(A) It is the purpose of this chapter to prohibit the uncontrolled growth of vegetation, while permitting the planting and maintenance of landscaping or garden treatments that add diversity and a richness to the quality of life. There are reasonable expectations regarding the maintenance of vegetation because vegetation that is not maintained may threaten public health, safety, and order, and may decrease adjacent property values. It is also in the public's interest to encourage diverse landscaping and garden treatments, particularly those that restore native vegetation, which requires less moisture and places a lower demand on the public's water resources.
(B) The city recognizes the value of a healthy urban forest to its residence and visitors. Trees benefit the city's natural environment by protecting against wind and water erosion, providing a natural buffer between land uses, supplying shade and insulation that increases energy conservation, and adding to the habitat for wildlife. Further, trees are a community asset. They improve privacy, increase livability standards among residents, and add value to property. The city works to enhance, preserve and protect the urban forest within its boundaries by promoting and establishing the growth of new trees, ensuring proper and adequate tree maintenance, and monitoring the removal all public trees. The following sections provide regulations and standards for the planting, maintenance and removal of shade trees within the city.
(C) Further the Council may by ordinance declare any vertebrate or invertebrate animal, plant pathogen, or plant in the community threatening to cause significant damage to a shade tree or community forest, as defined by M.S. § 89.001, to be a shade tree pest and prescribe control measures to effectively eradicate, control, or manage the shade tree pest, including necessary timelines for action. Such known diseases and pests currently include Dutch Elm Disease, Oak Wilt, Emerald Ash Borer and Gypsy Moth. It is the intent of this section to also include any yet unknown pests and to include them immediately when identified by the Commissioner of Agriculture. It has further been determined that the loss of elm, ash and oak trees growing upon private and public property would substantially depreciate the value of property within the city and impair the safety, good order, general welfare and convenience of the public. It is declared to be the intention of the Council to control and prevent the spread of these diseases and this section is enacted for that purpose.
(‘72 Code, § 1020:00) (Ord. 1998-871, passed 4-13-98; Am. Ord. 2002-973, passed 5-28-02; Am. Ord. 2014-1170, passed 5-27-14)