It shall be unlawful, as a normal practice, for any person, firm or city department to top any street tree, park tree or other tree on public property. “Topping” is defined as the severe cutting back of limbs to stubs larger than three inches in diameter within the tree’s crown to a degree as to remove the normal canopy and disfigure the tree. Trees severely damaged by storms or other causes, or certain trees under utility wires or other obstructions where other pruning practices are impractical, may be exempted from this section at the discretion of the city.
(‘88 Code, § 15.208) Penalty, see § 96.99