[CC 1970 §20-108; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-108, 7-10-2007]
A. 
The Department of Public Works, Forestry Division shall write and implement an annual community forestry work plan. This plan shall be in accordance with Section 515.020 through Section 515.110 and shall be part of a five (5) year tree care program.
B. 
The following list constitutes the official tree species for the City of Clayton. No species other than those included may be planted as street trees without written permission of the Director of Public Works.
Small trees
(Less than 25')
Medium trees
(25'--50')
Large trees
(Greater than 50')
Purple Plum*
Ash*
(Green or White)
Sugar Maple*
Yoshino Cherry
Honey Locust*
(Thornless)
Norway Maple
Kwansan Cherry
Linden*
Northern Red Oak*
Red Bud*
(Single stem)
Golden Rain Tree
London Plane
Dogwood*
Red Maple*
American Elm*
Crabapple* (All)
Bald Cypress*
Tulip Poplar*
Hawthorne*
Hackberry*
Shumard Oak*
Amur Maple
Zelkova
Willow Oak*
Serviceberry
Ginkgo
(Male only)
Japanese Lilac
River Birch*
(Single Stem)
Evergreens
(Use only on parkways or other landscaped right-of-way)
Hersey Upright Juniper
Japanese Pine
Norway Spruce
Eastern White Pine
Blue Spruce
American Holly*
Foster Holly
Sky Rocket Upright Juniper
* Missouri native
[CC 1970 §20-109; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-109, 7-10-2007]
Street trees shall not be planted more closely than the minimum spacing specified in this Section, based on the classification of the tree being planted as small, medium or large listed in Section 515.010 above: small trees, thirty (30) feet; medium trees and large trees, forty (40) feet; except in special plantings designed or approved by the forestry division.
[CC 1970 §20-110; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-110, 7-10-2007]
The distance trees may be planted from curbs or curb lines and sidewalks shall in no case be closer than two (2) feet. Typically trees shall be planted in the middle of the tree lawn area. In the case of tree lawns less than four (4) feet in width, no street trees shall be planted, except in designs approved by the forestry division.
[CC 1970 §20-111; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-111, 7-10-2007]
No street tree shall be planted within thirty-five (35) feet of any street corner, measured from the point of nearest intersecting curbs or curb lines. No street tree shall be planted within ten (10) feet of any fireplug.
[CC 1970 §20-112; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-112, 7-10-2007]
A. 
No street trees or trees on City owned property other than those species listed as small trees may be planted under or within ten (10) lateral feet of any overhead utility wire, or over or within five (5) lateral feet of any underground water line, sewer line, transmission line or other utility.
B. 
Utility planting guidelines adopted under this Chapter will be coordinated with best management practices prepared and updated by public utility companies in the City of Clayton and approved by the International Society of Arbor Culture (ISA) and or Missouri Department of Conservation.
[CC 1970 §20-113; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-113, 7-10-2007]
A. 
The City shall have the right to plant, prune, maintain and remove trees, plants and shrubs within the lines of all streets, alleys, avenues, lanes, squares and public grounds, as may be necessary to insure public safety or to preserve or enhance the symmetry and beauty of such public grounds.
B. 
The Public Works Department may remove or cause or order to be removed, any tree or part thereof which is in an unsafe condition or which by reason of its nature is injurious to sewers, electric power lines, gas lines, water lines or other public improvements, or is affected with any injurious fungus, insect or other pest. This Section does not prohibit the planting of street trees by adjacent property owners providing that the selection and location of said trees is in accordance with Section 515.010 through Section 515.110 of this Chapter, however, any street tree or other vegetation planted by private parties shall be property of the City and be subject to pruning, trimming and removal by the City in the sole discretion of the Director of Public Works without any compensation to the party planting and/or adjoining property owner.
[CC 1970 §20-114; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-114, 7-10-2007]
It shall be unlawful as a normal practice for any person, firm, or City department to top any street tree, park tree, or other tree on public property. Topping is defined as the severe cutting back of limbs to stubs larger than three (3) inches in diameter within the tree's crown to such a degree so as to remove the normal canopy and disfigure the tree. Trees severely damaged by storms or other causes, or certain trees under utility wires or other obstructions where other pruning practices are impractical may be exempted from this Chapter at the determination of the Department of Public Works.
[CC 1970 §20-115; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-115, 7-10-2007]
Every owner of any tree overhanging any street or right-of-way within the City shall prune the branches so that such branches shall not obstruct the light from any street lamp or obstruct the view of any street intersection and so that there shall be a clear space of eight (8) feet above the surface of the street or sidewalk. Said owners shall remove all dead, diseased or dangerous or broken or decayed limbs which constitutes a menace to the safety of the public. The City shall have the right to prune any tree or shrub on private property when it interferes with the proper spread of light along the street from a street light or interferes with visibility of any traffic control device or sign.
[CC 1970 §20-116; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-116, 7-10-2007]
The City shall have the right to cause the removal of any dead or diseased trees on private property within the City, when such trees constitute a hazard to life and property, or harbor insects or disease which constitutes a potential threat to other trees within the City. The Public Works Department will notify in writing the owners of such trees. Removal shall be done by said owners at their own expense within sixty (60) days after the date of service of notice. In the event of failure of owners to comply with such provisions, the City shall have the authority to remove such trees and charge the cost of removal to the property owner.
[CC 1970 §20-117; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-117, 7-10-2007]
All stumps of street and park trees shall be removed below the surface of the ground so that the top of the stump shall not project above the surface of the ground.
[CC 1970 §20-118; CC 1947 §7-74; Ord. No. 4923 §1, 9-22-1992; Ord. No. 5978 §20-118, 7-10-2007]
It shall be unlawful for any person to destroy, remove, injure, burn or cut down any tree, shrub, vine or flower planted or standing in any public street, public park, alley, parkway, tree lawn or public place in the City, or to pick any flowers or branches therefrom, or to place about any such tree or other plant any stone, cement or substance which might impede the free entrance of water and air to the roots thereof, without leaving an open space about the trunk of not less than four (4) square feet. It shall be unlawful to attach in any manner any telephone, telegraph, electric or other wire to any such tree or to string any wires so that they come in contact with any branch or part thereof.