Heritage Through Cemeteries

Burial places, in particular cemeteries, are the most visible public remains of a community’s history. As public documents of human occupation, cemeteries serve as records of a community’s roots. They not only embody the community’s history but also are proof of its member’s pride of place. They provide evidence of the struggles to continue on in the face of adversity from generation to generation.

The communities that truly values its heritage will make a strong fight to ensure its future.

About the Commission

The Cobb County Cemetery Preservation Commission is a volunteer commission created by the Board of Commissioners to provide a uniform procedure for the identification, preservation, protection, and maintenance of cemeteries, graveyards, and burial grounds. The unprecedented growth and development of Cobb County has caused the loss of many old cemeteries.

The Cemetery Preservation Commission has a broad scope and numerous means of encouraging the preservation of cemeteries. These include assisting with the creation of a new state law and local ordinance regarding cemetery preservation, developing educational programs and tourism sites.

Protection Through Laws and Ordinances

The continued preservation of neglected and abandoned cemeteries need not be a burden to taxpayers. In Cobb County, a partnership has developed between government officials and the Cemetery Preservation Commission, which encourages residents to understand and preserve these non-renewable cultural resources. State Law O.C.G.A. 36-72, 1 - 16, et. Seq. {Georgia' new cemetery preservation law} was based on the Cobb County Cemetery Preservation Ordinance. It replaced the old cemetery law 36-60-6, which did not sufficiently protect cemeteries nor provide for proper notification of descendants when a burial removal was being considered.

The Cemetery Preservation Commission also plays an important role in the private development process. The Commission reviews all plans, zoning and variance requests, and assists developers in working out creative solutions to ensure that cemeteries can be preserved.

Please consult Cobb County's Official Code of Ordinances (chapter 26) to find out what it has to say about Cemeteries.