No person shall remove any public tree without either first securing a permit as provided by this article or without replacing such tree with a tree of equivalent dollar value in the vicinity of the removed tree. The value of trees shall be determined by the Arborist in accordance with published guidelines of the International Society of Arboriculture (Valuation of Landscape Trees, Shrubs and Other Plants). If no suitable location exists in the vicinity of the tree removed, or if the replacement tree is of lesser value, the person causing the tree to be removed shall make a compensatory payment to the City equal to the difference in value between the tree removed and any replacement tree. Any public tree that is determined by the City to be damaged, but not sufficiently to justify its removal, shall be considered to be devalued. The amount of devaluation shall be paid to the City by the person causing the damage.
(Ord. 89-17. Passed 12-18-89.)