A. The Village Administrator and/or their designee, shall have full authority and responsibility to plant, prune, maintain and remove trees and woody plants growing in or upon all municipal streets, rights-of ways, village parks, and other public property. This shall include the removal of trees that may threaten electrical, telephone, gas, or any municipal water or sewer line, or any tree that is affected by fungus, insect, or other pest disease.
B. All village personnel will coordinate as necessary with the Village Administrator and will provide services as required to ensure compliance with this Ordinance as it relates to streets, rights-of-way, drainage, easements, and other public properties not under direct jurisdiction of the Village Administrator.
C. The Village shall consult with a certified arborist to provide direction and oversight of urban forestry practices within the Village for the proper care and management of the urban forest.
D. The Village shall set a goal and timeline for the completion of an urban forest inventory. Once an initial urban forest inventory has been conducted, a follow-up inventory will be planned for in a five to seven-year timeframe.
E. The Village shall set a goal and timeline to develop and implement an urban forest management plan based on an urban forest inventory. This plan shall include clear direction for the protection, preservation and planting of the urban forest and shall be based on the U.S. Forest Service Sustainable Urban Forest Guide, (https://urbanforestrysouth.org/resources/library/ttresources/the- sustainable-urban-forest-guide-a-step-by-step-approach).
F. The Village shall require that any Contractor, working for the Village who may interact or have impact on the Village public property urban forest utilize a certified arborist for all work pertaining to trees, including but not limited to removal, pruning and planting activities.
Contractor shall also maintain during the entire term of the Contract, the following insurance coverages:
1. Commercial General Liability Insurance. Comprehensive or Commercial general liability insurance, including, but not limited to, coverage for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage, and endorsements for failure to supply and pollution, shall be maintained at the sum(s) of one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and two million dollars ($2,000,000) aggregate;
2. Business Automobile Liability. Comprehensive automobile liability including, but not limited to, non-owner ship and hired car coverage as well as owned vehicles with coverage for bodily injury and property damage, shall be maintained at the sum(s) of one million dollars ($1,000,000) per accident;
3. Excess/Umbrella Liability. Comprehensive excess/umbrella liability in the amount of two million dollars ($2,000,000) per occurrence and two million dollars ($2,000,000) aggregate;
4. Workers Compensation Insurance. Workers Compensation coverage with statutory limits as may be required by the State of Illinois and Employers Liability coverage of:
a. Each Accident $500,000
b. Disease-policy limit $500,000
c. Disease-each employee $500,000
G. Legacy Trees are provided special protection by the Village. These trees are 18" DBH or larger and located on public property.
H. All tree planting, selection and management shall be in compliance with the Village Urban Forest Management Plan.
I. It is recognized that diverse species structure of urban trees throughout the Village is critical to the health of the forest structure and protects the Village from catastrophic loss. All tree planting shall comply with diversity requirements of not more than 5% of any one species, 10% of any one genus or 15% of any one family and shall be conducted in accordance with the most recent edition of American National Standards Institute.
(https://www.tcia.org/TCIA/TCIA/Build_Your_Business/A300_Standards/A300_ Standards.aspx)
J. It is recognized that diverse age structure of trees throughout the Village is critical to the health of the forest structure and protects the Village from catastrophic loss. Proper care and management of the urban forest is critical for increased longevity of urban trees and shall be in compliance with the most recent edition of American National Standards Institute. (ANSI A300).
(https://www.tcia.org/TCIA/TCIA/Build_Your_Business/A300_Standards/A300_ Standards.aspx)
K. No person shall hinder, prevent, delay, or interfere with the Village Administrator or their agents while engaged in carrying out the execution or enforcement of this chapter. (Ord. 2023-1365, 5-10-2023)