Public trees constitute an asset that belongs to every community resident. Pursuant to this chapter it is hereby deemed unlawful and shall constitute a violation of this chapter, punishable by infraction penalty not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) and/or by appropriate civil remedy for any person to do the following to a public tree without the express prior written authorization of the city administrator or the city administrator's designee:
A. Topping a tree by the improper pruning or severe cutting back of limbs within a tree's crown or the removal of the top portion of the trunk of a coniferous tree.
B. Cut down, destroy, or materially damage any public tree.
C. Attach devices or structures, e.g., tree houses or signs, to, on, or within trees on public property.
D. Dispose of or apply substances in concentrations which are toxic to trees within the proximity of the root zone of trees on public property, whether such disposal or application is on public or private property.
E. Damage public trees through construction operations involving compaction of, excavation of, or filling of soils within the root zone of public trees, whether such activities are on public or private property.
F. Damage a public tree by significantly pruning or disturbing its root system, whether such disturbance takes place on public or private property.
G. Harm a public tree by defacing or injuring the bark, limbs, roots, or trunk by cutting, burning, chopping, applying substances or other means of inducing harm to the shape or vitality of the tree.
H. Remove or break cultural devices such as bracing, cabling, guying, implant capsules, irrigation facilities, stakes, or protective devices for public trees.
I. Fail to immediately remove from sidewalks and streets debris from removal or maintenance of either public trees or private trees.
J. Fail to clean up all other debris from removal or maintenance of public trees within a reasonable time of completion of the removal or maintenance.
K. Fail to replace a public tree which was removed without prior permission.
L. Fail to plant public trees in accordance with the "Hayden Tree Standards Manual".
M. Planting improper species in the wrong location as required by this chapter. Such planting shall be in accord with the "Tree Standards Manual" approved by the city council. (Ord. 361, 6-8-2004)