(A) The corporate authorities of each municipality may provide for the removal of elm trees infected with Dutch elm disease or ash trees infected with the emerald ash borer from any parcel of private property within the municipality if the owners of that parcel, after reasonable notice, refuse or neglect to remove the infected trees. The municipality may collect, from the owners of the parcel, the reasonable removal cost.
(B) The municipality's removal cost under this section is a lien upon the underlying parcel in accordance with ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 11-20-15.
(C) For the purpose of this section, REMOVAL COST means the total cost of the removal of the infected trees.
(D) (1) In the case of an abandoned residential property as defined in ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 11-20-15.1, the city may elect to obtain a lien for the removal cost pursuant to ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 11-20-15.1, in which case the provisions of ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 11-20-15.1 shall be the exclusive remedy for the removal cost.
(2) The provisions of this division (D), other than this sentence, are inoperative upon certification by the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, after consultation with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, that the Mortgage Electronic Registration System program is effectively registering substantially all mortgaged residential properties located in the State of Illinois, is available for access by all municipalities located in the State of Illinois without charge to them, and such registration includes the telephone number for the mortgage servicer.
(ILCS Ch. 65, Act 5, § 11-20-12)