[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Union as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 10-22-1974 by Ord. No. 2921 (Ch. 516, Art. I, of the 2004 Code)]
On and after the effective date of this article, it shall be unlawful to plant willow trees anywhere within the geographic limits in the Township of Union in the County of Union.
[Amended 3-24-1992 by Ord. No. 4182]
In the event that an inspection of an existing willow tree by the Township Engineer of the Township of Union, in the County of Union, or his designee, determines that such a tree or trees are impeding the normal flow of either the storm sewer system or the sanitary sewer system of the Township of Union in the County of Union, then and in that event a written notice by certified mail shall be served upon the owner of any such tree so causing such an impediment or blockage in the flow aforesaid, directing said owner to remove said tree and the roots thereof from within the aforesaid sewer system within 10 days from receipt of such notice.
In the event that any such owner so receiving any such notice to remove any such tree and the roots thereof fails to remove the same within the time aforesaid, the Superintendent of Public Works shall be and he is hereby authorized to enter upon public and private property for the purpose of causing the removal of any such tree and the roots thereof.
Said Superintendent of Public Works shall certify the cost of such removal to the governing body, which said governing body shall examine the certificate of costs and, if found correct, shall cause the cost as shown thereon to be charged against the lands from which said tree and roots were removed or, in the event that such cost is excessive, to cause the reasonable cost thereof to be charged and thereupon the amounts so charged shall forthwith become a lien upon such lands and shall be added to and become and form part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon such lands and shall bear interest at the same rate as is imposed upon delinquent taxes and shall be collected and enforced by the same officer and in the same manner as is municipal taxes.
[Amended 10-28-1986 by Ord. No. 3879; 12-13-1988 by Ord. No. 3998; 10-26-2004 by Ord. No. 4842; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to one or more of the following: imprisonment in the county jail or in any other place provided by the municipality for the detention of prisoners for any term not exceeding 90 days or by a fine not exceeding $2,000 or by a period of community service not exceeding 90 days, to become effective on the effective date of this section.
[Adopted 10-28-1986 by Ord. No. 3878 (Ch. 516, Art. II, of the 2004 Code)]
No individual or officer or employee of a corporation shall, without the written permit of the Department of Public Works, cut, prune, break, climb, injure or remove any living tree in a public highway; chemicalize or insecticide any tree in a public highway; or place any rope, sign, poster or other fixture on a tree or guard in a public highway; or injure, misuse or remove any device placed to protect such tree on a public highway.
No shade or ornamental tree or shrub shall be planted in any of the public highways of the Township of Union until such tree or shrub shall have first been approved and the place where it is to be planted designated by the Department of Public Works and a permit granted therefor.
No person shall fasten a horse or other animal to a tree in a public highway in the Township of Union nor cause a horse or other animal to stand so that said horse or animal can injure such a tree.
No person shall, without the written permit of the Department of Public Works, place or hereafter maintain upon the ground to a public highway, stone, cement or other substance which shall impede the free passage of water and air to the roots of any tree in such highway, without leaving an open space of ground outside of the trunk of said tree in an area not less than four feet square.
In the erection or repair of any building or structure, the owner thereof shall place such guards around all nearby trees on the public highways as shall effectually prevent injury to them.
No person shall pour salt water upon any public highway in such a manner as to injure any tree planted or growing thereon.
A. 
No person shall, without the written consent of the Department of Public Works, attach any electric wire, insulator or any device for the holding of an electric wire to any tree growing or planted upon any public highway of the Township of Union.
B. 
Every person or corporation having any wire or wires charged with electricity running through a public highway shall securely fasten such wire or wires so that they shall not come in contact with any tree therein.
C. 
Every person or corporation having any wire or wires charged with electricity running through a public highway shall temporarily remove any such wire or wires or the electricity therefrom when it shall be necessary in order to take down or prune any tree growing in a public highway, and such removal shall be effected within 24 hours after the service upon the owner of said wire or wires, or his agent, of a written notice to remove said wire or wires or the electricity therefrom upon the order of the Department of Public Works.
[Amended 3-9-2021 by Ord. No. 5693]
No person or corporation shall prevent, delay or interfere with the Department of Public Works, or its employees, in the planting, pruning, spraying or removing of a tree on a public highway, or in the removal of stone, cement or other substance about the trunk of a tree.
Every repeated violation by the same person of any provision of this article or the continuation of the violation of any of the provisions on any day or days succeeding the first violation thereof shall constitute an additional violation of such provision.
[Amended 10-26-2004 by Ord. No. 4842; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to one or more of the following: imprisonment for any term not exceeding 90 days or a fine not exceeding $2,000 or a period of community service not exceeding 90 days.
[Added 3-24-1992 by Ord. No. 4182]
For the purposes of this article, the Superintendent of Public Works and/or his designee and all law enforcement officers shall be empowered to enforce this article.