The Mayor shall annually appoint a chairperson of the Board
during the Village organizational meeting each April. The Board will
keep written minutes of their meetings and publish the minutes on
the Village website. All regularly scheduled meetings to be attended
by the majority of the members shall be included in the Village's
website calendar and shall be open to any public attendance. Members
of the Board shall disclose to the Board of Trustees any personal
financial interest in any project considered by the Board. A majority
of the members shall be a quorum for the transaction of business.
It shall be unlawful as a normal practice for any person, firm,
or Village department to top any tree on public and park properties. "Topping"
is defined as the severe cutting back of limbs to stubs larger than
three inches in diameter within the tree's crown to such a degree
so as to remove the normal canopy and disfigure the tree. Trees severely
damaged by storms or other causes or certain trees under utility wires
or other obstructions where different pruning practices are impractical
may be exempted from this chapter at the determination of the Village
Park and Tree Board.
Every owner of any tree or shrub on private property overhanging
any street, sidewalk or right-of-way within the Village shall prune
the branches so that such branches shall not obstruct the light from
any street lamp, overhang the sidewalk to obstruct use of the full
sidewalk or obstruct the view of any street intersection. In addition,
property owners are also responsible for pruning branches on their
own trees or shrubs as well as those in the public right-of-way abutting
their property so that there shall be a clear space of eight feet
above the surface of the street or sidewalk. Said owners shall remove
all dead, diseased or dangerous trees, or broken or decayed limbs
which constitute a danger to the safety of the public. The Village
shall have the right to prune any tree or shrub on private property
when it interferes with the proper spread of light along the street
from a streetlight or interferes with visibility of any traffic control
device or sign. The Village shall have the authority to prune such
trees and shrubs and charge the cost of this work on the owner's property
tax notice.
The Village shall have the right to cause the removal of any
dead or diseased trees on private property within the Village when
such trees constitute a hazard to life and property or harbor insects
or disease which constitute a potential threat to other trees within
the Village. The Village will notify, in writing, the owners of such
trees and request permission to enter the property in order to inspect
the trees. In the event any tree is diseased, removal shall be done
by owners at their own expense within 60 days after the date of service
of notice and inspection of any tree. In the event of failure of owners
to comply with such provisions within that time period, the Village
shall have the authority to remove such trees and charge the cost
of removal on the owner's property tax notice.
It shall be unlawful for any person to prevent, delay or interfere
with the Village Park and Tree Board, or any of its agents, while
engaging in and about the planting, cultivating, mulching, pruning,
spraying, or removing of any plantings, shrubs or trees on public
property, as authorized in this chapter.
It shall be unlawful for any person or firm to engage in the
business or occupation of removing trees within the Village without
first applying for and procuring a license. The license fee shall
be paid in advance; provided, however, that no license shall be required
of any public service company or Village employee doing such work
in the pursuit of their public service endeavors. Before any license
shall be issued, each applicant shall first file evidence of possession
of liability insurance in the minimum amounts of $50,000 for bodily
injury and $100,000 property damage, indemnifying the Village or any
person injured or damaged resulting from the pursuit of such endeavors
as herein described.
The Village Board shall have the right to review the conduct,
acts and decisions of the Village Park and Tree Board. Any person
may appeal from any ruling or order of the Village Park and Tree Board
to the Village Board, which has the authority to hear the matter and
make final decisions.
Any person, firm or corporation who or which shall violate any
of the provisions of this chapter or any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto shall, upon conviction thereof, be subjected to a fine of
not more than $250 and/or imprisonment for 15 days. Each day during
or on which a violation of this chapter shall occur shall be deemed
to be a separate and distinct offense.