The City is authorized to inspect any tree within the Municipality reported or supposed to be infected with Dutch Elm disease, or the virus disease Phloem Necrosis, commonly known as Elm Blight. If upon such inspection the City determines that such tree is infected with either or such diseases, it shall, if the tree is in any public street, ground or place within the Municipality, immediately remove and burn the same in such manner as to prevent as fully as possible the spread of such disease. If such tree is located on private property, and so located that it may be the means of spreading either of such diseases to trees upon any adjacent properties, the City shall immediately serve upon the owner of such property a written notice that such tree is so infected and that the same must be removed and burned under the supervision of the City within five days of the service of such notice.
If such owner cannot be found, a copy of the notice shall be posted upon the infected tree. If the tree is not so removed and burned within five days after the service or posting of the notice, the City shall cause the tree to be so removed and burned. The cost of the removal and burning shall be reported to the owner of the property if he can be found and also to Council, and if the cost is not paid within thirty days of such report, the owner of the property shall be liable to the Municipality for the cost of such removal and burning, to be recovered in a civil action before any court having jurisdiction thereof.
(Ord. 6555-1984. Passed 7-10-84.)