(A) Establishment. The position of the City Arborist is hereby established.
(B) Duties. The Arborist shall perform the following duties:
(1) The City Arborist shall administer this subchapter and the provisions of the Arboricultural Specifications Manual;
(2) The Arborist, with the advice and assistance of the Tree Commission, shall develop and periodically review and revise or amend, if necessary, the Arboricultural Specifications Manual, which Manual shall contain regulations and standards for the planting, maintenance and removal of trees, shrubs and other plants upon city-owned property and which shall contain a reasonably detailed statement of a comprehensive, long-range program for optimizing the tree, shrub and other plant resources of the city. Any amendments to the Manual shall become effective from and after their review and approval by the City Council;
(3) The Arborist shall take reasonable action to make available to any interested person all information pertaining to this subchapter, to the activities of the Tree Commission, and to the Arboricultural Specifications Manual prepared pursuant to this subchapter;
(4) The Arborist shall perform whatever acts are necessary, including the planting and maintenance of trees, and including the removal of undesirable trees, shrubs and other plants located on city-owned property, to ensure that all trees, shrubs and other plants located on city-owned property conform with the comprehensive, long-range program for the optimization of the tree, shrub and other plant resources of the city and with the regulations and standards of the Arboricultural Specifications Manual, and with the requirements of this subchapter;
(5) The Arborist shall issue permits as are required by this subchapter and shall obtain, as a condition precedent to the issuance of the permits, the written agreement of each person who applies for the permits that he or she will comply with the requirements of this subchapter and with the regulations and standards of the Arboricultural Specifications Manual. The Arborist shall have the right to inspect all work performed pursuant to the permits. If, pursuant to the inspection, the Arborist finds that the work performed pursuant to the permit has not been performed in compliance with the requirements of this subchapter or standards of the Arboricultural Specifications Manual, the Arborist shall provide written notice of his or her finding to the permit applicant at the address provided for the notification in the application, and the notice shall contain a copy of this division (B)(5); and
(a) The permit shall be nullified and shall be void ab initio;
(b) The Arborist may issue a written order that the permit applicant cease and desist all work for which the permit was required;
(c) The permit applicant shall be subject to penalty under the terms of this subchapter; and
(d) The Arborist may take steps to correct the results of the noncomplying work and the reasonable costs of the steps shall be charged to the permit applicant.
(6) The Arborist shall establish a program of public information and education that will encourage the planting, maintenance or removal of trees, shrubs and other plants in furtherance of the general program for optimizing the tree, shrub and other plant resources of the city.
(1990 Code, § 25-45) (Ord. 62-672, passed 10-1-1962; Ord. 94-1576, passed 5-2-1994)