[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 1]
Trees, shrubs, bushes and all other woody vegetation on land
lying between street lines of all streets, roads, alleys, avenues,
lanes, squares or ways within the Township.
Trees, shrubs, bushes and all other woody vegetation in Township
parks and open space areas.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 2]
There is hereby created and established a Township Tree Board
for the Township of Plumstead, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which shall
consist of three members who are residents of the Township and who
shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 3; as amended by A.O.]
Three members of the Tree Board shall be appointed for a term
of two years with one member being appointed to a one-year term for
the initial Tree Board and two members being appointed for a two-year
term. In the event that a vacancy shall occur during the term of any
member, his/her successor shall be appointed for the unexpired portion
of the term.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 4]
Members of the Tree Board shall serve without compensation.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 5]
It shall be the responsibility of the Tree Board to study, investigate,
administer and develop and/or update annually a written plan for the
care, preservation, pruning, planting, replanting, removal or disposition
of trees and shrubs in parks and open space areas, along streets and
other public areas. Such plan will be presented annually to the Board
of Supervisors and upon their acceptance and approval shall constitute
the official Comprehensive Township Tree Plan for the Township of
Plumstead. The Tree Board, upon request by the Board of Supervisors,
shall investigate and report to the Board of Supervisors upon any
special matter coming within the scope of the Board's duties and responsibilities.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 6]
The Board of Supervisors shall appoint the Chairman of the Tree
Board on an annual basis and shall make rules and regulations for
the efficient operation of the Tree Board. A majority of the members,
if present, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 7]
The following list constitutes the official street tree species
for Plumstead Township.
1.
The following
plant material is permitted for use as tree plantings when placement
is within four feet of curb, sidewalk or asphalt surface:
|
Large Trees
| |
|---|---|
|
Acer rubrum
|
Red maple
|
|
Acer x fremanii
|
Armstrong Freeman maple
|
|
Cercidiphyllum japonicum (tree form)
|
Katsura tree
|
|
Fraxinus americana
|
White ash
|
|
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
|
Green ash
|
|
Ginko bilboa
|
Maidenhair tree (male only)
|
|
Gleditsia triacanthos
|
Honey locust (thornless only)
|
|
Liquidambar styraciflua
|
Sweet gum
|
|
Tilia codata
|
Littleleaf linden
|
|
Zelkova serrata
|
Japanese zelkova
|
|
Small Trees
| |
|---|---|
|
Acer campestre
|
Hedge maple
|
|
Acer ginnala (tree form)
|
Amur maple
|
|
Acer tataricum (tree form)
|
Tatarian maple
|
|
Amelanchier laevis (tree form)
|
Serviceberry
|
|
Carpinus caroliniana (tree form)
|
American hornbeam
|
|
Crataegus
|
Hawthorn (thornless only)
|
|
Syringa reticulata (tree form)
|
Japanese tree lilac
|
2.
In addition
to the above the following plant material is permitted for use as
tree plantings when placement is greater than four feet from a curb
sidewalk or asphalt surface:
|
Large Trees
| |
|---|---|
|
Acer nigrum
|
Black maple
|
|
Acer saccharum
|
Sugar maple
|
|
Aesculus hippocastanum
|
Baumannii; Baumann horsechestnut
|
|
Aesculus x carnea
|
Briotii; ruby red horsechestnut
|
|
Betula nigra
|
River birch
|
|
Betula papyrifera
|
Paper birch
|
|
Carya cordiformis
|
Bitternut hickory
|
|
Carya glabra
|
Pignut
|
|
Carya ovata
|
Shagbark hickory
|
|
Carya tomentosa
|
Mockernut
|
|
Catalpa bignonioides
|
Catalpa
|
|
Fagus granifolia
|
American beech
|
|
Gymnocladus dioicus
|
Kentucky coffeetree
|
|
Juglans nigra
|
Black walnut
|
|
Larix laricina
|
American larch
|
|
Liquidambar styraciflua
|
Sweetgum
|
|
Liriodendron tuliptree
|
Tulip tree
|
|
Magnolia acuminata
|
Cucumber tree
|
|
Ostrya virginiana (tree form)
|
American hophornbeam
|
|
Platanus x acerifolia
|
London plane tree
|
|
Prunis serotina
|
Black cherry
|
|
Quercus alba
|
White oak
|
|
Quercus borealis
|
Red oak
|
|
Quercus coccinea
|
Scarlet oak
|
|
Quercus falcata
|
Spanish oak
|
|
Quercus macrocarpa
|
Burr oak
|
|
Quercus muehlenbergii
|
Yellow chestnut oak
|
|
Quercus palustris
|
Pin oak
|
|
Quercus phellos
|
Willow oak
|
|
Quercus rubra
|
Northern red oak
|
|
Quercus stellata
|
Post oak
|
|
Robinia pseudoacacia
|
Black locust
|
|
Tilia americana
|
American linden
|
|
Tilia heterophylla
|
White basswood
|
|
Tilia tomentosa
|
Silver linden
|
|
Ulmus americana
|
American elm ("Liberty" or other resistant variety)
|
|
Small Trees
| |
|---|---|
|
Acer buergeranum (tree form)
|
Trident maple
|
|
Acer ginnala (tree form)
|
Amur maple
|
|
Acer griseum (tree form)
|
Paperback maple
|
|
Acer tataricum (tree form)
|
Tatarian maple
|
|
Amelanchier laevis (tree form)
|
Serviceberry (all cultivars)
|
|
Amerlanchier canandensis
|
Shadbush
|
|
Asimina triloba
|
Pawpaw
|
|
Betula nigra
|
River birch
|
|
Betula populifolia
|
Grey birch
|
|
Carpinus betulus
|
European hornbeam
|
|
Carpinua caroliniana
|
American hornbeam
|
|
Cercis canadensis (tree form)
|
Eastern redbud
|
|
Cornus kousa (tree form)
|
Kousa dogwood
|
|
Crataegus (many species)
|
Hawthorn (thornless only)
|
|
Crataegus mollis
|
Scarlet thorn
|
|
Ilex montana
|
Large leaved holly
|
|
Ilex opaca
|
American holly
|
|
Magnolia tripetala
|
Umbrella tree
|
|
Magnolia x loebneri
|
Merrill magnolia
|
|
Malus "Centzam" (tree form)
|
Centurion crabapple
|
|
Malus "Hargozam" (tree form)
|
Harvest gold crabapple
|
|
Malus "Snowdrift" (tree form)
|
Snowdrift crabapple
|
|
Malus "Spring Snow" (tree form)
|
Springsnow crabapple
|
|
Malus x zumi "Calocarpa" (tree form)
|
Redbud crabapple
|
|
Ostrya virginiana
|
American hophornbeam
|
|
Oxydendrum arboreum
|
Sourwood
|
|
Prunus americana
|
Wild plum
|
|
Prunus pennsylvanica
|
Bird cherry
|
|
Prunus serrulata (tree form)
