ThesampleordinancewasdesignedforuseinMidwestern Nospeciesotherthanthoseincludedinthislistmay threeinchesindiameterwithinthetree'scrownto

communitiesofaveragepopulation.Theordinancethat
suchadegreesoastoremovethenormalcanopyand
beplantedasStreetTreeswithoutwrittenpermissionof
yourcommunityultimatelydevelopsshouldbedesigned theCityTreeBoard.
disfigurethetree.Treesseverelydamagedbystormsor
tofititsspecificneeds.
othercauses,orcertaintreesunderutilitywiresor
SMALLTREES
MEDIUMTREES
LARGETREES
otherobstructionswhereotherpruningpracticesare
SAMPLE
Apricot
Ash,Green
Coffeetree,Kentucky
impracticalmaybeexemptedfromthisordinanceatthe
CITY
Crabapple,
Hackberry
Maple,Silver
determinationoftheCityTreeBoard.
Flowering(sp)
Honeylocust
Maple,Sugar
TREEORDINANCE
BeitordainedbytheCityCommissionoftheCityof:
(City)________________________________________________________
(State) ____________________________________

Section1.Definitions
Streettrees:"Streettrees"arehereindefinedastrees,
shrubs,bushes,andallotherwoodyvegetationonland
lyingbetweenpropertylinesoneithersideofallstreets,
avenues,orwayswithintheCity.
ParkTrees:"Parktrees"arehereindefinedastrees,
shrubs,bushesandallotherwoodyvegetationinpublic
parkshavingindividualnames,andallareasownedbythe
City,ortowhichthepublichasfreeaccessasapark.

GoldenRainTree
Hawthorne(sp.)
Pear,Bradford
Redbud
Soapberry
Lilac,Jap.Tree
Peach,Flowering
Plum,Purpleleaf
Serviceberry

(thornless)
Lindenor
Basswood(sp.)
Mulberry,Red
(fruitless,male)
Oak,English
Oak,Red
Pagodatree,
Japanese
Pecan
Birch,River
Osageorange
(Male,
thornless)
Persimmon
Poplar,White
Sassafras

Oak,Bur
Sycamore
Sycamore,London
plantree
Cottonwood
(Cottonless,
male)

ThereisherebycreatedandestablishedaCityTreeBoard
fortheCityof:

*Pleasenote:Theabovespeciesareofferedassizeclass
examplesonlyandmaynotbesuitableforplantingin
yourarea.Pleasecheckwithlocalsourcesto
developaspecieslistforyourarea.

(City)________________________________________________________

Section8.Spacing

Section2.CreationandEstablishmentofaCityTree
Board

ThespacingofStreetTreeswillbeinaccordancewiththe
threespeciessizeclasseslistedinSection7ofthis
whichshallconsistoffivemembers,citizensandresidents
ordinance,andnotreesmaybeplantedclosertogether
ofthiscity,whoshallbeappointedbythemayorwith
thanthefollowing:SmallTrees,30feet;MediumTrees,40
theapprovaloftheCommission.
feet;andLargeTrees,50feet;exceptinspecial
Section3.TermofOffice
plantingsdesignedorapprovedbyalandscape
architect.
Thetermofthefivepersonstobeappointedbythe
mayorshallbethreeyearsexceptthatthetermof
Section9.DistancefromCurbandSidewalk
twoofthemembersappointedtothefirstboard
Thedistancetreesmaybeplantedfromcurbsor
shallbeforonlyoneyearandthetermoftwo
curblinesandsidewalkswillbeinaccordancewiththe
membersofthefirstboardshallbefortwoyears.Inthe
threespeciessizeclasseslistedinSection7ofthis
eventthatavacancyshalloccurduringthetermofany
ordinance,andnotreesmaybeplantedclosertoany
member,hissuccessorshallbeappointedforthe
curborsidewalkthanthefollowing:SmallTrees,2feet;
unexpiredportionoftheterm.
MediumTrees,3feet;andLargeTrees,4feet.
Section4.Compensation
Section10.DistancefromStreetCornersandFireplugs
Membersoftheboardshallservewithoutcompensation.
NoStreetTreeshallbeplantedcloserthan35feetofany
Section5,DutiesandResponsibilities
streetcorner,measuredfromthepointofnearest
intersectingcurbsorcurblines.NoStreetTreeshallbe
ItshallbetheresponsibilityoftheBoardtostudy,
plantedcloserthan10feetofanyfireplug.
investigate,councilanddevelopand/orupdate
annually,andadministerawrittenplanforthecare,
Section11.Utilities
preservation,pruning,planting,replanting,removal
NoStreetTreesotherthanthosespecieslistedas
ordispositionoftreesandshrubsinparks,alongstreets
SmallTreesinSection7ofthisordinancemaybeplanted
andinotherpublicareas.Suchplanwillbepresented
underorwithin10lateralfeetofanyoverheadutility
annuallytotheCityCommissionandupontheir
wire,oroverorwithin5lateralfeetofanyunderground
acceptanceandapprovalshallconstitutetheofficial
waterline,sewerline,transmissionlineorotherutility.
comprehensivecitytreeplanfortheCityof:
Section12.PublicTreeCare
(State) __________________________________________

