(A) Any person, company, partnership, corporation, or service that administers tree maintenance practices within the city that does not adhere to all American National Standards Institute (ANSI) practices found under A300 has committed tree abuse. Common tree abuse practices include but are not limited to the following:
(1) Hat-racking defined as indiscriminate cutting of branches to stubs or lateral branches that are not large enough to assume the terminal role.
(2) Shaping defined as topiary pruning of Category I, II, and III trees.
(3) Destruction of a tree's natural habit of growth.
(4) Removing over 25% of the tree's canopy at one pruning event.
(5) Over thinning of interior canopy.
(6) Over lifting of lower canopy.
(7) Use of climbing spikes, nails, or hooks into a tree except for the purposes of total tree removal or any action specifically permitted by standards set by ANSI A300 or Z133.
(8) Bark removal.
(9) Excessive root pruning as determined by an ISA Certified Arborist.
(B) Property owners are allowed to topiary prune only on trees with written city approval or identified on an approved landscape plan from the city as appropriate for topiary pruning.
(C) Pruning or removal of aerial roots is prohibited unless for the prevention of damage to paved surfaces and infrastructure, as well as the health, safety, and wellbeing of citizens such as but not limited to clearing of sightlines, traffic areas, pedestrian walkways, and utilities.
(Ord. 2021-02, adopted 3-17-21; sought to be reconsidered, Commission passed 4-21-2021)