(a) The City shall have the right to plant, prune, maintain and remove trees or portions thereof within the rights-of-way of all public streets or ways as may be necessary to insure public safety or to preserve or enhance the health of the plant material or the beauty of such public grounds.
(b) The Safety Service Director may remove or cause or order to be removed, any tree or part thereof which is in any unsafe condition or which by reasons of its nature is injurious to sewers, electric power lines, gas lines, water lines, or other public improvements, or is affected with any injurious fungus, insect or other pest. This section does not prohibit the planting of street trees by adjacent property owners who have obtained a public tree permit from the Chillicothe Tree Commission.
(c) The City shall have the right to enter private property to access trees adjacent to public areas for the purpose of proper pruning, after reasonable prior notice has been given to the property owner. Except in the case of emergency, such notice shall be in writing by certified mail, return receipt requested, specifying the anticipated date of such pruning. Only those portions of such trees which protrude or overhang a public area as set forth in section (a) shall be pruned by the City. To insure that street trees thrive, homeowners are encouraged to confer with the City Tree Commission and water the trees as needed.
(Ord. 123-00. Passed 11-13-00.)