§ 2.80.140. Homeowner maintenance or removal of street trees

This chapter shall apply to the care and maintenance of borough trees, in particular those trees growing between the curb and sidewalk adjacent to the permit applicant's property.

A. No person or entity shall perform the following activities unless authorized by specific written permission from the borough, the shade tree commission or its legitimate agents as set forth herein, or unless performed by the borough, the shade tree commission or its legitimate agents:

1. The removal, pruning, or any alterations to any borough owned trees.

2. Any willful damage, injury or disfiguration of any borough owned tree. Damage will be considered willful if the damage, injury or disfiguration is caused as the result of but not limited to the following: cutting, carving, taping, gashing or slitting of any tree, or the attachment of any rope, wire, cable, nail, sign, poster or any other manmade object to any tree.

3. The disturbance of the soil, or the construction or placement of any nonporous material on the ground around any tree so as to damage roots, cut off air, light or water from the roots; or placement or removal of any soil from within five feet of any borough tree, or to allow any liquid or solid substance which is harmful to such trees to come in contact with them.

4. The planting or placing of any plants or aboveground objects other than official mail boxes between the curb and sidewalk.

5. Notwithstanding the above, residents may apply to the shade tree commission for permission to prune, shape and plant trees on their property in the area between the curb and the sidewalk provided same is done in accordance with the rules, regulations and requirements established by the commission and further provided that any such plantings comply with the list of acceptable plantings as established by the commission.

(Ord. 2005/28 § 2)

(Ord. No. 2013/16, § 3, 11-4-13)