[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough
of Neptune City during codification; see Ch. 1, General Provisions,
Art. II. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The first members of the Board shall be appointed within 90
days after the effective date of this chapter, and their terms of
office shall commence on January 1 next succeeding such appointment.
The Shade Tree Advisory Board shall organize within 60 days
after the appointment of its total membership for the remainder of
the then calendar year, and thereafter annually by the election of
one of its members as Chairman and the appointment of a Secretary,
who need not be a member. The members of the Board and the Secretary
shall serve without compensation.
Any vacancy occurring by reason of death, resignation or removal
of any member of the Board shall be filled for the unexpired term
by the Mayor of the Borough of Neptune City.
The scope and responsibilities of the Shade Tree Advisory Board
shall be as follows:
A.
To prepare programs and plans for consideration by the governing
body with respect to the purchase, planting, care, rearing, trimming,
preserving and control of the shade and ornamental trees of the borough.
B.
To meet with the governing body upon its request for discussion of
programs and recommendations.
C.
To consult regularly with the governing body concerning the shade
tree program of the borough.
D.
To encourage arboriculture.
The Borough Council shall have the power to:
A.
Regulate and control the use of the grounds surrounding the shade
and ornamental trees and shrubbery on public land, so far as may be
necessary for their proper growth, care and protection.
B.
Move or require the removal of any tree or part thereof dangerous
to public safety.
C.
Administer treatment to or remove any tree situate upon private property
which is believed to harbor a disease or insects readily communicable
to neighboring healthy trees in the care of the municipality, and
enter upon private property for that purpose, with the consent of
the owner thereof, provided that the suspected condition is first
confirmed by a certificate of the Department of Agriculture.
A.
The initial costs of all trees planted by the borough, the cost of
planting the same, the cost of the post and boxes or guards used for
the protection of the trees and the cost of the removal of any tree
or part thereof dangerous to public safety shall, if so determined
by the borough governing body, be a charge upon the real estate in
front of which such tree or trees shall be planted or removed as an
improvement thereof. No charge shall be made against the property
or the owner thereof where a planting to replace a tree or trees previously
planted by the borough is done, or where a planting is made in connection
with a commemorative ceremony instigated by the borough, or where
a planting is made in connection with any educational demonstration.
B.
Any cost assessed as provided in this section shall be paid by the
owner to the Borough Clerk. Upon failure of the owner to make payment
to the Borough Clerk, said Borough Clerk shall certify the cost to
the Tax Collector, and the cost assessed shall thereupon become a
lien upon said real estate and shall be included in the next tax bill
rendered to the owner or owners thereof and shall be collected in
the same manner as other taxes against that property.
The Borough Council shall annually appropriate such sum as it
may deem necessary for the purchase of trees and shrubbery, for the
purchase of necessary equipment and materials and for the cost of
services of the promotion of the work of the Shade Tree Advisory Board.
A member of the Borough Council shall be charged with the duty
of overseeing the program of work undertaken by the Borough Council
pursuant to this chapter. Said member shall make monthly reports to
the borough governing body on the work undertaken pursuant to the
program provided for herein.
Nothing contained in this chapter shall be held to take away
or diminish any of the powers or authority of the Mayor and Council
over the trees or shrubbery in the Borough of Neptune City within
its jurisdiction, or to give any other commission or board any power
or authority with respect to such trees or shrubbery.
