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The Tree Commission shall have the authority to formulate a Master Tree Plan. The Master Tree Plan shall include the inventory of existing public trees and shall specify the requirements for the care, preservation, pruning, planting, replanting and removal or disposition of trees in parks, along streets and on other public sites and shall specify the species of trees to be planted in these areas. The Master Tree Plan shall be updated and presented to Council every three years and upon their acceptance and approval shall constitute the official comprehensive Master Tree Plan for the City. From and after the effective date of the Master Tree Plan, or any amendment thereof, all planting, removal and maintenance shall conform thereto.
(a) The Commission shall have the responsibility of inventory (and classifying as to location, species, size, condition and evaluation) of the existing public trees, as an integral part of the Master Tree Plan. This inventory shall be updated bi-annually.
(b) The Commission shall consider all existing and proposed buildings, utilities and environmental factors including climate change and pests when recommending the planting of a specific species or other work for all streets and public sites within the City.
(c) The Commission shall have the authority to amend or add to the Master Tree Plan at any time that circumstances make it advisable.
(Ord. 16-92. Passed 7-27-92; Ord. 20-15. Passed 12-28-15; Ord. 03-18. Passed 2-26-18.)
The Tree Commission shall develop and maintain a list of desirable large, medium and small trees for planting in parks, along streets and on other public sites based on mature height, soil condition, surrounding conditions, and species suitability. The largest tree that is suitable for each site shall be the default choice. Lists of trees not suitable for planting in these areas shall also be created by the Commission.
(Ord. 16-92. Passed 7-27-92; Ord. 20-15. Passed 12-28-15.)
The spacing of trees planted along streets shall be in accordance with the criteria listed in Section 943.09. No trees may be planted closer together than the following: large trees, forty feet; medium trees, thirty feet; and small trees, twenty feet; except in special plantings designed or approved by the Tree Commission.
(Ord. 42-99. Passed 6-28-99; Ord. 20-15. Passed 12-28-15.)
The distance trees may be planted from curbs or curblines and sidewalks shall be in accordance with the three species size classes listed in Section 943.09. No trees may be planted closer to any curb, curbline or sidewalk than a distance that will allow a healthy root system without posing risk of damage to curb or sidewalk..
(Ord. 16-92. Passed 7-27-92; Ord. 20-15. Passed 12-28-15.)
No tree shall be planted closer than twenty-five feet from any street corner, measured from the point of nearest intersecting curbs or curblines. No tree shall be planted closer than ten feet from any fire hydrant.
(Ord. 16-92. Passed 7-27-92; Ord. 20-15. Passed 12-28-15.)
No public tree other than those species referred to as small trees in Section 943.09 may be planted under or within ten lateral feet of any overhead utility wire, or over or within five lateral feet of any underground water line, sewer line or other utility.
(Ord. 16-92. Passed 7-27-92; Ord. 20-15. Passed 12-28-15.)
(a) The City shall have the right to plant, prune, maintain and remove all public trees, as may be necessary to insure public safety or to preserve or enhance the symmetry and beauty of public sites. The Tree Commission may remove or cause to be removed, any public tree or part thereof which is in an unsafe condition or which by reason of its nature is injurious to sewers, electric power lines, gas lines, water lines or other public improvements, or is affected with any injurious disease, insect or fungus.
(b) This section does not prohibit the planting of a tree along streets by property owners providing that the selection of such tree is in accordance with Sections 943.09 through 943.13. No property owner shall plant a tree within the rights-of-way without first obtaining the written approval of the Commission or the City Arborist.
(Ord. 16-92. Passed 7-27-92; Ord. 20-15. Passed 12-28-15.)
(a) Whenever it is necessary to remove a public tree in connection with the paving of a sidewalk or the widening of a portion of a street or highway, the City shall replant the tree, cause it to be replanted, or replace it with a species described in Sections 943.08 and 943.09. This requirement shall be satisfied if an equivalent number of trees of the largest possible mature size is planted at the nearest appropriate location as determined by the Tree Commission or the City Arborist.
(b) No person shall remove a public tree for the purpose of construction or any other reason, without the written permission of the Commission. The Commission may require replacement of a removed tree as a condition to the Commission's approval. Such replacement shall be in accordance with the criteria listed in Sections 943.08 and 943.09. The person or property owner shall bear the cost of removal and replacement of all public trees removed.
(Ord. 16-92. Passed 7-27-92; Ord. 20-15. Passed 12-28-15.)
(a) In the event that a person or entity removes a tree for any reason other than the tree having posed a hazard or having fallen, that person or entity shall compensate for the loss of canopy in one of the following ways:
(1) By planting a tree with a mature DBH equivalent to the DBH of the removed tree, or trees equivalent to that number, on private property in the city; or
(2) By depositing into the Tree Canopy Fund an amount that represents the city's cost to obtain and plant trees to replace the removed tree on the same site or elsewhere in the city at the 3x mature DBH rate.
(b) It shall be unlawful as a normal practice for any person, firm or City department to top any public tree. “Topping” means the severe cutting back of limbs to stubs larger than three inches in diameter so as to remove the normal canopy and disfigure the tree. Public trees severely damaged by storms or other causes, or certain trees under utility wires or other obstructions where other pruning practices are impractical may be exempted from this section at the determination of the Tree Commission.
(Ord. 16-92. Passed 7-27-92; Ord. 20-15. Passed 12-28-15.)
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