(A) It shall be unlawful as normal practice, except as described below, for any person, including the town, to top any street tree, park tree or other tree on public property.
(B) TOPPING is defined as the severe cutting back of limbs to stubs larger than three inches in diameter within the tree's crown to a degree so as to remove the normal canopy and disfigure the tree.
(C) Trees severely damaged by storms or other causes, or certain trees that interfere with or are an eminent threat to utility wires or other obstructions where other pruning practices are impractical, may be exempted from this article at the determination of the Tree Board.
(1989 Code, § 16-27; 2003 Code, § 9-3.8)