[HISTORY: Adopted by the Shade Tree Commission of the Township of Wyckoff 4-27-1955 by Ord. No. 1. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Land use procedures — See Ch. 46.
Shade Tree Commission — See Ch. 66.
Trees and landscaping plans — See Ch. 223.
No person, firm or corporation shall do or cause to be done any of the following acts upon any of the public highways and parks within the Township of Wyckoff without the written permit of the Shade Tree Commission:
A. 
Cut, trim, break, climb with spikes, unduly disturb the roots of, cause injury by fire or heat or otherwise injure, or spray with any harmful chemical or remove any living tree or shrub, or injure, misuse or remove any structure or device placed to support or protect such trees or shrubs.
B. 
Plant any tree or shrub.
C. 
Fasten any rope, wire, electric attachment, sign or other device to a tree or shrub or to any guard about such tree or shrub.
D. 
Close or obstruct any open space provided about the base of a tree or shrub to permit the access of air, water and fertilizer to the roots of such tree or shrub.
E. 
Pile any building material or make cement or mortar within six feet of a tree or shrub.
A. 
It shall be lawful for the Shade Tree Commission of the Township of Wyckoff to cause or order any trees to be removed or pruned from the highways of the Township of Wyckoff which have become dangerous to the public safety, and the cost of removal or pruning of said tree or trees shall be a charge upon the real property in front of which such tree or trees shall be removed or pruned. Cost shall be certified by the Shade Tree Commission to the Tax Collector of the Township of Wyckoff and shall thereupon become and be a lien upon said property and shall be included in the next tax bill rendered to the owner or owners thereof and shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes are collected against said property.
B. 
Notice under this section shall be served personally at least 10 days before such removal or pruning upon the abutting property owner or by publication unless in the opinion of the Shade Tree Commission immediate removal shall be necessary for public safety.
C. 
The provisions of this section shall not apply to a planting to replace a tree or trees theretofore planted by the Commission or a planting in connection with Arbor Day exercises or other educational demonstration.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to cause, authorize or procure any brine water, oil, liquid dye, gas or other substance deleterious to tree life to lie, leak, pour, flow or drift on or into the soil about the base of a tree or shrub upon any public highway in the Township of Wyckoff or on the sidewalks, road or pavement therein, at a point whence such substance may be lying on or flowing, dripping or seeping into such soil or in any other manner whatsoever.
A. 
Every person, firm or corporation having control over any wire for the transmission of electric current along a public highway shall at all times guard all trees through which or near which such wire passes against any injury.
B. 
Every person, firm or corporation having control over any wire or wires for the transmission of an electric current along 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 trees growing in a public highway within 48 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 electricity therefrom, signed by two members of the Shade Tree Commission or its Secretary upon the order of such Commission.
[Amended 4-3-2012 by Ord. No. 1682]
The Shade Tree Commission shall have the authority and responsibility to plant shade trees within the street right-of-way as the Commission deems necessary and appropriate, with or without the consent of the abutting property owner. All trees planted in the street right-of-way must be placed a minimum of 8 1/2 feet from the curbline and 20 feet from intercepting curbs at street corners. Trees must be planted approximately 50 feet apart.
A. 
It shall be the duty of the Shade Tree Commission, from time to time, to plant trees upon public highways in the Township of Wyckoff, and the cost of said trees and the planting of same shall be charged upon the real estate in front of which such trees shall be planted. Such cost shall be certified by the Shade Tree Commission to the Tax Collector of the Township of Wyckoff and shall thereupon become and be a lien upon said real estate and shall be included in the next tax bill rendered to the owner or owners thereof and shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes against that property.
B. 
The provisions of this section shall not apply to the planting to replace a tree or trees theretofore planted by the Commission or a planting in connection with Arbor Day exercises or other educational demonstration.
C. 
In every case where the property of an abutting owner will be chargeable with the cost of planting shade trees under the provisions of this section, then the Shade Tree Commission shall give notice of the meeting at which it is proposed to consider said planting by publishing the notice at least once not less than 20 days before the meeting in a newspaper circulating in the Township of Wyckoff and by personal service of a copy of the notice upon the abutting owner at least 10 days before the meeting.
Any person, firm or corporation convicted of violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $100 for each violation.