Source: https://www.ecode360.com/32649811
Timestamp: 2020-03-31 11:23:51
Document Index: 683110772

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 250', '§ 250', '§ 250', '§ 250', '§ 250', '§ 250', '§ 250', '§ 250', '§ 250', '§ 1']

City of Manchester, MO Tree Regulations
§ 250.010 Authority To Enforce.
§ 250.030 Urban Forestry Administration.
§ 250.040 Tree Advisory Board.
§ 250.050 Tree Care And Maintenance On Public Rights-Of-Way.
§ 250.060 Private Property Trees Impacting The Public Rights-Of-Way.
§ 250.070 Tree Care And Maintenance In Parks.
§ 250.080 Prohibited Acts For Trees In The Public Rights-Of-Way And Parks.
§ 250.090 Tree Preservation During Development.
§ 250.100 Violation And Penalty.
Chapter 250 Tree Regulations
Section 250.010 Authority To Enforce.
Section 250.030 Urban Forestry Administration.
Section 250.040 Tree Advisory Board.
Section 250.050 Tree Care And Maintenance On Public Rights-Of-Way.
Section 250.060 Private Property Trees Impacting The Public Rights-Of-Way.
Section 250.070 Tree Care And Maintenance In Parks.
Section 250.080 Prohibited Acts For Trees In The Public Rights-Of-Way And Parks.
Section 250.090 Tree Preservation During Development.
Section 250.100 Violation And Penalty.
[Ord. No. 17-2194 § 1, 9-18-2017]
The City Administrator, or his/her designee, shall have the exclusive authority to enforce this Chapter. No person shall unreasonably interfere with any City official, officer or designee engaged in the execution or enforcement of this Chapter.
A person who has legal possession of a property that connects to City right-of-way.
A private non-profit organization with authority to approve industry standards, including the industry standards for tree care practices and safety (ANSI A300 Standards for Tree Care Operations and ANSI Z133.1 for Tree Care Safety Standards).
APPRAISED LANDSCAPE VALUE
The dollar value assigned to trees as calculated by using direction from the most current version of the Guide for Plant Appraisal authored by the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers.
The trunk diameter of hardwood nursery stock trees measured six (6) inches above ground. This measurement is not typically used for trees established in a landscape; for measuring landscape trees see definition for DBH.
A tree care professional who has achieved the Certified Arborist credential through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and is in good standing with said organization.
The trunk diameter of a tree measured at four and five tenths (4.5) feet above the ground. This is typically used as a measurement for tree size of established landscape trees.
The performance of any building activity; or the making of any material change to any structure or to the natural surface of land, including activities that disturb the natural surface of the land such as clearing, excavating and filling; or any change in the use or appearance of any structure or land; or the division of land into two (2) or more parcels. For the purposes of this Chapter, in reference to the need for a Tree Survey and Preservation Plan, the terms "development" or "development projects" shall include, but not be limited to, the construction of new single-family dwellings or new multi-family dwellings and any other new construction that requires a Special Use Permit, Site Plan Review or Planned Development. The applicant is expected to preserve trees during development or apply for a Tree Removal Permit. This definition excludes additions to single-family or multi-family dwellings and the addition of structures such as decks, porches, sheds, garages, fences, and pools.
To plant, mulch, water, prune as necessary, remove if dead or diseased, and perform any other reasonable arboricultural practice or treatment.
Any tree determined by the City to be dead, diseased, noxious, hazardous, or otherwise unsuitable to people and/or property on the public right-of-way. Trees that drop leaves, fruit, seeds, or branches as part of their natural lifecycle are not considered a nuisance.
Any public trees within parks, green spaces and open space accessible to the public.
Any tree located on private property.
An area designated for public access along streets where the City has been granted an easement.
The property owner or an entity or person who, acting as an agent for or in any other legal capacity on behalf of the owner, has authority over property subject to this Article or is responsible for the maintenance or management of said property.
Any tree within the public right-of-way along all streets, avenues or ways within the City.
The drastic removal of large tree branches, leaving stubs. This practice causes immediate injury, promotes further decay and creates possible hazards. Topping is synonymous with hat-racking, tipping, rounding over, and heading.
An account in the City where payments from tree removal permits, donations, compensatory payments, or other tree-related proceeds are deposited. Tree Fund money may be used to plant and maintain trees in the City.
A guide that provides technical information necessary to perform the work outlined in this Chapter and offers residents direction on proper tree care.
A map-based plan that delineates the location of trees from the Tree Survey that will be preserved and defines the appropriate preservation techniques that will be implemented. This plan also shows the adjusted DBH for trees planned for removal and the proposed mitigation (e.g. new tree planting or payment to Tree Fund). A Tree Protection Plan must be approved by an ISA Certified Arborist.
A permit is required if any tree eight (8) inches DBH or greater will be removed during a development project. The Tree Removal Permit application process requires the developer to submit a Tree Survey and Tree Protection Plan to the City. A Tree Removal Permit is not required to remove trees that are dead, considered a nuisance as defined by this Chapter or posing significant risk to public safety.
A Tree Survey is a map and list of details showing the existing trees and woodland on a future development site. A Tree Survey must be performed by an ISA Certified Arborist.
