Cross References — Provisions relating to weeds, ch.
220, art.
III, §
220.190.
[CC 1984 §23-1; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.01; Ord. No. 3140 §23-1]
This Chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Tree Code".
[CC 1984 §23-2; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.02; Ord. No. 3140 §23-2; Ord. No. 3401 §1, 5-2-1977; Ord. No. 4235 §14, 9-6-1988; Ord. No. 4638 §1, 7-1-1996]
As used in this Chapter, the following terms shall have these
prescribed meanings:
CITY FORESTER
The person designated by the City Manager to perform the
provisions of this Chapter.
PROPERTY OWNER
The person shown by the records of the Recorder of Deeds
for St. Louis County, Missouri, as the owner of real property.
PUBLIC AREA
Any property owned or maintained by the City, any property
devoted to use by the public, any public easement, and includes tree
lawns.
STREET
The entire width between property lines of every way or place
of whatever nature when any part thereof is open to the use of the
public, as a matter of right, for purposes of vehicular traffic.
TREE LAWN
That part of a street or highway not covered by a sidewalk,
lying between the property line and that portion of the street or
highway usually used for traffic.
TREES AND SHRUBS
Includes all woody vegetation, now or hereafter growing in
any street or upon any public area, except where otherwise indicated.
[CC 1984 §23-3; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.03; Ord. No. 3140 §23-3]
A. The City
Forester has the jurisdiction of and authority for regulating the
planting, maintenance, preservation, trimming and removal of trees
and shrubs in streets and on other publicly owned property and areas
to insure safety or preserve the symmetry of such public places.
B. The City
Forester shall:
1. Supervise
or inspect all work done under a permit issued in accordance with
this Chapter; and
2. Affix
reasonable conditions to the grant of a permit in accordance with
this Chapter.
[CC 1984 §23-4; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.04; Ord. No. 3140 §23-4; Ord. No. 4235 §14, 9-6-1988; Ord. No. 4638 §1, 7-1-1996]
A. The City
Manager has the authority to prepare a master street tree plan. The
master street tree plan may specify the species of tree to be planted
on each of the streets or other public areas of the City. From and
after the effective date of the master street tree plan, or any amendment
thereof, all planting shall conform to the plan.
B. All existing
and future environmental factors shall be considered when recommending
a specific species for each street or other public area of the City.
C. The City
Manager has the authority to amend or add to the master street tree
plan any time that circumstances make it advisable.
[CC 1984 §23-5; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.04; Ord. No. 3140 §23-5; Ord. No. 4235 §14, 9-6-1988; Ord. No. 4638 §1, 7-1-1996]
A. The City
Forester has the authority to and may prescribe arboricultural specifications
and standards of practice governing the planting, preservation, trimming,
removal, fertilization and bracing of trees and shrubs in the streets
or public areas in the City, following approved principles supported
by good judgment and on the basis of local conditions.
B. The City
Forester has the authority to modify, amend or extend the arboricultural
specifications and standards of practice at any time that experience
indicates improved methods or whenever circumstances make it advisable.
[CC 1984 §23-10; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.05; Ord. No. 3140 §23-6; Ord. No. 4235 §14, 9-6-1988; Ord. No. 4638 §1, 7-1-1996]
A. No persons
shall by themselves or by another treat, paint, spray, fertilize,
preserve, trim, prune, remove, pull up, cut down, burn, destroy, cut
above or below the ground or otherwise disturb, tamper or interfere
with any tree or shrub in any street or on any public area without
first filing an application and procuring a permit from the City Forester.
B. The person
receiving the permit shall abide by the arboricultural specifications
and standards of practice prescribed by the City Forester.
C. The application required in Subsection
(A) shall state:
1. The
number and species of trees to be treated, painted, sprayed, fertilized,
preserved, trimmed, pruned, removed, cut or otherwise disturbed;
2. The
kind of treatment to be administered;
3. The
composition of the spray material to be applied; and
4. Any
other information as the City Forester may find reasonably necessary
for a fair determination of whether a permit should be issued.
[CC 1984 §23-11; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.05; Ord. No. 3140 §23-7]
A. The City Forester may issue the permit to preserve, treat or remove trees or shrubs, as required by Section
255.060 if in his/her judgment the proposed work is desirable and proposed method and workmanship are of a satisfactory nature.
B. Any permit
granted shall contain a definite date of expiration.
