915.07 APPROVED AND PROHIBITED PLANTINGS IN OR ADJACENT TO THE PUBLIC WAY.
(a) The following are the plant forms approved for planting in and adjacent to the public way:
(1) Lawn grass, not to exceed 8".
(2) Ornamental grasses or flowers not to exceed 18".
(b) The species and varieties of deciduous shade trees approved are listed in the City of Hamilton’s Landscape Guide for Developers, Businesses, and Home Owners. The prohibited list for planting in and adjacent to the public way are listed below in Section 915.07(c) and (d).
(c) Trees Prohibited in Public Way Areas (Prohibited Street Trees)
(These are weak, messy, destructive, disease or insect prone, and/or are invasive pests).
Botanical Name | Common Name |
Acer Saccharinum | Silver Maple |
Acer negundo | Boxelder |
Aesculus species | Horse Chestnut and Buckeye |
Ailanthus altissma | Tree of Heaven |
Albizia julibrissin | Mimosa Tree |
Betula species | Birch species except for River Birch (Betula nigra) |
Catalpa species | All Catalpa |
Elaeagnus angustifolia | Russian Olive |
Elaeagnus umbellata | Autumn Olive |
Fraxinus Species | Native Ash |
Fruit Trees | Cultivars bred for fruit production |
Ginkgo biloba | Female |
Juglans nigra | Black Walnut |
Lonicera maackii | Bush Honeysuckle |
Morus species | All Mulberry |
Paulownia tomentosa | Princess Tree |
Phellondendron amurense | Amur Cork Tree |
Platanus occidentalis | Sycamore |
Populus species | All Poplar/Cottonwood |
Pryus calleryana | All flowering pear cultivars |
Rhamnus cathartica | European Buckthorn |
Robinia pseudoacacia | Black Locust |
Salix species | All Willow |
Sorbus aucuparia | European Mountain Ash |
Ulmus species | Susceptible to Dutch Elm Disease |
Ulmus pumilia | Siberian Elm |
(d) Prohibited manipulations of plantings in or adjacent to the public way include:
(1) Espaliers or topiary: Forms achieved through trimming or pruning that are distorted or contrary to the natural shape of the species.
(2) Shrubs: Shrubs that typically grow taller than three feet, yet not tall enough to be under trimmed to a height of six feet.
(3) Topped or dehorned trees: Trees with most of or the entire crown removed.
(e) The plantings listed in paragraph (a) through (d) above may be modified or revised from time to time upon the approval of the Tree Advisory Board and the written approval of the City Manager’s designee.
(Ord. 2013-6-52. Passed 6-26-13; Ord. 2019-4-31. Passed 4-24-19.)