(a) It shall be unlawful as a normal practice for any person to top any tree within the urban county right-of-way or designated tree planting easement. "Topping" is defined as the severe cutting back of limbs to stubs larger than three (3) inches in diameter within the tree's crown to such a degree so as to remove the normal canopy and disfigure the tree. Trees severely damaged by storms or other causes, or trees under utility wires or other obstruction where other pruning practices are impractical, can be exempted from this section only by written approval of the urban forester or their designee.
(b) It shall be unlawful to prune any tree within the urban county right-of-way or designated tree planting easement in such a way as to remove the normal canopy or twenty-five (25) percent or more of the crown for the purpose of increasing visibility of outdoor signs or building facades.
(Ord. No. 70-94, § 1, 5-5-94; Ord. No. 79-2004, § 1, 4-22-04; Ord. No. 110-2005, § 1, 5-5-05; Ord. No. 044-2023 , § 7, 4-27-23)