(A) It shall be unlawful for any person, other than the village or those acting under direction of the Village Administrator, to remove or cause significant damage to any public tree.
(B) If any public tree is removed or significantly damaged, the person causing the removal or damage shall make a compensatory payment to the village equal to the dollar value of the tree, or a value equal to the devaluation of the tree caused by said damage.
(C) Payment received as described in division (B) above shall be deposited into the Urban Forestry Board Fund for the purpose of enhancing urban forestry in the village.
(D) No person, other than the village, or those acting under direction of the Village Administrator, shall:
(1) Plant or transplant any tree on property belonging to, or under the control of, the village;
(2) Damage, cut, carve, prune, damage the root system of, or remove any public tree; nor attach any rope, wire, nails, poster or other artifact to any public tree; nor allow any toxic substance to harm or damage any public tree; or set fire to or otherwise injure by fire any public tree; or
(3) Spray, inject or otherwise apply any fertilizer or pesticide, including, but not limited to, dormant oil, insecticide, fungicide, herbicide, or other biological control to any public tree. This provision shall not apply to inadvertent overspray of any fertilizer or other biological control.
(Ord. 2023-20, passed 5-1-23)