Lafayette Cemetery
The Lafayette Cemetery is located at 3285 Mount Diablo Boulevard, in the City of Lafayette. There are approximately 2,200 occupied plots at the cemetery. The District reported that there were 500 regular plots and 12 niches available for purchase, as of November 2009. The District plans to add 160 new niches at the cemetery in FY 09-10. With the additional niches at the cemetery, the facility will have capacity for at least eight years of niche placements, and at least 18 years of single body in-ground burials, based on recent niche placement rates and projected population growth. It should be noted that these capacity estimates are highly conservative, because if customers opt for in-ground cremation burial (as opposed to an in-ground full body burial), up to six urns can be buried in a single plot, significantly extending the usable life of the cemetery.
No short-term capacity issues were identified for ALCD, assuming that planned additions of niches are completed in FY 09-10. The District has taken a proactive approach in expanding capacity by continuing to add interment niches at both cemetery facilities as the number of available in-ground burial lots have decreased. Because niches can be constructed vertically along walls and walkways, and because a single niche can accommodate up to two urns, much higher densities can be achieved with cremation interments than traditional full body in-ground burials. It is important, however, that the District plan for long-term facility needs, including acquiring and developing new cemetery facilities. Public cemetery districts have the legal responsibility to continue providing cemetery services by obtaining and developing more land as existing facilities reach capacity. ALCD reported that adding niches is the only method of increasing capacity currently available to the district, due to the high cost of land within the district, and limited finances.
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