(1) If there is a lot, grave space, niche, or crypt in a cemetery in which no remains have been interred, no burial memorial has been placed, and no other improvement has been made for a continuous period of no less than seventy-five years, a cemetery district may initiate the process of reclaiming title to the lot, grave space, niche, or crypt in accordance with this section.
(2) A cemetery district seeking to reclaim a lot, grave space, niche, or crypt shall:
Send written notice of the cemetery district's intent to reclaim title to the lot, gravespace, niche, or crypt to the owner's last-known address by first-class mail; and
Publish a notice of the cemetery district's intent to reclaim title to the lot, gravespace, niche, or crypt in a newspaper of general circulation in the area in which the cemetery is located once per week for four weeks.
The notice required by subsection (2) of this section shall clearly indicate that thecemetery district intends to terminate the owner's rights and title to the lot, grave space, niche, or crypt and include a recitation of the owner's right to notify the cemetery district of the owner's intent to retain ownership of the lot, grave space, niche, or crypt.
If the cemetery district does not receive from the owner of the lot, grave space, niche,or crypt a letter of intent to retain ownership of the lot, grave space, niche, or crypt within sixty days after the last publication of the notice required by paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of this section, all rights and title to the lot, grave space, niche, or crypt shall transfer to the cemetery district. The cemetery district may then sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of the lot, grave space, niche, or crypt without risk of liability to the prior owner of the lot, grave space, niche, or crypt.
A cemetery district that reclaims title to a lot, grave space, niche, or crypt in accordance with this section shall retain in its records for no less than one year a copy of the notice sent pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of this section and a copy of the notice published pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of this section.
If a person submits to a cemetery district a legitimate claim to a lot, grave space,niche, or crypt that the cemetery district has reclaimed pursuant to this section, the cemetery district shall transfer to the person at no charge a lot, grave space, niche, or crypt that, to the extent possible, is equivalent to the reclaimed lot, grave space, niche, or crypt.
Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, on and after August 7, 2006, acemetery district shall not convey title to the real property surveyed as a lot in a cemetery for use as a burial space. A cemetery district may grant interment rights to a lot, grave space, niche, or crypt in a cemetery.
Source: L. 2006: Entire section added, p. 443, § 3, effective August 7.
Editor's note: Section 5 of chapter 128, Session Laws of Colorado 2006, provides that the act enacting this section applies to cemetery lots, grave spaces, niches, and crypts purchased before, on, or after August 7, 2006.