The following tree care requirements shall apply to all trees within municipal-owned property or trees on private property that overhang into public rights-of-way or parks. For the purpose of this section, municipal-owned property shall include all public rights-of-way, parks, and other lands owned by the Municipality.
(a) Trimming Trees on Municipal Property. No person shall cut any tree on municipal property including any Street Tree.
(b) Tree Topping. No person shall as a normal practice, top any tree. 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 or disfigure the tree. With an immature tree, removing more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the canopy will be considered topping.
(c) Height of Limbs Over Sidewalks and Streets. Every owner of any tree overhanging any street or public right of way within the Village shall prune the branches so that such branches shall not obstruct light from any street lamp or obstruct the view of any street intersection. There shall be a clear space of eight (8) feet above the sidewalk and fourteen (14) feet above the street.
(d) Utility Companies. Utility companies shall adhere to established guidelines as recommended by the National Arborists Association for line clearance work.
(e) Public Tree Care.
(1) To ensure that Street Trees thrive, property owners are responsible for the watering and mulching of Street Trees. The Village is responsible for the pruning, removal, and replacement of Street Trees.
(2) No person or contractor, unless working on behalf of the municipality, shall attach any rope, wire, nails, advertising poster, decoration, decorative lighting, or other contrivance to any tree on Municipally owned property. No person shall permit any fire to burn where such fire or heat therefrom, or heat from any source will injure any portion of any tree on Municipally owned property. No person or contractor, unless working on behalf of the municipality, shall use herbicides or other chemicals on any trees, shrubs or evergreens located on Municipally owned property.
(4) No person shall excavate any ditch, tunnel, trench, or lay any drive within ten (10) feet from the drip line of any tree, shrub, evergreen, or other plant material standing on any Municipally owned property.
(5) It shall be unlawful for any person or contractor, unless working on behalf of the municipality, to break, deface, injure, mutilate, kill, or destroy any tree, shrub, or evergreen on any Municipally owned property.
(Ord. 42-16. Passed 6-13-16.)