(A) There is hereby established the office of a City Forester. The City Forester shall supervise the execution and enforcement of the provisions of this subchapter and all other plans, standards and specifications for the regulation of matters pertaining to shade trees that may be officially adopted by the city. The City Forester shall have the authority to issue all permits and conditions necessary for the approval of such permits regarding the planting, removing, moving, spraying, trimming or pruning of any city trees located within the public right-of-way or city-owned property.
(B) It shall be unlawful to plant, move, remove, spray, trim or prune out, above or below ground, disturb or alter any tree or shrub on the city parking strips, parks or any public property, or to cause such acts to be done by others, without first submitting an application and obtaining a written permit from the City Forester. The City Forester shall cause such permit to be issued if, in his or her judgment, the work is necessary. A permit shall not be required to cultivate and irrigate. As a condition to any permit to remove any public tree or shrub within public property, the City Forester may require certain conditions that the person plant and maintain one or more trees or shrubs in place of the one removed. An additional condition of the placement of any permit is the acceptance of the person of responsibility for the repair or replacement of any damage to sprinkling systems or adjacent property caused while pursuing the work under the approval. Any request submitted to permit the removal of a tree for the purpose of installing new driveway access or similar change in the curb and gutter or sidewalk shall be accompanied by a permit to work in the public right-of-way from the Public Works Department.
(Prior Code, § 24.01.030) (Ord. 22-03, passed 3-3-2022) Penalty, see § 153.999