[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of Trustees of the
Village of Slinger as Ch. 17 of the former Municipal Code. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
It is the policy of the Village of Slinger to regulate and control
the planting, pruning, removal, maintenance and protection of trees
and shrubs in or upon all public and terrace areas of the Village
of Slinger; to eliminate and guard against dangerous conditions which
may result in injury to persons using the streets, sidewalks or other
public areas; to promote and enhance the beauty and general welfare
of the Village; to prohibit the undesirable and unsafe planting, removal,
treatment and maintenance of trees and shrubs located in public areas;
and to guard all trees and shrubs, both public and private, within
the Village against the spread of disease, insects and pests.
A.
Control over public property.
(1)
The Parks, Public Works and Forestry Superintendent, under the control
of the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Board, shall direct the purchase,
planting, maintenance, trimming, pruning and removal of all trees
and shrubs in any public area of the Village of Slinger. No person
shall plant, maintain, prune or remove any tree or shrub on or from
any public land without permission from the Village.
(2)
The terms "public property," "public area" and "public land" shall
include all land within the Village of Slinger and not privately owned
or not controlled by any other political subdivision.
(3)
The Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department shall utilize various
species of trees and shrubs, with consideration given to length of
life, beauty, freedom from disease, care requirements, growth habits
and future effect of roots on adjacent sidewalks and structures, cleanliness
and other pertinent characteristics. Only such species as are approved
by the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department shall be planted
on public lands.[1]
B.
Control over private property.[2]
(1)
Any tree or shrub which overhangs any public land of the Village,
and which, in the opinion of the Village Parks, Public Works and Forestry
Superintendent and the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department,
endangers the life, health, safety or property of the public, may
be declared a public nuisance. The owner shall be notified in writing
of the existence of the nuisance and given a reasonable time for its
correction or removal. If not corrected, action may be taken by the
Village to abate the nuisance, and the cost assessed to the owner.
(2)
The owner of property abutting upon any street or sidewalk shall
trim branches of all trees standing along such street or sidewalk
so that the branches shall not obstruct the passage of light from
any streetlight to the adjacent street or sidewalk, and shall also
trim all branches which overhang any street, alley or sidewalk so
that there shall be a clear height of 15 feet above the street and
sidewalk. The owner shall remove all dead, decayed or broken trees,
limbs or branches which overhang any street or sidewalk.
A.
Purpose. The planting, care and protection of the trees within the
Village of Slinger is desirable for the purposes of beauty, shade,
comfort, noise abatement and economic betterment.
B.
Tree planting program. The Village Parks, Public Works and Forestry
Superintendent shall recommend to the Board a program for tree planting,
care and protection of trees and shrubs on public areas within the
Village.
C.
Planting.
(1)
Any person proposing to plant trees or shrubs in public areas shall
first have the size, species and variety of trees and shrubs, and
the manner of planting submitted to the Village for approval before
beginning such work.
(2)
There shall be a recommended distance of 30 feet to 50 feet between
terrace area trees depending upon the size of the tree and other factors,
as determined by the Village Parks, Public Works and Forestry Superintendent.
Parkway trees shall be planted equal distance between the sidewalk
and back of the curb or proposed back of curb. In terrace areas less
than three feet wide, planting will not be permitted. Terrace area
trees shall be a minimum of 35 feet from an intersection.
(3)
Evergreen trees shall not be planted in a terrace area.
D.
Unlawfully planted trees.
(1)
No trees, plants or shrubs shall be planted within any terrace or
public area without the authorization and approval of the Village
Parks, Public Works and Forestry Superintendent and Village Board.
(2)
The Parks, Public Works and Forestry Superintendent shall notify
the abutting owner, in writing, listing the unlawfully planted trees,
plants or shrubs, ordering their removal, and establishing a reasonable
time within which such removal shall be accomplished. In the event
that removal is not accomplished within the time specified, the Village
may remove such trees, plants or shrubs and assess the costs thereof
to the owner.
A.
Trees and shrubs standing in or upon any terrace, public area or
upon any private premises adjacent to any public right-of-way or public
areas shall be kept pruned so that the lowest branches projecting
over the public street provide a clearance of not less than 15 feet.
The Village Parks, Public Works and Forestry Superintendent may waive
the provision of this section for newly planted trees if determined
that they do not interfere with public travel, obstruct the light
of any streetlight or endanger public safety.
B.
The necessity of the pruning may be determined by the Village Parks,
Public Works and Forestry Superintendent.
C.
Clearance from sidewalk to lower branches of any tree shall not be
less than 15 feet. No tree shall be permitted to grow in such a manner
as to obstruct the proper diffusion of light from any public lamp.
All trees and shrubs shall be pruned to prevent their branches from
encroaching on any public sidewalk.[1]
B.
Hazardous, obstructive and infected trees. Any tree or part thereof,
whether alive or dead, which the Village Parks, Public Works and Forestry
Superintendent shall find to be infected with Dutch elm disease, emerald
ash borer or found to be hazardous so as to endanger the public or
other trees growing within the Village of Slinger, or to be injurious
to sidewalks or other public improvements, shall be removed.
C.
Public utilities, under the supervision and direction of the Village
Parks, Public Works and Forestry Superintendent, are authorized to
prune trees upon and overhanging the streets, avenues, highways, sidewalks
and other public lands in the Village of Slinger, to prevent the branches
of such trees from coming in contact with wires and cables. Such utilities
are authorized to cut roots of trees and shrubs under the streets,
avenues, highways, sidewalks and other public lands in the Village
of Slinger in order to construct, maintain and operate their facilities
in and about the Village.[2]
