[6-16-2015; 2016 Code]
Trees purchased other than from the park department, must be
planted by the property owner. Property owners will be able to choose
from trees approved by the board of park and recreation commissioners,
with individual tree approval and location coming from the city forester.
Trees to be purchased may be planted on public property only. Whenever
the board shall have declared that any trees or shrubbery situated
in the space between the curb line and the sidewalk line of any street
or improved street do not comply with the regulations of the board
relative to style, type, planting and arranging thereof, it shall
order the same to be removed or replaced or rearranged to comply with
regulations. The following provisions shall apply to all planting:
(A) No trees or shrubs are to be planted at street intersections. Such
planting shall be done at least 15 feet from the intersection of the
curbs.
(B) No person shall plant or cause to be planted any trees or shrubs
of any nature whatsoever within 25 feet of any hydrant or shut-off
box, within the street right of way.
(C) The following distances between trees must be adhered to:
Hard maple: 40 feet.
Norway maple or ash: 35 feet.
Hackberry, locust or linden: 30 feet.
(D) No person shall deposit, place, store or maintain, except during
construction work for a period not to exceed 30 days, upon any public
land, any stone, brick, sand, concrete or other materials which may
impede the free passage of water, air and fertilizer to the roots
of any tree or shrub growing thereon, except by written permission
of the city forester.
(E) No person shall break, mutilate, injure, kill or destroy any tree
or shrub, or permit any fire to burn where it will injure any portion
of any tree or shrub on public land.
(F) No person shall knowingly permit any toxic chemical to seep, drain
or be emptied on or about any tree or shrub on public land.
(G) No person shall plant or cause to be planted any trees or shrubs
of any nature whatsoever within 25 feet of any hydrant or shut-off
box, within the street right-of-way.
(H) No hedge or shrubbery shall be planted closer than 18 inches to a
sidewalk and shall be kept trimmed at all times so that no part shall
project over a sidewalk.
(I) No shrub or bush growing at the intersection of any two streets in
the city shall be allowed to grow taller than 2 1/2 feet from
the ground within a 30 foot radius from the intersection of two curb
lines.
(J) No person shall knowingly permit electric wires to come in contact
with any trees or shrubs on public land unless protected by approved
methods, no person shall attach any electrical insulation to any tree
on public land.
(K) Ditches, trenches, tunnels and driveways shall be kept as far away
from any trees as possible. Builders shall erect suitable barriers
around trees or shrubs on public lands to prevent injury from construction
work.
[1969 Code; 1977 Code; 2016 Code]
Public utilities, under the supervision and direction of the
city forester, are authorized to trim trees upon and overhanging the
streets, avenues, alleys, highways, sidewalks and other public lands
in the city, to prevent the branches of such trees from coming in
contact with wires and cables. Under the supervision and direction
of the city forester, such utilities are authorized to cut roots of
trees and shrubs under the streets, avenues, alleys, highways, sidewalks
and other public lands in the city, to construct, maintain and operate
their facilities in and about the city.
[12-17-1991; 2016 Code]
Except as expressly noted elsewhere in this chapter, a person
who violates any provision of this chapter shall upon conviction be
subject to a Class 3 forfeiture.