[Adopted by Ord. No. 96-0-25 (Sec. 10-6 of the Revised General Ordinances)]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PERSON
Every person, firm, association, partnership and corporation or combination thereof. This term may be construed to designate the plural as well as the singular.
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
Refers to a public utility as defined in N.J.S.A. 48:2-13.
STREET
A. 
Any public street accepted and maintained by the Borough.
B. 
Borough parks, parkways and other public places.
C. 
County accepted and maintained highways, streets and roads, including right-of-way easements to the extent permitted by law.
D. 
New Jersey state highways upon approval of the New Jersey State Highway Department.
E. 
Any road, avenue, street or highway dedicated to the public use for street purpose, regardless of whether it has been formally accepted by the Borough of Norwood. A street shall be deemed to include all portions lying between the dedicated and established right-of-way lines and/or planting easement thereof, said lines being identical with the front property lines of lands abutting the street.
TREE
Any tree, shrub or plant or any root, branch, flower or other part thereof located in or upon any street, park or other Borough land. Small trees are designated as those attaining a mature height of 25 feet. Medium trees are designated as those attaining a mature height of 25 feet to 45 feet. Large trees are designated as those attaining a mature height of 45 feet or more.
A. 
No person shall do to any tree on any street within the Borough any of the following acts without having first obtained a permit from the Superintendent of Public Works:
(1) 
Cut, prune, trim, break, damage, kill or remove any tree.
(2) 
Cut, unduly disturb or interfere in any way with any root of a tree.
(3) 
Spray any tree with any chemical.
(4) 
Fasten any rope, wire sign or other device to a tree or to any guard above such tree.
(5) 
Remove or damage any guard or device placed to protect any tree.
(6) 
Place or maintain upon the ground in any street stone or other material or substance in such manner as may obstruct the free access of air and water to the roots of any tree.
(7) 
Lay any sidewalk along or open, construct, curb or pave any street or do any like act so as to interfere with or do injury to any tree or the roots thereof.
(8) 
Excavate within six feet of any tree.
(9) 
Attach or fasten any wire, insulation or other device for holding any wire to any tree.
(10) 
Plant or set out any shade tree in or on any street.
(11) 
Erect, alter, repair or remove a building or structure in a manner that will endanger nearby trees, whether through the placement of materials hazardous to trees or otherwise.
(12) 
Climb a shade tree on any street by the use of spurs or other instruments which perforate or injure the bark of the tree.
B. 
Public utility companies.
(1) 
Notwithstanding anything in this article to the contrary, the Superintendent of Public Works may grant to public entity 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. Public utility companies may, during period of emergency, without specific prior permit, install temporary attachments to trees and make emergency subsurface repairs.
(2) 
Each public utility company shall exercise reasonable diligence in the maintenance of its plant construction so as to avoid damage to trees.
No person shall do any of the following acts to any tree on any street in the Borough.
A. 
Cause or permit gas or other substances deleterious to tree life to come in contact with the soil surrounding the roots of any tree in any street in a manner that will injure, kill or destroy the tree.
B. 
Cause or permit brine, salt, oil, liquid dye or any other substance deleterious to tree life to lie, leak, pour, flow, drip or in any other manner whatever enter the soil around the base of a tree in any street.
C. 
Build a fire or station a tar kettle, road roller or other device in any street in a manner that will result in the heat, vapors or fumes therefrom injuring any tree.
D. 
Use or operate shovels, machines, equipment, tools or other implement in such a manner as to damage, injure or destroy a tree.
A. 
The Superintendent of Public Works may grant to public utility companies a blanket permit for the installation and maintenance of subsurface and aboveground plant construction.
B. 
Public utility companies may, during periods of emergency, without specific permit, install temporary attachments to trees and make subsurface emergency repairs.
C. 
Each public utility company shall maintain its plant construction so as not to damage or kill trees.
The fee for any permit required by this article, except for a permit to a public utility, shall be $1 for each tree affected by work or act to be performed.
A. 
The spacing for planting street trees shall be as follows, in accordance with the three size classes listed in § 202-10, definition of "tree."
(1) 
Space small trees 30 feet from the adjacent trees.
(2) 
Space medium trees 40 feet from the adjacent trees.
(3) 
Space large trees 50 feet from the adjacent trees.
B. 
Exceptions for special plantings must be approved by the Superintendent of Public Works.
C. 
When practicable, the planting distance from the curbs or curblines and sidewalks shall be in accordance with the three tree size classes as follows: for a small tree, two feet; medium tree, three feet; and large tree, four feet.
D. 
No street trees other than those species classified as small trees may be planted closer than 15 feet to the vertical plane of an existing power line, excluding service wires, or within 7 1/2 lateral feet of any underground waterline, sewer line or other utility.
Nothing in this article contained shall be construed to make the Borough of Norwood or the Superintendent of Public Works or any member thereof responsible for the death or injury of any person or for any injury to any property or highway tree or shrub.
A. 
Penalties. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this article or who fails to comply with the terms and provisions of any permit issued pursuant hereto shall, upon conviction in Municipal Court thereof, pay a fine of not less than $200 and not to exceed $1,500 at the discretion of the court. Each day that a violation shall continue shall constitute a separate offense.
B. 
Restitution. In addition to the penalties authorized by Subsection A of this section, the Judge of the Municipal Court may require a person who removes or otherwise destroys a tree in violation of a municipal ordinance to pay a replacement assessment to the municipality. The replacement assessment shall be the value of the tree as determined by the appraisal of a trained forester or certified tree expert retained by the Superintendent of Public Works for that purpose.