CHAPTER 92: TREES, SHRUBS, AND OTHER PLANTS

Section

   92.01   Definitions

   92.02   Tree species to be planted

   92.03   Unsuitable trees

   92.04   Spacing

   92.05   Distance from curb or sidewalk

   92.06   Distance from street corners and fireplugs

   92.07   Utilities

   92.08   Public tree care

   92.09   Tree topping

   92.10   Pruning, corner clearance

   92.11   Dead or diseased tree removal on private property

   92.12   Interference with City Tree Board

   92.13   Arborist, license and bond

   92.14   Review by City Manager

   92.15   Violation and penalty

   92.16   Severability

§ 92.01 DEFINITIONS.

   PARK TREES. Trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation in public parks having individual names, and all areas owned by the City, or to which the public has free access as a park.

   STREET TREES. Trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation on land lying between property lines on either side of all streets, avenues, or ways within the City.

   TREE BOARD. The Board established by §§ 32.105 through 32.108 of the Revised Code of Ordinances.

(Prior Code, Art. 25, § 1)

§ 92.02 TREE SPECIES TO BE PLANTED.

   (A)   The following list constitutes the official tree species for Mt. Vernon, Illinois. No species other than those included in this list may be planted as Street or Park Trees without written permission of the City Tree Board. Only desirable trees of good appearance, beauty, and adaptability that are generally free from injurious insects, diseases, or other limitations may be planted. The overall objective of proper tree selection is to select the right tree for the right location in order to benefit from trees without being subject to future maintenance liability or hazards.

SMALL TREES
Scientific Name	Common Name
Acer ginnala	Amur Maple (tree form)
Acer griseum	Paperbark Maple
Acer Palmatum	Japanese Maple
Acer Pennsylvanicum	Striped Maple
Amalanchier canadensis	Shadblow Serviceberry (tree form)
Amalanchier grandiflora	Apple Serviceberry (tree form)
Amalanchier Laevis	Allegany Serviceberry (tree form)
Cercidiphyllum japonicum	Katsura Tree
Cornus alternifolia	Pagoda Dogwood
Cornus florida	Flowering Dogwood
Cornus kousa	Japanese Dogwood
Crataegus sp.	Hawthorn (Thornless)
Euonymus sp.	Wahoos
Halesia carolina	Carolina Silverbell
Koelrevteria paniculata	Goldenrain Tree
Malus sp.	Flowering Crab
Ostrya virginiana	Ironwood
Rhus typhina	Staghorn Sumac

 

   (B)   Small Trees are appropriate in street locations where due to space limitations larger trees cannot be properly utilized without creating space conflicts with existing trees. Height limitations imposed by overhead utilities also necessitate the use of appropriate Small Trees in order to avoid line conflicts and the necessity of excessive utility trimming that results in disfigured trees. On the whole, Small Trees tend to be more ornamental than their larger counterparts and can create an added aesthetic dimension to the streetscape.

MEDIUM TREES
Scientific Name	Common Name
Alnus glutinosa	Black Alder
Betula nigra	River Birch
Carpinus betulus	European Hornbeam
Cercidiphyllum japonicum	Katsuratree
Cladrastic lutea	Yellowwood
Eucommia ulmoides	Hardy Rubber Tree
Juniperus virginiana	Juniper-Eastern Red Cedar
Magnolia kobus	Kobus Magnolia
Phellodendron amurense	Amur Cork Tree
Picea pungens	Blue Spruce
Prunus sargentii	Sargent Cherry
Pyrus calleryana	Callery Pear
Sassafras albidum	Sassafras
Sophora japonica	Pagoda tree
Zelkova serrata	Zelkova Tree

   

   (C)   Medium-sized trees are generally better suited for planting as Street Trees rather than their larger counterparts.

