(A) Size.
(1) Unless otherwise specified by the Village Forester, all medium to large deciduous trees and their cultivars or varieties shall conform to the American Association of Nurserymen Standards, shall be free of branches to a point not more nor less than 60% of their height, be at least 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter at a point six inches above ground level, and be at least eight to ten feet in height when planted.
(2) All small deciduous trees and their cultivars or varieties shall be at least five feet in height and have at least six branches on the upper half of the trunk.
(B) Grade. Unless otherwise allowed for specific reasons, all trees shall have comparatively straight trunks, well-developed leaders and tops, and the roots shall not only be characteristic of the species, cultivar or variety, but also shall exhibit evidence of proper nursery pruning practices. They shall have acceptable balance between top and root. At the time of planting, all trees must be free of mechanical injuries and other objectionable features that tend to affect the future form and beauty of the plant.
(C) Location and spacing.
(1) Based on a 40 year cycle, no tree which will attain a trunk diameter greater than 15 inches shall be planted in a treelawn less than five feet in width. In treelawns less than five feet in width, or where overhead lines or building setback presents a special problem, the selection of planting site and species shall be determined by the Village Forester.
(2) Trees shall be planted at least 15 feet from driveways and alleys, and at street intersections the planting shall not interfere with the required sight distance determined by the Village Engineer.
(3) No tree shall be planted closer than ten feet to a utility pole to allow room for line maintenance.
(4) Spacing of trees shall be determined by the Village Forester in accordance with local conditions; the species, cultivars and varieties used; and their mature height, spread and form. Generally, all large trees, at maturity, shall be spaced 40 to 60 feet, center-to-center; all medium-sized trees shall be spaced a minimum of 35 feet, center-to-center; and all small trees shall be spaced a minimum of 25 feet, center-to-center.
(5) All planting on unpaved streets without curbs or sidewalks must have approval of the Village Forester, who shall determine the location of the tree so that it will not be injured or destroyed when the street is curbed and paved or when sidewalks are constructed.
(D) Methods of planting and support.
(1) Most small deciduous trees and shrubs may be moved bare-rooted unless otherwise indicated. Roots of bare-rooted trees and shrubs must be protected against drying out.
(2) All coniferous trees shall be moved balled and burlaped. Balled roots should be prevented from drying out at the surface of the ball, and they should be protected against freezing.
(3) Pits for the planting of bare-rooted plants shall be at least 12 inches larger in diameter than the diameter of the root system in order to accommodate the roots without crowding. For balled trees, the pits should be a minimum of 12 inches larger than the diameter of the ball of soil to allow proper backfill.
(4) Plants shall be planted no deeper than previously grown with due allowance for settling.
(5) In poorly drained soil, artificial drainage shall be provided to the root system of any species intolerant of wet sites, or a species tolerant of wet sites shall be used.
(6) Top soil, compost, peat moss, or an acceptable soil mixture shall be placed about the roots of bare-root stock or in the backfill around balled stock. When the planting is completed, the entire root area shall be thoroughly saturated with water and burlap wrappings shall be cut.
(7) Although pruning should be done to develop a balance with the root system, excessive pruning at the time of transplanting should be avoided.
(8) Tree trunks shall be suitably wrapped and guyed, or supported in an upright position, according to accepted arboricultural practices. The guys or supports shall be installed so that they will neither girdle or cause serious injury to the tree nor endanger public safety.
(Ord. 07-57, passed 12-17-2007)