A. 
The Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Munsey Park hereby finds that there is a direct relationship between preservation of and the planting of trees, shrubs and associated vegetation in sufficient number in populated areas of the Incorporated Village of Munsey Park and the health, safety and welfare of the Incorporated Village of Munsey Park residents. The Board of Trustees further finds that trees, shrubs and associated vegetation are related to the natural, scenic and aesthetic values and the physical and visual qualities of the environment which the Incorporated Village of Munsey Park is obligated to protect. Trees and such vegetation reduce noise, provide welcome shade to the Incorporated Village of Munsey Park residents, preserve the balance of oxygen in the air by removing carbon dioxide and foster air quality and create a bucolic and rural atmosphere in the Incorporated Village of Munsey Park, especially along the roads. Trees also stabilize the soil and control water pollution by preventing soil erosion and flooding, yield advantageous climatic effects and provide a natural habitat for wildlife.
B. 
The destructive and indiscriminate removal of trees and related vegetation causes increased Incorporated Village of Munsey Park costs for proper drainage control, impairs the benefits of occupancy of existing residential properties, impairs the stability and value of both improved and unimproved real property in the area of the destruction and adversely affects the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the Incorporated Village of Munsey Park.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms, phrases and words shall have the following meanings:
APPLICANT
The person applying for a permit required by this chapter.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Munsey Park.
HABIT
The natural growing characteristics of any tree or specimen tree, which includes branch spread and distribution, branch height above ground and root spread and distribution.
HABITAT
The existing conditions in which a tree or trees are growing, including but not limited to existing grade, surrounding vegetation, adjacent structures, drainage conditions, and sun/ wind exposure.
NONSPECIMEN TREE
Any living, woody plant of a species that is not defined as a specimen tree with a caliper (diameter at four feet six inches height above ground level) of 12 inches or more.
PERSON
Any resident of Munsey Park or any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, public agency, public utility or organization of any kind or agent thereof.
REAL PROPERTY
Includes all unimproved and improved real property within the Incorporated Village of Munsey Park.
SPECIMEN TREE
Any living, woody plant of the following species with a caliper (diameter at four feet six inches height above ground level) of six inches or more:
A. 
Deciduous trees:
Ash (Fraxinus), all species
Beech (Fagus), American species and European species and its cultivars Birch (Betula), all species
Black locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia)
Coffee-tree (Gymnocladus dioica)
Elm (Umus), American and English species
Flowering cherry (Prunus)
Flowering crabapple (Malus)
Flowering dogwood (Comus), American or Chinese species
Hawthorn (Crataegus), any species or named cultivar
Hickory (Carya), any species
Honey locust (Gledilsia)
Hornbeam (Carpinus), all species
Horse chestnut (Aesculus), all species
Japanese maple
Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica)
Linden (Tifia), all species and cultivars
Magndia (Magnolia), all species
Maple (Acer)
Mountain ash (Sorbus), any species
Oak (Quercus), all species
Phellodendron amurense
Plane-tree (Platanus)
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
Serviceberry (Amelmichier), all species
Sorrell tree or sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)
Tulip tree (Liriodendrom Tulipfera)
Walnut (Juglaris nigra)
Yellow wood (Cladrastis lutea), six inches in diameter or more
Zelkova (Zelkova japanica)
B. 
Evergreen trees:
Arbor vitae (Thuja occidentalis)
Cedar (Cedrus), all varieties
Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
False cypress (Chamaecyparis), all species and cultivars
Firs (Abies) all species
Hemlock (Tsuga), Canadian and Carolina species and cultivars
Holly (Ilex), all species
Pines (Pinus), all species
Spruce (Picea), all species
Yew (Taxus), all species, hybrids and cultivars
C. 
Shrubs, evergreen:
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), four inches in diameter or more
Rhododendron (Rhododendron), all species, hybrids and cultivars, four inches in diameter or more.
SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATION
Any cutting or drastic pruning or elevating of a tree or Specimen free which impairs, destroys or endangers the life of such tree or specimen tree or its habit or habitat, and shall include but shall not be limited to heavy or unnecessary cutting of top branches and cutting of major lower limbs. The addition of excessive soil or mulch at the base of any tree, cutting or filling of the grade in the critical root zone and chemical damage to roots, trunk and crown are included in this definition.
TREE COMMITTEE
The committee of three persons appointed by the Board of Trustees to carry out the duties of the Tree Committee as set forth in this chapter.