Village of Cassopolis, MI Article III Park and Cemetery Trees

§ 348-12 Classification; species to be planted. [1]

The species set forth in this section shall constitute the official park and cemetery tree list for the Village. No species, other than those included in this section, may be planted as park and cemetery trees without written permission of the Village Board.

A. Small trees. Small trees are those with an estimated maximum height of less than 30 feet and shall include:

(1) Flowering crabapple.

(2) Flowering dogwood.

(3) Washington hawthorn.

(4) Amur maple.

(5) Eastern redbud.

(6) Japanese lilac.

(7) American plum.

B. Medium trees. Medium trees are those with an estimated maximum height of between 30 and 45 feet and shall include:

(1) Ohio buckeye.

(2) Amur chokecherry.

(3) Hedge maple.

(4) Golden raintree.

(5) Downy hawthorn.

(6) Washington hawthorn.

(7) Toba hawthorn.

(8) Ironwood.

(9) Canyon maple.

(10) Bradford pear.

(11) Aristocrat pear.

C. Large trees. Large trees are those with an estimated maximum height of more than 45 feet and shall include:

(1) Green ash.

(2) White ash.

(3) Western catalpa.

(4) Kentucky coffeetree.

(5) American elm.

(6) Slippery elm.

(7) Ginkgo.

(8) Hackberry.

(9) Honey locust.

(10) Horse chestnut.

(11) Yellow buckeye.

(12) American linden.

(13) Littleleaf linden.

(14) Redmond linden.

(15) Crimson king maple.

(16) Sugar maple.

(17) Norway maple.

(18) Bur oak.

(19) English oak.

(20) Swamp white oak.

(21) Tulip tree.

(22) Zelkova.

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

§ 348-13 Care of trees.

The Village shall have the right to plant, prune, maintain and remove street trees, park trees, cemetery trees, plants and other vegetation within the lines of all streets, alleys, avenues, lanes, squares, rights-of-way and public grounds, as may be necessary, to ensure public safety or to preserve or enhance the symmetry and beauty of such public grounds. The Village Board, with the written permission of the Village Manager, may remove or cause or order to be removed, any trees or parts 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, cable lines or other public improvements, or is affected with any injurious fungus, insect or other pest.

§ 348-14 Removal of stumps.

All stumps of street, park and cemetery trees shall be removed below the surface of the ground so that the top of the stump shall not project above the surface of the ground. Such removal shall be conducted within a one-year time period after the tree is removed.

§ 348-15 Unauthorized removal of trees.

No person may remove or cut down a public tree without written authorization from the Village Manager or his designee. Any person who violates this section shall be required, in addition to any other penalties imposed by this chapter or any other law, to replace all public trees so removed or cut down at the violator's expense.

§ 348-16 Maintenance and protection.

A. No person shall break, injure, mutilate, kill, destroy, set fire to, or permit a fire to be set, to any public tree or shrub. No person shall knowingly cause or permit to be caused any seepage, drainage, injection or emptying of any chemicals or other materials harmful or injurious to a tree on, into or within 20 feet of any tree in the Village. Normal treatment of weed killer and lawn fertilizer shall be exempt from this section unless the weed killer or lawn fertilizer used is contained on a list of prohibited chemicals published by any agency of the government of the United States or the state.

B. No person shall use any public tree as an anchor. No person shall fasten or hang any material of any kind to any public tree. No person shall attach any electrical wire or insulation to any public tree. This provision does not apply to residential Christmas holiday decorations or when special permission is given to a residential owner by the Village Manager.

C. No person shall place in any street right-of-way or parkway any sand, stone, concrete, brick or material of any kind which will, in any way, impede the full and free passage of air, water or fertilizer to the roots of any public tree.