LARGE TREES
Scientific Name	Common Name
Acer saccharum	Sugar Maple
Acer rubrum	Red Maple
Alnus incana	Tag Alder
Cary illinoensis	Wild Pecan
Celtis occidentalis	Hackberry
Celtis laevigata	Sugar Hackberry
Fagus grandifolia	American Beech
Fagus sylvatica	European Beech
Fraxinus americana	White Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Green Ash
Ginkgo biloba	Ginkgo (male)
Gymnocladus dioicus	Kentucky Coffee (male)
Liriodendron tulipifera	Tulip Tree
Magnolia acuminata	Cucumber Tree
Nyssa sylvatica	Blackgum
Picea abies	Norway Spruce
Picea engelmanii	Engleman Spruce
Pinus echinata	Shortleaf Pine
Pinus strobus	White Pine
Prunus serotina	Black Cherry
Quercus acutissima	Sawtooth Oak
Quercus alba	White Oak
Quercus bicolor	Swamp White Oak
Quercus coccinea	Scarlet Oak
Quercus imbricaria	Shingle Oak
Quercus macrocarpa	Bur Oak
Quercus muehlenbergii	Chinquapin Oak
Quercus pagodafolia	Cherrybark Oak
Quercus phellos	Willow Oak
Quercus robus	English Oak
Quercus rubra	Red Oak
Quercus shumardii	Shumard Oak
Taxodium distichum	Bald Cypress
Tilia americana	Basswood
Tilia cordata	Littleleaf Linden
Tilia euchlora	Crimean Linden
Tilia heterophylla	Beetree Linden
Tilia platyphyllos	Bigleaf Linden
Tilia petiolaris	Pendent Silver Linden
Tilia tomentosa	Silver Linden

 

   (D)   Large Trees require more living space, and for this reason it is recommended they be planted on the private side of the sidewalks whenever possible.

(Prior Code, Art. 25, § 2)

§ 92.03 UNSUITABLE TREES.

   (A)   (1)   The following is a listing of the trees more or less common to our area not suitable as Street or Park Trees. Their lack of suitability is based on the undesirable growth habits, fruiting habits, form, susceptibility to serious diseases, propensity to storm damage, and a host of other limitations too numerous to mention.

      (2)   The limitations listed for each tree or species group are not all inclusive, and list only the more serious problems encountered locally.

   (B)   Any tree listed as unsuitable presently growing within City parks as a result of previous unrestricted and natural plantings constitutes a maintenance expense to the City; and, therefore, upon removal, shall be replaced with the appropriate, approved Small, Medium, or Large Tree.

UNSUITABLE TREES
Scientific Name	Common Name	Problem or Limitation
Albiers sp.	Fir	Form-visibility hazard
Acer negundo	Boxelder	Weak wooded
Acer platenoides	Norway Maple	Local problem
Acer saccharinum	Silver/Soft Maple	Subject to rot
Aesculus sp.	Horsechestnut	Foliar diseases
Ailanthus altissima	Tree of Heaven	Weak wooded, aggressive
Albizzia sp.	Mimosa	Not hardy
Betula sp. (non-native)	Birch	Environmental stress, borers
Catalpa	Catalpa	Littering fruit
Diospiros	Persimmon	Littering fruit
Elaeagnus spp.	Russian and Autumn Olive	Aggressive, littering fruit
Gleditsia sp.	Honey Locust	Serious disease
Juglans sp.	Walnut	Littering fruit
Mulus sp.	Common Apple	Littering fruit
Morus sp.	Mulberry	Littering fruit
Paulownia tomentosa	Royal Paulownia	Aggressive, thin skinned
Pines nigra	Austrian Pine	Storm damage
Pinues resinosa	Red Pine	Storm damage
inus sylvestris	Scotch Pine	Storm damage
Pinus taeda	Loblolly	Storm damage
Platanus occidentalis	Sycamore (American)	Disease
Populus sp.	Poplar	Weak wooded
Pyrus sp.	Common Pear	Littering fruit
Robinia sp.	Black Locust	Shallow rooted
Salix sp.	Willow	Weak wooded
Thulja sp.	Arbor-vitae	Form-visibility hazard
Ulmus sp.	Elm	Disease

 

(Prior Code, Art. 25, § 3)