C. Any permit
shall be void if its terms are violated.
[CC 1984 §23-12; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.05; Ord. No. 3140 §23-8; Ord. No. 4235 §14, 9-6-1988; Ord. No. 4638 §1, 7-1-1996]
A. No persons,
by themselves or by another, shall plant or set out any tree or shrub
in any street or public area of the City without first filing an application
with and procuring a permit from the City Forester.
B. The person
receiving the permit shall abide by the arboricultural specifications
and standards of practice prescribed by and the master street tree
plan as prepared by the City Manager.
C. The application required in Subsection
(A) shall state:
1. The
number of trees or shrubs to be set out;
2. The
location, grade and species of each tree or shrub;
3. The
method of planting; and
4. Any
other information as the City Forester may find reasonably necessary
to a fair determination of whether a permit should be issued.
D. No person
shall plant any fruit or nut bearing trees adjacent to any street,
sidewalk or public area.
[CC 1984 §23-13; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.05; Ord. No. 3140 §23-9]
A. The City Forester may issue the permit to plant trees and shrubs if the proposed planting is in conformity with the master street tree plan and the arboricultural specifications and standards of practice provided for in Sections
255.040 and
255.050, and if in his/her judgment the proposed planting is desirable and the proposed method is of a satisfactory nature.
B. Any permit
granted shall contain a definite expiration date.
C. Any permit
shall be void if its terms are violated.
[CC 1984 §23-14; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.05; Ord. No. 3140 §23-10]
A. Whenever
any tree or shrub is planted or set out in conflict with the provisions
of this Chapter, the City Forester may remove or cause the removal
of the tree or shrub.
B. The exact
cost shall be assessed against the adjoining property, as provided
by law in the case of special assessments. The cost shall be collected
by the City against the property, and such costs shall, like taxes,
be a first (1st) lien on the property affected thereby until paid.
[CC 1984 §23-20; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.06; Ord. No. 3140 §23-11; Ord. No. 4638 §1, 7-1-1996]
A. Any person
owning or occupying real property immediately adjacent to any street
or public area, upon which property there may be trees or shrubs,
shall:
1. Trim
the trees or shrubs in such manner that they will not obstruct or
shade the street lights, or obstruct the passage of pedestrians on
sidewalks, the vision of traffic signs, or the view of any street
or alley intersection. The minimum clearance of any overhanging portion
thereof shall be nine (9) feet over sidewalks, twelve (12) feet over
all streets and other public areas, except principal thoroughfares
which shall have a clearance of sixteen (16) feet.
2. Remove
from such trees or shrubs all dead, decayed or broken limbs or branches
which overhang any street or public area.
3. Remove
any such tree or shrub which is dead so that it cannot fall on the
street, sidewalk or public area.
B. The City
Forester reserves the right to remove any tree or shrub which, to
his/her best judgment, shall be considered a hazard to pedestrians,
homes or vehicles.
[CC 1984 §23-21; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.06; Ord. No. 3140 §23-12; Ord. No. 4347 §2, 7-2-1990]
A. If any person owning or occupying real property immediately adjacent to any street or public area fails to trim or remove such trees or shrubs as required in Section
255.110, the City Forester shall notify, in writing, such person to so trim or remove trees or shrubs within forty-eight (48) hours after receipt of the notice.
B. The notice shall be served as prescribed in Section
100.170 of this Code.
[CC 1984 §23-22; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.06; Ord. No. 3140 §23-13]
If, after notice is given, there is a failure to comply within the time specified in Section
255.120, the City shall trim such trees or shrubs. The exact cost shall be assessed against the property on which such tree or shrub shall be located, as provided by law as in the case of special assessments. The cost shall be collected by the collector of taxes against the property, and such cost shall, like taxes, be a first (1st) lien on the property affected thereby until paid.
[CC 1984 §23-23; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.13; Ord. No. 3140 §23-14; Ord. No. 4235 §14, 9-6-1988; Ord. No. 4638 §1, 7-1-1996]
A. The City
Forester may plant trees at the request of a City resident upon fulfillment
of the following requirements:
1. The
City Forester shall replace trees which have been removed with a species
of tree best suited for the direct environment in which it is to be
placed.
2. An application
for the planting of trees shall be made to the City Forester by the
City resident.
3. The
application may be accompanied by a fee, as determined by the City
Manager, calculated to defray the cost of the tree and all costs incident
to the planting.
