The occupant of any private premises, or the owner of the same if not occupied, abutting on any public street, road, or alley within the city shall keep all trees standing upon such premises, or between the same and the center of adjoining street, road, or alley so trimmed that no bough or branches thereof shall be lower than ten feet above the surface of the sidewalk, no bough or branches thereof shall be lower than 16 feet above the surface of the street, road, or alley; provided that upon the failure of any occupant or owner to trim such trees as in this section provided, the City Council shall have authority to remove or cause to be removed under its provisions any trunk, limb, or branch of any tree that is, or in the judgment of said Council, which shall extend or hang lower than ten feet above surface of any walkway or sidewalk, 16 feet above surface of any street, road, alley, whether such trees be growing on privately-owned property, and may cause the same to be trimmed and charged the expense thereof to the occupant or owner of such property.
(Prior Code, § 11-4-1)