The text
12-4-1 - City Forester.#
There is hereby created the position of City Forester. The Parks and Recreation Director may designate a City Forester. The City Forester shall be responsible for administering the provisions of this Chapter and the policies and recommendations of the City Council. The City Forester shall have jurisdiction and supervision of all trees and plants planted or growing in public streets or places within the City to insure safety or to preserve the beauty of such public places. It shall be their duty to have trees and other plants in public streets and on public property planted, trimmed, sprayed, preserved, and removed.
(Ord. 25-02-02, § 22, 2/20/2025)
12-4-2 - Planting Regulations.#
The City Forester shall prepare Arboricultural Regulations containing a list of approved species of trees which may be planted on public streets within the City, a list of approved shrubs and ground covers, and standards for the planting of trees and shrubs upon public streets and property. Upon approval of such regulations by the City Council, no trees or shrubs other than the kinds designated, and in accordance with the regulations, shall be planted on any public street or public place unless written consent of the City Forester is obtained.
12-4-3 - Removal of Trees.#
The City, through its City Forester, shall condemn and remove or order the removal of any tree, tree stump, shrub, or plant upon any of the public streets or on public property within this City where the same is dead, diseased, or for any reason whatsoever is deemed undesirable by the City Council. The City, through its City Forester, shall have authority to condemn and remove, or order to be removed, any tree, tree stump, shrub, or plant upon private property when the City Council shall find such action necessary to the public safety or to prevent the spread of disease or insects, and shall have the authority, after exercising due diligence to notify abutting property owners, to remove or order the removal of any tree, shrub, or plant which has been planted upon any public street or on any public property in violation of this Chapter or any other Ordinance. The City Inspector and the City Forester shall have the authority to report any violations of this Chapter to the City Council for its action.
12-4-4 - Willful Injury to Trees.#
No person shall willfully injure or destroy any tree on public streets, public parks, or other public property of the City by any means including, but not limited to, the following: 1.
Constructing a concrete, asphalt, brick, or gravel sidewalk or otherwise filling up the ground area around any tree so as to shut off air or water from the roots, except under written authority from the City Forester.
2.
Piling building material, equipment, or other substance around any tree so as to cause injury.
3.
Pouring any injurious matter on or around any tree or on the ground around it or on any lawn or sidewalk.
4.
Injuring any tree, tree stake, or guard with any vehicle or animal, or in any other manner causing injury to any tree or lawn or public property.
12-4-5 - Shade Tree Districts.#
The City may by resolution of the City Council create shade tree districts in the City. Resolutions creating shade tree districts shall be adopted by the City Council and shall designate the boundaries of the shade tree district, the general purpose for which the district is created, and the services to be provided by the City with respect to trees within the district. Shade tree districts shall be managed under the supervision of the City Forester, under the supervision of the City Council and in accordance with the resolution creating such district.
Nothing in this Section or any resolution adopted pursuant to the terms and provisions hereof shall relieve any property owner or occupant of property within any such district, adjacent property owner or occupant, or any other person or entity from any duty or responsibility under law, custom, or practice with respect to the care and maintenance of their property and adjacent City sidewalks and rights-of-way.