set for Saturday, September 8, 2018, 9:00 a.m.
• Sales are on a first-come basis. They must be made in-person and paid in full.
• Sales are limited to two (2) lots per household (two burials per lot are permissible).
ADDRESSES A NEED/ISSUE IN A CITY PLAN OR COUNCIL PRIORITY:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
The sale of the plots could generate up to $202,500. These funds will be deposited into the City’s Cemetery Improvements Fund. The Cemetery Committee recommends that this revenue be set aside for proposed improvements identified in the Historic Preservation Plan for the Comal Cemetery.
Recommendation
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
The Cemetery Committee recommended the sale of the lots, the associated fee and process, and setting the revenue aside for cemetery improvements at their meeting on March 22, 2018. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board agreed with their recommendations at their meeting on April 16, 2018.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the sale of lots, the associated fees and sale process, and setting the revenue aside for cemetery improvements.