Visit any of Metro's 14 cemeteries and you're bound to notice gravesites piled with decorations, rimmed by tiny wicket fences or topped with a spread of planted flowers.
They may be signs of fond memories and good intentions, but the decorations have become a nuisance, say maintenance staffers who spend hours mowing around ornate shrines, and other visitors who find their loved ones' graves collecting decoration overflow from a neighboring plot.
On Thursday, the Metro Council voted unanimously to code change to clean up the gravesites.
The changes to Title 10 of Metro's code lie in the details. While this practice has always been prohibited on cemetery grounds, this code update makes the rule easier to find. For the first time since Metro became the proprietor of the cemeteries 17 years ago, cemeteries will now have their own rules and regulations separate from Metro park guidelines. In clarifying the guidelines, Metro hopes to put an end to a long-standing misconception that friends and family can leave decorations, fences, and cemented memorials on gravesites.
"This has never been allowed," said Paul Slyman, director of parks and environmental services at Metro. "People see other graves with embellishments and think that it's okay. It comes down to regulation."
Slyman said these additions often go overlooked because there isn't anyone to see it happen. Metro only has one park ranger for the 14 cemeteries spanning the region and no other on-site staff.
From rain-soaked teddy bears to shrines that have actually been cemented into the soil, Slyman has seen it all – as have cemetery maintenance staff.
"It takes an incredible amount of time and effort to mow and trim around these additions," Slyman said. "It's something we didn't factor in to our plan years ago."
Other patrons who visit un-decorated gravesites are irritated by these decorations on plots, as they often spread over to neighboring gravesites.
"It's just like regulating a neighborhood," said Rachel Fox, Metro's cemetery manager. "If a few people break the rules, the rest aren't going to be happy. It's tricky."
During the summer, Metro staff worked to inform visitors about this issue by posting signs on cemetery gates and even smaller postings by elaborately decorated plots. Starting next month, staff plans on making a cemetery-wide sweep, bagging all decorations and fences. The decorations will be stored at Blue Lake Regional Park for pickup by families within 30 days.
But, Fox says, the idea is to get these visitors to remove their additions before this end date.
However, some of these families may be harder to reach than some. At Portland's Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery, the most decorated gravesites belong to those with Russian heritage. Attempts by Metro News to reach some of the families with well-attended gravesites were unsuccessful.
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According to Fox, many who visit the graves know little English, and have a hard time understanding the written regulations.
"There definitely is a communication problem for some," Fox said.
But this issue won't be lost in translation. In the coming weeks, Fox will visit a range of foreign-speaking churches throughout the region with a translator to make sure families know their rights when they buy a plot.
While she's faced numerous complaints about the new enforcement, Fox said that most visitors are understanding.
"It's important to remind people that they are sacred places," Fox said. "This is a park that will be here forever. We are all a part of it."
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Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported the timeframe for enforcing rules at the cemeteries, and the timeframe for outreach to foreign-speaking church congregations. The rules will be enforced in November. The outreach will take place in the coming weeks. This version has been corrected.
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