Supervisors in Morris Township, Clearfield County, will consider an ordinance to regulate the burial of human remains.

We have more on how those considering backyard burial would have to go to the township and follow the rules.

Instead of being buried at a cemetery such as this one near Allport, a Morris Township supervisor says a few people have been asking him about being buried at home.

“It’s better if everything is done by us and let them know what they have to do,” says supervisor chairman MIke Polachek.

Polachek says he’s been researching for about a year, but couldn’t find any state laws.

“The legislature has never addressed that fact and the municipality can and I believe should,” says Polachek.

Recently, he says he got a “confidential” request.

“We had a woman come in and wanted to know what do I have to if I bury on the property and I said we’re having our meeting tonight if you want to stop in, and she didn’t,” says Polachek.

“He said that there was someone approached him so he was gonna look into it,” says supervisor Richard O’Dell.

Polachek, who’s also a deputy coroner, showed us the draft ordinance and says families would have to go to the township planning commission and change the deed to mark and cut the burial site out of the rest of the property on the map.

“I think any burial on private property is going to decrease the value of your property when you go to sell it because who’s going to want to buy your property with a grave or two on it,” says Polachek.

An easement from the road, vault, and marker, would be required, according to the ordinance.

Also, they request “family burial cemeteries” be near the property line when possible, but at least 15 feet away from the line, 50 feet from wells.

Burials would not be allowed on properties under 1/2 acre, and $600 fine is set for anyone who violates these conditions.

Both supervisors we talked to aren’t interested in doing this personally. O’Dell says he has a cemetery plot picked out.

“We’re already situated. If something happens, why, we know where we’re gonna go now,” says O’Dell.

“I don’t have a big enough property and there’s a certain size limit here, but it would be pretty rough to bury in the town and have your neighbors subject to your grave site right there,” says Polachek.

After looking into the ordinance, the supervisors plan to discuss the matter more at their meeting next month and could vote on it then.