[CC 1984 §23-30; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.08; Ord. No. 3140 §23-16; Ord. No. 4638 §1, 7-1-1996]
A. Unless
specifically authorized in writing by the City Forester, no persons
shall by themselves or by another:
1. Intentionally
damage, cut, carve, top, transplant or remove any tree or shrub growing
in a street or upon a public and/or tree lawn area.
2. Attach
any rope, wire, nails, sign, poster, handbill, or other contrivance
or things to or on any tree or shrub growing in any street or upon
a public area nor upon any guard, protection or device placed or intended
to protect any tree or shrub growing in any street or upon any public
area.
3. Allow
any gaseous, liquid or solid substance which is harmful to trees or
shrubs to come in contact with any tree or shrub growing in any street
or upon any public area.
4. Set
fire to or permit any fire to burn near any tree or shrub in any street
or upon a public area when such fire or heat therefrom will injury
any portion of such tree or shrub.
5. Attach
any electric wire, insulator or any other device for holding electric
wire to any tree growing in any street or upon any public area.
6. In the
process of excavation, trenching, boring or tunneling, remove or cause
damage to the existing subsurface roots or otherwise cause damage
to trunk, limbs or branches of any tree or shrub.
[CC 1984 §23-31; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.08; Ord. No. 3140 §23-17]
Every person having, owning, installing or operating any wire
or wires charged with electricity shall securely fasten the wire so
that it does not come in contact with any tree growing in any street
or upon any public area.
[CC 1984 §23-32; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.08; Ord. No. 3140 §23-18]
A. No person
owning, maintaining or operating any gas pipe laid beneath the surface
of any street shall permit any leak to occur in such pipe or main
within a radius of forty (40) feet of any tree or shrub growing in
any street or upon any public area.
B. If a
leak exists or occurs in any gas pipe or main, the owner of the pipe
or main shall repair it within five (5) days after receiving a notice
in writing to do so from the City Forester.
[CC 1984 §23-33; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.08; Ord. No. 3140 §23-19]
Unless specifically authorized in writing by the City Forester,
no person shall for any purpose connected with the construction and
maintenance of telegraph, telephone or electric lines attach any cross
bar or other fixture to any tree growing in any street nor upon any
public area.
[CC 1984 §23-34; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.09; Ord. No. 3140 §23-20]
No person shall use spurs or climbers or other devices which
pierce or in any way injure the bark of a tree as an aid to climbing
any tree growing in any street or upon a public area, except when
such tree is to be removed or in connection with the construction
and maintenance of telegraph, telephone or electric lines, and only
if authorization in writing is first obtained from the City Forester.
[CC 1984 §23-40; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.10; Ord. No. 3140 §23-21]
No person shall hinder, prevent, delay or in any way interfere
with the City Forester or any of his/her subordinates while engaged
in the planting, pruning, spraying, removing, trimming, cultivation
or maintenance of any tree or shrub or in the removal of any stone,
cement, brick, sand or other materials about any tree or while engaged
in enforcing or carrying out the provisions of this Chapter.
[CC 1984 §23-41; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.11; Ord. No. 3140 §23-22]
A. Any tree
or shrub growing in streets and public areas adjacent to real property
upon which any building or structure is being erected, altered or
repaired or any excavation is being done shall be protected by the
owner of such real property with a good substantial frame or box not
less than four (4) feet square and six (6) feet high. All building
material, dirt or other debris shall be kept at least three (3) feet
from each tree or shrub.
B. No person
shall excavate any ditch, tunnel or trench or lay any drive within
a radius of ten (10) feet from any tree or shrub growing in a street
or upon a public area without first obtaining a written permit from
the City Forester.
[CC 1984 §23-42; Rev. M.C. 1963 §62.12; Ord. No. 3140 §23-23]
No person shall deposit, place, store or maintain on any street
or upon any public area of the City any stone, brick, sand, cement,
concrete or other materials which may impede the free passage of water,
air and fertilizer to the roots of any tree or shrub, except by written
permit of the City Forester.
In addition to any other penalty imposed by the City, any person
who causes damage to any tree, shrub, etc., shall replace said tree
or shrub with one of equal value. In the event the tree, shrub, etc.,
cannot be so replaced, the person causing injury or damage shall reimburse
the City for the value of said tree, shrub, etc.