§903. Maintenance of cemetery spaces more than fifty years old; sale of repaired abandoned cemetery spaces

A. Cemetery authorities may renovate and repair but not demolish, at their own cost and/or in conjunction with any private, state, or federal grant or fund, cemetery spaces within their cemeteries that are more than fifty years old and which have deteriorated, when the record owner or his spouse or heirs have neglected to do such renovation within one year after written notice mailed by registered or certified mail to the last known address of the last record owner on the records of the cemetery authority, the posting of notice on each of such cemetery spaces, and advertising in the official journal of the parish or municipality notifying the owner thereof that such renovation and repair will be made, unless the owner thereof objects by written notice to the office of the cemetery authority before the end of the one year period. Upon failing to receive any objections, after due notice has been given, the cemetery authority may proceed with the repairs or renovations with impunity.

B. Cemetery authorities may require the payment of all documented repair and/or renovation costs before any such renovated or repaired interment space may thereafter be used.

C. The repaired space shall revert to the ownership of the cemetery authority in the case of municipal, religious, and nonprofit cemeteries when the cemetery authority has been unable to locate, after diligent efforts, any of the owners or their successors or heirs for a period of three years following the repair or renovation, and such cemetery authority may take possession of such interment spaces and sell and convey same subject to rules and regulations as set forth in R.S. 8:308(A).

Acts 1991, No. 289, §4; Acts 1991, No. 430, §1; Acts 1992, No. 82, §1.