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Grand View Memorial Park Notice

Grand View Memorial Park Will Open on Sundays Only

Beginning August 27, 2006, Grand View Memorial Park will be open to visitors from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., on Sundays only, under a limited-access agreement worked out between the City of Glendale and the cemetery.

According to an August 24, 2006, press release issued by the city, the mausoleums will remain closed until further notice. Burials, disinterments, inurnments and removal of ashes will continue to be prohibited.

Visitation rules will be handed out to all persons entering the cemetery. Those rules, as well as updates, can also be found on the City's Web site at:

http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/pdf/GrandViewCemetery/Grandview_Cemetery_Visitation_Rules.pdf

Background

Citing financial difficulties, Grand View's owners closed the cemetery on July 13. The decision to close was made solely by the owners, not the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau. As part of an ongoing investigation into the cemetery, the Bureau had requested that certain restrictions be placed on Grand View Memorial Park in order to prevent additional harm to the public, the cemetery's clients and their families. The primary restrictions, which were in place when Grand View closed, were that the manager of the cemetery at the time be prohibited from having any involvement in Grand View's operations and that the cemetery be restricted from making new sales. At no time did the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau order that the cemetery be closed or the gates locked. Throughout this time the Bureau has worked to ensure that people could have their pre-need agreements fulfilled and that families could continue to visit their loved ones at Grand View.

Some of the areas being investigated by the Bureau are the endowment care trust accounts, brokerage practices including the possible resale of cemetery plots or spaces, and the condition of the cemetery. The resale of plots involves empty or unused plots or spaces. There is no evidence that removal of remains for resale purposes has occurred. The Bureau's Accusation and Interim Suspension Order against Grand View can be viewed by clicking on the links.

Although the Bureau does not have the authority to force the cemetery to reopen, it is working with the owners, the California Attorney General's Office and others to find a solution that would allow Grand View to resume normal operations.

Here is some information for consumers with an interest in Grand View:

  • Questions/Filing a complaint: Consumers with questions about Grand View can contact the Bureau at (916) 574-7870. Those who wish to file a formal complaint against the cemetery can contact the Bureau as well, or the Consumer Information Center at (800) 952-5210. Complaints can also be submitted online at www.cfb.ca.gov/consumer/complaints.shtml. Keep in mind that due to the large volume of inquiries and complaints generated by the pending investigation and recent closure of the cemetery, a response may be delayed.
  • Hearings: The times and dates of hearings relating to the Bureau's investigation of Grand View can be obtained by calling the Bureau at (916) 574-7870, or accessing the Office of Administrative Hearings' Web site at www.oah.dgs.ca.gov. Consumers can also contact the OAH's office at 320 West Fourth Street Suite 630, Los Angeles CA 90013, or call (213) 576-7200. Consumers should be aware that although a particular hearing may be public, it may not afford the public an opportunity to comment or participate in the proceedings.
  • Lawsuits: The Bureau is not a party to and has no information about any class action or other civil action regarding Grand View Memorial Park, nor is it establishing a contact or next-of-kin list for legal purposes. Consumers may want to seek legal advice about those possibilities.
  • At-need situations: The Cemetery and Funeral Bureau has been informed that Forest Lawn Memorial Park may be willing to honor Grand View Memorial Park's pre-need contracts at no additional charge. For more information, consumers may contact Forest Lawn at 1-800-204-3131. The Bureau does not recommend any specific cemetery and cannot make any guarantees.

The above constitutes all the public information the Bureau has available about Grand View. We are unable to tell you when the situation will be resolved or what the outcome of the investigation will be and we cannot provide information about the business being conducted by the cemetery owner(s).