[Ord. #460; 1972 Code § 83.1]
It is the stated policy of the Borough, and of its Governing Body, that existing natural features in the Borough, including streams, ponds, trees and the natural configuration of the ground, shall be retained wherever possible.
[Ord. #460; 1972 Code § 83-2]
Unless specifically exempted herein, a property owner desiring to change any such natural feature, which shall include removal of soil from the premises, shall indicate the same by way of an application supported by appropriate engineering documentation, which application shall recite the reasons for the proposed changes.
[Ord. #460; 1972 Code § 83-3]
If the aforesaid application shall be in connection with proposed construction, it may be submitted as a portion of the application for a building permit. In all other cases, the application shall be submitted to the Planning Board.
[Ord. #460; 1972 Code § 83-4]
In all cases involving the removal of trees having a trunk circumference in excess of 9 1/2 inches, measured two feet above the ground, the application shall be referred to the Shade Tree Commission, which shall render a written report within 30 days after the referral.
[Ord. #460; 1972 Code § 83-5]
Permits for removal of trees shall be granted as a matter of course in areas to be occupied by buildings, driveways or recreation areas, and within a distance of 15 feet around the perimeter of such structures. Permits for tree removal shall otherwise be granted if the presence of such trees causes actual or potential hardship or endangers persons or property or substantially interferes with a permitted use of property, or if the proposed removal of trees is to be performed in a selective manner consistent with the public interest, such as thinning a heavily wooded area.
[New]
Except as provided in Section 17-1.4, upon a determination by the Planning Board that the proposed changes will not be detrimental to the health, safety or welfare of the Borough or its inhabitants, the application for change to the natural features shall be approved.
[Ord. #460; 1972 Code § 83-6]
No building permit shall be issued until a written plan of any change in natural features has been approved.
[Ord. #460; 1982 Code § 83-7]
No material, machinery or temporary soil deposits shall be placed within six feet of any existing tree trunk or stem. Where regrading shall have been approved, such approval may be conditioned upon the welling of existing trees.
[Ord. #460; 1972 Code § 83-8]
The provisions of this section shall not apply to a homeowner who wishes to remove trees from the lot upon which he actually resides, provided always that this exemption shall not apply to the removal or cutting of trees upon any public right-of-way.
[Ord. #460; 1972 Code § 83-9]
This section shall be enforced by the Mayor or Code Enforcement Officer.
[Ord. #460; 1972 Code § 83-10]
Violations of this section shall constitute disorderly persons offenses, and shall be punishable in accordance with the Statutes of New Jersey. In addition, the Borough shall have the right to seek injunctive relief in the event of any threatened violation.
[Ord. #460; 1972 Code § 83-11]
Any applicant aggrieved by the provisions of this section, or by the decision of any officer or body pursuant hereto, shall have the right to appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
[Ord. #511; 1972 Code § 33-6]
As used in this section:
PERSON
Shall mean every person, firm, association, partnership and corporation.
PLANT CONSTRUCTION
As applied to public utility companies shall mean poles, wires, cables, subsurface conduits, pipes, manholes and appurtenant facilities of such companies installed in a street.
PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY
Shall mean a public utility as defined in the Revised Statutes of the State of New Jersey (N.J.R.S. 48:2-13).
SHADE TREE
Shall mean shade and ornamental trees and shrubbery situate or which may hereafter be situate in any public highway, park or parkway.
SHADE TREE COMMISSION
Shall mean the Shade Tree Commission of the Borough of Brielle.
STREET
Shall mean:
a. 
Any public street designated by the Governing Body to be within the jurisdiction of the Shade Tree Commission, and paragraphs b, c, and d of this definition, if applicable.
b. 
Municipal parks and parkways.
c. 
County roads.
d. 
State highways.
[Ord. #511; 1972 Code § 33-7]
a. 
It shall be unlawful and a violation of the provisions of this section for any person or persons to prune or cut a shade tree without the consent of the Shade Tree Commission.
b. 
It shall be unlawful and a violation of the provisions of this section for any person or persons to injure, tamper, willfully break, destroy or remove any highway shade tree.
