Burial plots on private property could cause some issues depending on the location unlike public cemeteries.
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ALBANY, GA --
In our Facebook Story of the Day, you wanted to know if residential burials were allowed in Dougherty County.
Fox 31 spoke with Michael Fowler of the State Board of Funeral Services who says residential burials are left up to local jurisdiction.
Fowler says he believes in Dougherty County someone must contact the zoning department before digging to ensure there are no water or gas lines in the way and that they're not close enough to a water line to contaminate it.
The public health department says bodies must be more than 100 feet away from any drinking wells -- but Fowler says the real problem is something more long-term.
"If the family decides to sell that property, they will be selling that particular deceased person so that would be a big issue when it comes down to burying someone in their yard. Definitely the cemetery is the ideal place to bury them," said Fowler.
Fowler suggests making arrangements through a funeral home to avoid any problems.
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