[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Ogdensburg 12-15-1975 as Ch. 44, Art. III, of the 1975 Ogdensburg Municipal Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
To establish rules and regulations governing tree planting, maintenance and removal within the public right-of-way, public facilities and parks.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PARK TREES
Trees and all other woody vegetation in public parks having individual names, and all areas owned by the City, or to which the public has free access as a park.
PERSON
Any corporation, firm, partnership, association, trust, estate, one or more individuals and any unit of government or agency or subdivision thereof, except for a city agency.
STREET TREES
Trees and all other woody vegetation on land within the City right-of-way on either side of all streets, avenues, or ways within the City.
TREE COMMISSION
A seven-member volunteer board, appointed by the Mayor and City Council, in charge of the City's comprehensive tree program.
A. 
The office of the City Forester is hereby established in the Department of Parks and Recreation and is assumed by the Director of the Parks and Recreation Department as per AR.49F of the City Code.
B. 
The City Forester, in consultation with the Department of Public Works, shall have the authority to implement and enforce the provisions of this chapter.
C. 
In furtherance of the purposes of this chapter, in consultation with the City Forester in consultation with the Ogdensburg Tree Commission, shall have the authority to recommend rules and regulations regarding arboricultural specifications and standards of practice and such additional rules and regulations determined as necessary. These regulations shall govern the planting, maintenance, removal, pruning and protection of trees on public streets, parks or other city property.
A. 
It is the responsibility of the City Forester and appropriate staff to determine if trees on city right-of-way property and city-owned property are hazardous to life and property or harbor insects and disease to be removed from such property. If replacement is recommended by the City Forester, the city shall replace the tree within two years of removal.
B. 
Wherever it is necessary to remove a tree from a public right-of-way in connection with sidewalk creation or maintenance or the paving or widening of a street, the city or responsible agency or person shall replant such tree or replace it with an appropriate tree from a recommended tree list. If conditions prevent planting in the right-of-way, this requirement may be satisfied by planting on the adjoining property if the property owner agrees.
C. 
Requests from private citizens that new street trees be planted near their property shall be accommodated in accordance with planting priorities set by the City Forester in consultation with the Ogdensburg Tree Commission and the Department of Public Works.
D. 
Specifications governing tree species, size, spacing and method and location of planting shall be approved by the City Forester. Inspection of the trees by the City Forester or his/her designee shall be carried out, whenever possible, prior to planting in order to ensure tree health and quality.
E. 
Pruning of trees located within the City right-of-way shall be the responsibility of the City, overhanging the sidewalk right of way up to 10 feet in elevation, except for branches extending upward into overhead utilities which will be the responsibility of the utility company.
The following list constitutes the official recommended tree species for trees planted within the municipal boundary:
A. 
Small trees (less than 30 feet) - best suited for location with overhead utilities.
List adapted from Urban Horticulture Institute, Cornell University.
Amelanchier spp. (A. arborea, A. canadensis, A. laevis, and A. x grandiflora)
Serviceberry Species and Hybrids, Tree Forms
Carpinus caroliniana
Ironwood, Musclewood, or American Hornbeam
Cercis canadensis
Eastern Redbud
Cornus mas
Corneliancherry Dogwood
Cotinus obovatus
American Smoketree
Crataegus phaenopyrum
Washington Hawthorn
Crataegus punctata var. inermis 'Ohio Pioneer'
Ohio Pioneer Dotted Hawthorn
Crataegus viridis 'Winter King'
Winter King Hawthorn
Koelreuteria paniculata
Goldenraintree
Liquidambar stryaciflua 'Clydesform'
Emerald Sentinel® Sweetgum
Malus spp.
