POST FALLS - A Catholic church's plans to build its own cemetery on its property off Chase Road - and the possibility of disinterment of some buried remains for relocation to the site from the city's Evergreen Cemetery - has the city amending its cemetery rules.

Immaculate Conception Church is planning a cemetery on land it has started to develop at Chase and Bodine on the Rathdrum Prairie. The church owns 25 acres there.

Dave Fair, Post Falls parks and recreation director, said that's not a concern. But when the city heard that there will likely be disinterment requests at the parishioners' request from Evergreen to their new cemetery involved, there should be rules in place to make it happen, he said.

"This was never considered and not addressed in our current regulations," Fair wrote in a memo to the City Council.

The City Council will consider such rules tonight at 6.

"It is not our intent to stop a person from moving a body to another location," Fair wrote. "We just do not want the city and taxpayers to have to cover any of the cost.

"We also want to ensure that any lot we buy back or is sold on the market is of a condition that allows for its re-use."

The proposed rules include:

* requesting parties will be responsible for all costs and any damage that occurs;

* a licensed mortician and health official must oversee the procedure;

* city staff will not handle any disinterred bodies.

"It needs to be done in a professional manner that allows for the quiet dignity of other families who continue to have their loved ones at Evergreen," City Administrator Eric Keck said.

Eileen Allen, office manager of Immaculate Conception, said the church is in the early stages of setting up the cemetery. She said it's unknown how many parishioners will seek disinterment as it can be expensive. She said she paid about $10,000 for the process in Eugene, Ore.

"Catholic churches have always had their own cemeteries," she said. "It's not like we're trying to be hurtful to Post Falls. Our cemetery will be a blessed and consecrated ground, and it's important for Catholics to be buried in that ground."

In other business, the council will consider moving to a water conservation rate billing system.

Under the proposal, residents would be charged a higher rate than the normal 94 cents per 1,000 gallons if they use more water than a certain level.

Terry Werner, the city's public works director, said the idea is to get residents to conserve water and extend the life of equipment.

"At some point, we'll also need more water rights to serve the growing public," he said. "If we can conserve, we can put off doing that. With conservation, we can relieve some of the pressure on our system and prolong the life of pumps and equipment."

Werner, who will give a presentation tonight, said various rates and water levels will be presented and a specific program and associated fees would be considered at a future meeting after a public hearing. He said the increased rates would affect residents mostly during July, August and September during high usage months, but not all residents would be affected.

The average summer use per household is about 30,000 gallons.

Werner said he'll suggest either kicking in the increased conservation rate at either 31,000 gallons, 50,000 gallons or 63,000 gallons.

Post Falls already has conservation measures in place. A law states there's no watering between noon and 6 p.m. It also has a voluntary odd-even watering schedule.