|
Kwanzan oriental cherry
|
|
Purus betulifolia
|
Birchleaf pear
|
|
Pyrus calleryana
|
Callery pear (all cultivars except "Bradford")
|
|
Sorbus (many species/hydrids)
|
Mountain ash
|
|
Sorbus americana
|
American mountain ash
|
|
Syringa reticulata
|
Ivory silk Japanese tree lilac
|
|
Note: Additional tree species may be utilized if approved by
the Township.
|
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 8]
Large street trees shall be planted at intervals of not more
than 40 feet. Small street trees shall be planted at intervals of
not more than 25 feet. All trees must be selected and coordinated
to provide adequate separation from overhead and underground utilities.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 9]
The distance trees may be planted from curbs or curb lines and
sidewalks will be in accordance with the species, size and growth
characteristics.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 10]
No street trees shall be planted closer than 25 of any street
corner, measured from the point of the nearest intersecting curbs
or curb lines. No street tree shall be planted closer than 10 feet
to any fire hydrant.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 11]
No street trees other than those species listed as small trees in § 25-107 of this Part may be planted under or within 10 lateral feet of any overhead electric utility wire or over or within five lateral feet of any underground waterline, sewer line, transmissions line or other utility.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 12]
1.
The Township shall have the right to plant, prune, maintain and remove
trees, plants and shrubs within the lines of all streets, roads, alleys,
avenues, lanes, squares and public grounds, as may be necessary to
ensure public safety or to preserve or enhance the symmetry and beauty
of such public grounds.
2.
The Township may remove or cause or order to be removed any 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, waterlines or other public improvements, or is infected with any injurious fungus, insect or other pest. This section does not prohibit the planting of street trees by adjacent property owners, providing that the selection and location of said trees is in accordance with §§ 25-107 through 25-111 of this Part.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 13]
It shall be unlawful, as a normal practice, for any person,
firm or Township department to top any street tree, park tree or other
tree on public property. "Topping" is defined as the severe cutting
back of limbs to stubs larger than three inches in diameter within
the tree's crown to such a degree so as to remove the normal canopy
and disfigure the tree. 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 by this
Part.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 14]
Every owner of any tree overhanging any street or right-of-way
within the Township shall prune the branches so that such branches
shall not obstruct the light from any streetlight or obstruct the
view of any street intersection and so that there shall be a clear
space of seven feet above the surface of the street or sidewalk. Said
owners shall remove all dead, diseased or dangerous trees or broken
or decayed limbs which constitute a menace to the safety of the public.
The Township shall have the right to prune any trees or shrub on private
property when it interferes with the proper spread of light along
the street from a streetlight or interferes with visibility of any
traffic control device or sign.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 15; as amended by A.O.]
The Township shall have the right to cause the removal of any
dead or diseased trees on private property within the Township when
such trees constitute a hazard to life and property or harbor insects
or disease which constitute a potential threat to other trees within
the Township. The Township Tree Board will notify, in writing, the
owners of such trees. Removal shall be done by said owners at their
own expense within 60 days after the date of service of notice. In
the event of failure of owners to comply with such provisions, the
Township may enter the property and remove the trees, charging the
cost of the cutting and removal to the property owners. The charge
shall be a lien against the real estate of the property owner and
shall be collected in the same manner as other municipal liens.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 16]
All stumps of street and park trees shall be removed below the
surface of the ground so that the top of stump shall not project above
the surface of the ground.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 17]
It shall be unlawful for any person to prevent, delay or interfere
with the Township Tree Board, or any of its agents, while engaging
in and about the planting, cultivating, mulching, pruning, spraying
or removing of any street trees, park trees or trees on private grounds,
as authorized in this Part.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 18; as amended by A.O.]
Any person engaging in the business or occupation of pruning,
treating or removing street or park trees within the Township shall
comply with the Township's contracting licensing ordinance.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 19]
Any person aggrieved by any action of the Township Tree Board
may file an appeal to the Board of Supervisors in accordance with
the Local Agency Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 2 Pa. C.S.A. §§ 551 et seq.,
and 751 et seq.
[Ord. 2004-08, 12/23/2004, § 20; as amended by Ord. 2004-07, 12/7/2004, § 1]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this Part shall, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before
a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement
of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure,
be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 nor less than $250
plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a
term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation
of this Part continues or each section of this Part which shall be
found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.
