To establish rules and regulations governing tree planting, maintenance and removal within the public right-of-way, public facilities and parks.
[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.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
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.
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.
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.
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.