[Ord. #511; 1972 Code § 33-8]
No person shall do any of the following acts to any tree on a street without the prior permit of the Shade Tree Commission:
a. 
Cut, prune, climb with spikes, break, damage or remove or kill.
b. 
Cut, disturb or interfere in any way with any root.
c. 
Spray with any chemical.
d. 
Fasten any rope, wire, sign or other device. (Nothing herein shall prevent any governmental agency from affixing, in a manner approved by the Shade Tree Commission, a public notice upon a tree in connection with administering governmental affairs.)
e. 
Remove or damage any guard or device placed to protect any tree or shrub.
f. 
Conduct razing, removal or renovation of any structure if deemed by the Commission to be damaging to neighboring street trees.
g. 
Place or distribute chemicals, including but not limited to salt, deleterious to tree health.
h. 
Maintain a stationary fire or device which vaporizes noxious fumes deleterious to tree health.
i. 
Disturb soil in any manner that will disturb a root system.
j. 
Construct new sidewalks and/or driveways with any material whatsoever within five feet of a tree.
k. 
Plant a tree or shrub.
l. 
Plant and/or maintain any tree(s) or shrubbery extending over any portion of a sidewalk and/or right-of-way unless such tree(s) or shrubbery extending over vehicular roadways has a minimum clearance of 13 1/2 feet and such tree(s) or shrubbery extending over pedestrian roadways has a minimum clearance of eight feet.
[Ord. #511; 1972 Code § 33-9]
a. 
The Shade Tree Commission may grant to public utility companies a blanket permit for tree pruning for line clearance and for the installation and maintenance of subsurface and aboveground plant construction if there is interference with or endangerment to street trees.
b. 
Public utility companies may, during periods of emergency, without specific prior permit, install temporary attachments to trees and make emergency subsurface repairs.
c. 
Each public utility company shall exercise reasonable diligence in the maintenance of its plant construction so as to avoid damage to trees under the jurisdiction of the Brielle Borough Shade Trade Commission.
[Ord. #511; 1972 Code § 33-10]
a. 
Application for a permit for removal or destruction, as defined in this section, shall be made directly to the Shade Tree Commission and shall contain the name of the applicant, the location of the property, a plot plan where a building(s) is to be erected and, in addition thereto, the purposes for which the application is being made. The following shall be considered to be a legitimate purpose for the removal of a tree:
1. 
Fire prevention.
2. 
Industrial use.
3. 
Private parks.
4. 
Scenic improvement.
5. 
Hardship or danger to adjacent property.
6. 
Removal of diseased or damaged trees.
7. 
Transplanting or removal in a growing condition to other locations.
8. 
Installation of utilities or drainage of surface water.
b. 
Prior to the issuance of a permit, the lands covered by each application shall be viewed by a member of the Shade Tree Commission who shall inspect the same as to the trees which are the subject of the application, as well as other physical conditions existing on the property. The Shade Tree Commission shall then issue a permit upon finding that the destruction and/or removal to be permitted would not impair the growth and development of the remaining trees on the property of the applicant or the adjacent properties, would not cause soil erosion, would not impair the existing drainage patterns, would not lessen property values in the neighborhood and would not substantially impair the aesthetic values of the area.
[Ord. #511; 1972 Code § 33-11]
Requests for permits required by the provisions of this section for the performance of work should be directed to the Shade Tree Commission, Borough of Brielle, Monmouth County, New Jersey.
[Ord. #511; 1972 Code § 33-12]
Any person, association, group or others found guilty of violating any of the provisions of these regulations shall, upon conviction be liable to the penalty stated in Chapter 1, Section 1-5. Each day any violation of this section shall continue shall constitute a separate offense.
[Ord. #511; 1972 Code § 33-13]
This section shall not be deemed to be a repeal of any existing ordinances or parts of ordinances other than those expressly repealed hereby, and shall be deemed to be in addition and supplemental to, and not in conflict with, prior or existing ordinances of this Borough, and shall be additional provision for the regulation and control of highway shade trees.