Flowering Crabapple
Maple (all varieties)
Parrotia persica
Persian Parrotia
Prunus 'Accolade' (P. sargentii x P. subhirtella)
Accolade Flowering Cherry
Prunus 'Snow Goose'
Snow Goose Cherry
Prunus virginiana 'Canada Red Select'
Canada Red Chokecherry
Pyrus betulaefolia 'Southworth' and P. calleryana x P. betulaefolia 'Edgedell' DancerTM
Ornamental Birchleaf Pear and EdgewoodTM Callery Pear
Pyrus calleryana 'Jaczam', 'Jilzam', 'Valzam', and 'Cleprizam'
JackTM, JillTM, Valiant®, and Cleveland Pride® Callery Pears
Pyrus fauriei 'Westwood'
Korean SunTM Pear
Pyrus ussuriensis 'Mountain Frost' and 'MorDak
'Mountain Frost' and Prairie GemTM Ussurian Pears
Robinia pseudoacacia 'Globe' (or 'Inermis') and 'Bessoniana'
Globe and Bessoniana Black Locust
Sorbus intermedia
Swedish Mountainash
Sorbus x hybrida and Sorbus x thuringiaca (these hybids of S. aria x S. aucuparia are virtually the same plant and therefore readily confused in the trade)
Oak-Leaf Mountainash
Syringa reticulata
Japanese Tree Lilac
Tilia cordata 'Halka'
Summer Sprite® Littleaf Linden
Viburnum sieboldii
Siebold Viburnum
Zelkova serrata 'Schmidtlow'
Wireless® Japanese Zelkova
B. 
Medium to large trees (greater than 30 feet) - not suitable for planting zones with overhead utilities.
List adapted from Urban Horticulture Institute, Cornell University
Aesculus x carnea (A. hippocastanum x A. pavia)
Red Horsechesnut
Alnus glutinosa
European Alder or Black Alder
Betula nigra 'Cully' and 'BNMTF'
Heritage® and Dura-HeatTM River Birch
Betula populifolia 'Whitespire Sr.' (cultivar formerly listed as Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Asian White Birch)
Whitespire Sr. Gray Birch
Carpinus betulus
European Hornbeam
Catalpa speciosa
Northern Catalpa
Celtis laevigata
Sugar Hackberry, Southern or Mississippi Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis
Common Hackberry
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Katsura Tree
Cladrastis kentukea
Yellowwood
Corylus colurna
Turkish Filbert
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo, sometimes called Maidenhair Tree
Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis
Thornless Common Honeylocust
Gymnocladus dioicus
Kentucky Coffeetree
Liquidambar stryraciflua
American Sweetgum
Liriodendron tulipifera
Tuliptree or Tulip Poplar
Maclura pomifera var. inermis (male)
Osage Orange
Maple (all varities)
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Dawn Redwood
Nyssa sylvatica
Black Tupelo, also known as Sour Gum or Black Gum
Ostrya virginiana
American Hophornbeam (also known as Ironwood, but should not be confused with Carpinus caroliniana, which is more commonly called Ironwood)
Phellodendron amurense
Amur Corktree
Platanus x aceriflolia
London Planetree
Prunus sargentii
Sargent Cherry
Pyrus calleryana
Callery Pear
Quercus acutissima
Sawtooth Oak
Quercus bicolor
Swamp White Oak
Quercus coccinea
Scarlet Oak
Quercus imbricaria
Shingle Oak
Quercus macrocarpa
Bur Oak or Mossycup Oak
Quercus muehlenbergii
Chinkapin Oak, sometimes called Yellow Chestnut Oak
Quercus palustris
Pin Oak
Quercus phellos
Willow Oak
Quercus robur
English Oak
Quercus rubra
Northern Red Oak
Quercus shumardii
Shumard Oak
Robinia pseudoacacia
Black Locust
Sorbus alnifolia
Korean Mountainash
Styphnolobium japonicum (Sophora japonica)
Japanese Pagodatree or Scholar-tree
Taxodium distichum
Common Baldcypress
Tilia americana
Basswood
Tilia cordata
Littleleaf Linden
Tilia x euchlora (T. cordata x T. dasystyla)
Crimean Linden
Tilia tomentosa
Silver Linden
Ulmus americana
American Elm Cultivars
Ulmus x species
Elm Hybrids
Ulmus parvifolia
Chinese Elm or Lacebark Elm
Zelkova serrata
Japanese Zelkova
C. 
For additional information on recommended tree species refer to the City's Tree Inventory and Management Plan.
No species other than those included on this list shall be planted as street trees without written authorization of the City Forester in consultation with the Ogdensburg Tree Commission.
A. 
It shall be the duty of City Staff to ensure that trees on right-of-way property are pruned in a manner that will not obstruct free passage of pedestrians on sidewalks. When trees are interfering with utility wires, it is the obligation of the appropriate utility company to correct the situation.
This chapter shall not govern any emergency activity immediately necessary to protect life, safety or property or to maintain access to any property. Any such activity shall incorporate reasonable efforts to protect trees and shrubs on city property from unnecessary damage.