(City)________________________________________________________

(State) __________________________________________

TheBoard,whenrequestedbytheCityCommission,
shallconsider,investigate,makefinding,reportand
recommenduponanyspecialmatterofquestioncoming
withinthescopeofitswork.
Section6.Operation
TheBoardshallchooseitsownofficers,makeits
ownrulesandregulationsandkeepajournalofits
proceedings.Amajorityofthemembersshallbea
quorumforthetransactionofbusiness.
Section7.StreetTreeSpeciestobePlanted
Thefollowinglistconstitutestheofficial
StreetTreespeciesfor:
(City)________________________________________________________
(State) __________________________________________

TheCityshallhavetherighttoplant,prune,maintain
andremovetrees,plantsandshrubswithinthelines
ofallstreets,alleys,avenues,lanes,squaresandpublic
grounds,asmaybenecessarytoinsurepublicsafetyorto
preserveorenhancethesymmetryandbeautyofsuch
publicgrounds.
TheCityTreeBoardmayremoveorcauseororderto
beremoved,anytreeorpartthereofwhichisinan
unsafeconditionorwhichbyreasonofitsnatureis
injurioustosewers,electricpowerlines,gaslines,water
lines,orotherpublicimprovements,orisaffectedwithany
injuriousfungus,insectorotherpest.ThisSectiondoes
notprohibittheplantingofStreetTreesbyadjacent
propertyownersprovidingthattheselectionand
locationofsaidtreesisinaccordancewithSections7
through11ofthisordinance.
Section13.TreeTopping
Itshallbeunlawfulasanormalpracticeforanyperson,
firm,orcitydepartmenttotopanyStreetTree,Park
Tree,orothertreeonpublicproperty.Toppingisdefined
astheseverecuttingbackoflimbstostubslargerthan

Section14.Pruning,CornerClearance
Everyownerofanytreeoverhanginganystreetor
rightofwaywithintheCityshallprunethebranches
sothatsuchbranchesshallnotobstructthelightfrom
anystreetlamporobstructtheviewofanystreetinter
sectionandsothatthereshallbeaclearspaceof
eightfeet(8')abovethesurfaceofthestreetor
sidewalk.Saidownersshallremovealldead,
diseasedordangeroustrees,orbrokenordecayed
limbswhichconstituteamenacetothesafetyofthe
public.TheCityshallhavetherighttopruneanytreeor
shrubonprivatepropertywhenitinterfereswiththe
properspreadoflightalongthestreetfromastreet
lightorinterfereswithvisibilityofanytraffic
controldeviceorsign.
Section15.DeadorDiseasedTreeRemovalonPrivate
Property
TheCityshallhavetherighttocausetheremovalofany
deadordiseasedtreesonprivatepropertywithinthecity,
whensuchtreesconstituteahazardtolifeandprop
erty,orharborinsectsordiseasewhichconstitutea
potentialthreattoothertreeswithinthecity.TheCity
TreeBoardwillnotifyinwritingtheownersofsuch
trees.Removalshallbedonebysaidownersattheirown
expensewithinsixtydaysafterthedateofserviceof
notice.Intheeventoffailureofownerstocomplywith
suchprovisions,theCityshallhavetheauthorityto
removesuchtreesandchargethecostofremovalonthe
ownerspropertytaxnotice.
Section16.RemovalofStumps
Allstumpsofstreetandparktreesshallberemoved
belowthesurfaceofthegroundsothatthetopofthe
stumpshallnotprojectabovethesurfaceoftheground.
Section17.InterferencewithCityTreeBoard
Itshallbeunlawfulforanypersontoprevent,delay
orinterferewiththeCityTreeBoard,oranyofits
agents,whileengaginginandabouttheplanting,
cultivating,mulching,pruning,spraying,or
removingofanyStreetTrees,ParkTrees,ortreeson
privategrounds,asauthorizedinthisordinance.
Section18.ArboristsLicenseandBond
Itshallbeunlawfulforanypersonorfirmtoengagein
thebusinessoroccupationofpruning,treating,orI
enlovingsueetorpaiktreeswithintheCitywithout
firstapplyingforandprocuringalicense.Thelicensefee
shallbe$25annuallyinadvance;provided,however,that
nolicenseshallberequiredofanypublicservice
companyorCityemployeedoingsuchworkinthe
pursuitoftheirpublicserviceendeavors.Beforeany
licenseshallbeissued,eachapplicantshallfirstfile
evidenceofpossessionofliabilityinsuranceinthe
minimumamountsof$50,000forbodilyinjury
and$100,000propertydamageindemnifyingthe
Cityoranypersoninjuredordamagedresultingfrom
thepursuitofsuchendeavorsashereindescribed.
Section19.ReviewbyCityCommissionTheCity
Commissionshallhavetherighttoreviewtheconduct,
actsanddecisionsoftheCityTreeBoard.Anyperson
mayappealfromanyrulingororderoftheCityTree
BoardtotheCityCommissionwhomayhearthe
matterandmakefinaldecision.Section20.Penalty
Anypersonviolatinganyprovisionofthisordinanceshall
be,uponconvictionorapleaofguilty,subjecttoa
finenottoexceed$