Families impacted as Fort Myers cracks down on cemetery decorations

The City of Fort Myers is asking people to remove flowers and more from the gravesites of their loved ones.

If they are not removed by the time they are given, the city says it will have city workers do it.

People at Fort Myers Cemetery try their best to show love to the ones they lost.

The city said it will begin enforcing a rule that has always been in place. That rule says only one floral arrangement is permitted per gravesite or two floral arrangements for gravesites with a double headstone.

On Monday, WINK News reporter Jolena Esperto heard from the people, and the many burials this impacts.

It is a big cemetery, and many of the gravesites have multiple flower arrangements, glass vases, picket fences surrounding them and stuffed animals.

Several people told WINK News the enforcement of this rule hurts them because this is the only way left they have to visit family members, and they only want the best for those they love and cherish.

Socorro and Jose Garcia are Stephanie Espino’s grandparents, and they are buried side by side at Fort Myers Cemetery.

Together for over 50 years, leaving six generations, including 13 kids and 50 grandkids, putting out flowers, portraits, props — you name it.

But soon, the city will crack down.

“It’s hard. It’s difficult because, like you said, it’s the only place we can go. People set up stuff on the street. Nobody bothers. This is their final resting place,” Espino said.

By April 30, everything must be gone.

Only one floral arrangement per headstone will be allowed, with plastic vases only.

Decorations will be removed from the gravesites starting May 1 as the city enforces the rules.

“So it’s going to be difficult for us to be able to do anything. We have to take everything down, all the fences. We have little benches where we go and sit, and we have to, it’s all got to go, and so now it’s like we have to carry our own chairs. We’re only going to be able to be there for a little bit,” Espino explained to WINK.

Many of the decorations, like the solar lights and the several plants prevalent on some of the graves, Espino says, are sentimental.

“They love plants. They love flowers. That’s why we all do that. We all decorate. My grandma every year wanted us to decorate her tree for her. She had macular degeneration, so she couldn’t see, but she could feel the lights,” she said.

Espino’s grandparents are among several whose gravesites will have to change.

The city said this is part of an effort to keep the cemetery clean and better maintained.

The city has sent 2,000 letters alerting people, and signs have been placed around the property.