(A) It shall be the duty of any property owner owning or occupying property bordering on a right-of-way, whether front, side, or rear yard, upon which property there may be trees or shrubs, to prune or cause to be pruned any tree or shrub which shades or obstructs streetlights, street signs, or obstructs pedestrian or vehicular traffic on sidewalks or streets.
(B) It shall be the duty of any person bordering on a right-of-way, whether front, side, or rear yard, upon which property there are any trees or shrubs which are designated by the Village Urban Forester as dead, dying, diseased, and hazardous to the public health, safety, and welfare, or property of the people of Swanton, to remove or cause to be removed said tree(s) and/or shrub(s).
(C) If in the opinion of the Village Urban Forester in consultation with the Tree Commission a tree located on private property constitutes a hazard, requiring the tree to be removed or pruned, the Village Urban Forester shall issue a written justification to the property owner by USPS Certified Mail. Said notice shall provide no less than 30 days for the private property owner to remove or prune the tree. If the private property owner does not remove or prune the tree in the timeframe established, the Village Urban Forester may cause the tree to be removed or pruned at the initial expense of the village.
(D) Thereupon, the expense of removal, pruning, and all related administrative costs shall be billed at the cost to remove tree plus 10% administrative costs, to the property owner by USPS Certified mail. Upon failure to reimburse the village this amount within 30 days thereafter, Village Council shall make written return to the County Auditor along with a request that such amount be entered upon the tax duplicate, to become a lien upon such lands from and after the date of entry, and to be collected as other taxes and returned to the village according to law.
(Ord. 2022-15, passed 6-13-2022)