(A) A tree bank shall be established for city owned trees prior to demolition, construction, or the issuance of permits for each tree removed as part of the tree removal permit process, and as such, may be cumulative if multiple trees are removed.
(B) A tree bank to be assessed as part of § 157.07 shall be established to assure replacement costs for trees that are authorized to be removed and to provide potential replacement costs for all trees intended to be protected but are threatened by construction activities and may not survive the disturbance.
(C) Tree bank funds shall be established based on the replacement cost, in accordance with § 157.07(C), (D), and (E), per a certified arborist and shall be retained by the city until the tree preservation/tree replacement plans for that site are fulfilled as attested to by the certified arborist plus cost for arborist review of plans and other expenses associated with compliance, which may be more than one year.
(D) Tree bank funds shall be released to the owner upon fulfillment of the tree preservation/tree replacement process as determined by inspection of the site by the certified arborist. Any escrow balance remaining from a tree bank shall be returned to the submitter of record unless otherwise determined by this chapter.
(E) Failure to provide the required tree bank escrow shall result in a stop work order on the site by the Building Commissioner or other authorized city representative.
(Ord. O-16-06, passed 7-18-06)