[HISTORY: Adopted by the Commissioners of the Town of Princess Anne 5-4-1992. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Property maintenance — See Ch. 115.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PARK TREES
Trees, shrubs, bushes and all other woody vegetation in public parks having individual names and all areas owned by the town or to which the public has free access as a park.
STREET TREES
Trees, shrubs, bushes and all other woody vegetation on land lying between property lines on either side of all streets, avenues or public ways within the town.
A. 
The town shall have the right to plant, prune, maintain and remove trees, plants and shrubs within the right-of-way of all streets, alleys, avenues, lanes, squares and other public ways for public safety or to preserve or enhance the symmetry and beauty of such public grounds.
B. 
The Town Commissioners may remove or cause or order to be removed any tree or part thereof which is in an unsafe condition or which by reason of its nature is injurious to sewers, electric power lines, gas lines, water lines or other public improvements or is affected with any injurious fungus, insect or other pest. This section does not prohibit the planting of street trees by adjacent property owners, provided that the selection and location of trees are permitted by the President and Commissioners of Princess Anne pursuant to § 149-2 above.
It shall be unlawful as a normal practice for any person, firm or town department to top any street tree, park tree or other tree on public property. "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 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 other pruning practices are impractical may be exempted from this provision at the determination of the President and Commissioners of Princess Anne.
A. 
Every owner of any tree overhanging any street or right-of-way within the town shall prune the branches so that such branches do not obstruct the light from any street lamp or obstruct the view of any street intersection and so that there shall be a clear space of eight feet above the surface of the street or sidewalks.
B. 
Said owners shall remove all dead, diseased or dangerous trees and broken or decayed limbs which constitute a menace to the safety of the public.
C. 
The town 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 Town of Princess Anne shall have the right to cause the removal of any dead or diseased trees on private property within the town when such trees constitute a hazard to life and property or harbor insects or diseases which constitute a potential threat to other trees within the town. The President and Commissioners of Princess Anne will notify, in writing, the owners of such trees. Removal shall be done by said owners at their own expense within 60 days after the date of service of notice. In the event of failure of owners to comply with such provisions, the Town of Princess Anne shall have the authority to remove such trees and charge the cost of removal on the owner's property tax notice.
All stumps of street and park trees shall be removed below the surface of the ground so that the top of the stump shall not project above the surface of the ground.
A violation of this chapter shall be declared to be a municipal infraction and shall be subject to a penalty as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, § 1-8 of this Code.