[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Yeadon as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 266.
Zoning — See Ch. 300.
[Adopted 12-7-1995 by Ord. No. 1245 as Ch. 1028 of the 1995 Code]
Council hereby elects not to create a Shade Tree Commission, but shall, rather, assume and exercise all of the powers, functions and duties relative to shade trees in the Borough that would otherwise be performed by a Shade Tree Commission under the Borough Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.
Council shall have exclusive custody and control over the shade trees in the Borough and is hereby authorized to plant, remove, maintain and protect the same on the public streets of the Borough.
The following regulations shall apply to those shade trees in the Borough that are under the jurisdiction and control of Council, as provided in § 280-2:
A. 
No person shall mutilate or injure any tree.
B. 
No person shall plant, remove, cut or trim any tree on any street in the Borough without first obtaining a permit therefor from the Borough Secretary.
C. 
No person shall climb any tree, using sharp implements or climbers.
D. 
No person shall attach to any tree any wire or rope for the support of poles or radio aerials or for any other purpose.
E. 
No person shall open or dig into any street or sidewalk in such a manner as to injure or destroy any tree.
F. 
Gas mains and pipes laid in the streets or sidewalks of the Borough shall be protected in such a manner that no gas is emitted or escapes therefrom to injure or destroy any tree.
Council shall make rules and regulations or change or amend existing rules and regulations, provided that such new or amended rules and regulations receive the approval of a majority of the members of Council.
In the event that the roots, branches, leaves or any other part of a tree on private property interferes with utility wires, poles or other facilities, sewerage or drainage, or extends over or into the public right-of-way in such manner as to constitute a hazard to pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or otherwise to constitute a nuisance, or over or into the property of another without his or her consent, Council shall notify the owner of the premises upon which the tree is located to cut, trim and/or remove the offending roots, branches, leaves or other parts of the tree, to the satisfaction of Council, within five days of the receipt of such notice. If such owner fails to comply with such notice within the stipulated period, Council shall cut, trim or remove such tree or any part thereof or cause the same to be done in such manner as to effectively abate the hazard and/or nuisance. In such case, the owner of the premises in question shall be liable to the Borough for the cost of such cutting, trimming or removal and any and all other expenses incidental thereto and shall pay the same upon due demand being made upon him or her. In the event that such owner fails to pay such costs within 30 days from the date due demand was made upon him or her therefor, such costs shall be collected as are other municipal claims under commonwealth law.
The Borough has established a surcharge on its refuse fee of $5 per year to provide funds for the care and maintenance of its shade trees. Funds collected from the refuse fee surcharge shall be deposited into a separate fund to be called the "Shade Tree Trust Fund" to ensure it has the financial resources to fulfill its responsibilities and powers for the care and maintenance of shade trees throughout the Borough. Funds deposited into the Shade Tree Trust Fund may be used only for the work authorized by Borough Council to maintain, remove and replace the Borough's shade trees.
Whoever violates any of the provisions of this article shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than 10 days in the Borough lockup or not more than 30 days in the county jail or workhouse, or both such fine and imprisonment. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation or noncompliance occurs or continues and for each and every tree destroyed, injured, molested or in any way affected.