A tract of land with greater than ten thousand (10,000) square feet of contiguous tree canopy.
The City Administrator, or his/her designee, will delegate or contract responsibility for care and oversight of public trees to a professional forester or arborist.
Creation And Establishment:
A Tree Advisory Board (hereafter "Board") is hereby created consisting of three (3) regular resident members who shall be appointed or removed by the Mayor with the approval of the Board of Aldermen. The Director of Public Works or his/her designee shall serve as staff liaison to the Board and will serve in an ex-officio capacity. To the extent possible, there shall be one (1) member from each ward of the City.
The three (3) member Board shall elect a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, and a secretary who shall serve in those positions for twelve (12) months at which time a new election is to be held to determine those position holders.
Members shall serve a term of three (3) years each except the terms of the initial members shall be appointed as: 1) one (1) member for a one-year term, 2) one (1) member for a two-year term, and, 3) one (1) member for a three-year term. The Mayor may reappoint members to a regular three-year term after their initial term expires subject to Board of Aldermen approval. Vacancies shall be filled for an unexpired term in the same manner as original appointments.
The Board shall meet quarterly or as needed. Meetings will be open to the public and are to be publicly advertised at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance of a meeting date and time. Meeting minutes shall be recorded by the secretary and are to be provided to the City Clerk. A majority of the voting members present (two (2) members) shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Advise and assist the Mayor, Board of Aldermen and City staff in the development and dissemination of information for the management, selection, planting, care, cultivation, pruning, and removal of trees and shrubs on both public and private property.
When requested, and in coordination with City staff, conduct seminars and public education programs and meet with homeowner associations or resident groups to promote the benefit and management of the urban forestry.
Assist with planning and coordinating an annual City Arbor Day observance event.
Assist the City in obtaining Tree City USA status with the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Street trees shall be maintained by the adjoining property owner at his/her sole and exclusive cost and expense. If there is not an adjoining private property, then the street trees shall be managed by the City's Public Works Department.
All contractors hired to provide tree work along the public right-of-way shall be appropriately insured.
The City is authorized to inspect street trees for public safety concerns and notify adjoining property owner of issues that required action, specifically tree pruning or removal.
If the adjoining property owner does not comply with notice for tree maintenance within the designated timeframe, the City's Code Enforcement Officer shall deem the offending limbs or trees a nuisance and to be subject to the nuisance abatement process (Reference Section 215.010 of this Code).
A City Tree Packet will suggest appropriate tree species to plant for specific site requirements. The Tree Packet will also include a "Do Not Plant" tree list. Trees on the "Do Not Plant" list shall not be planted in the public right-of-way.
The City has the right to plant, prune or remove trees within the public right-of-way easement as needed to improve infrastructure and public safety or to achieve other City priorities.
All tree work in the public right-of-way must comply with the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) A300 (Standard Practices for Woody Plant Maintenance) and the Z133 Safety Standards.
The City will offer a Tree Packet with clear expectations for tree management standards, specifications and recommendations.
Stumps of trees removed on the public right-of-way shall be cut below grade or mechanically ground out and soil shall be backfilled to existing grade to eliminate a possible trip hazard.
Any street tree identified as a nuisance tree may be designated by the City for removal at the adjoining property owner's expense. The City's nuisance abatement process may apply (Reference Section 215.010 of this Code).
All tree limbs shall be pruned to allow appropriate clearance for vehicles and pedestrians within the public right-of-way.
Pruning must follow ANSI A300 standards and consider both tree health and aesthetics;
Minimum clearance requirements shall be as provided in the Tree Packet.
No trees, branches, or foliage shall obstruct sight distance triangle, as such is defined in Section 405.166 of this Code.
The responsible party of property abutting the public right-of-way shall have the duty to maintain trees on the abutting portion of the public right-of-way.
Property owners adjacent to the public rights-of-way shall prune trees located on their property in such a manner that they will not obstruct the passage of pedestrians on the sidewalk, obstruct vision of traffic signs, block street lights, or obstruct the view of any street or alley intersection.
Any and all trees and/or tree limbs on private property that are identified as having a high risk of failure and could potentially harm people or property on the public rights-of-way must be removed.
Should any person or persons owning property bordering on any public right-of-way fail to prune or remove trees as herein stated, the Code Enforcement Officer shall deem the offending limbs or trees a nuisance and subject to the City's nuisance abatement process (Reference Section 215.010 of this Code).
Park trees shall be planted and maintained by the Parks, Recreation and Arts Department.
All tree planting and maintenance will follow applicable ANSI standards of care and ANSI safety standards.
The City shall be responsible for maintaining park trees to maximize the benefit to people and the environment.
The Parks, Recreation and Arts Department shall use its best efforts to make every effort to protect park trees from harm, including, but not limited to, damage by deer and construction activity.
Because of the community benefits trees provide, and because damage to trees can cause public safety concerns, it shall be unlawful for any person to negatively impact the trees growing in the public parks, open space or public rights-of-way. Negatively impacting trees, includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Break, injure, mutilate, poison, destroy, or otherwise vandalize trees;
Prune trees by topping;
Attach rope, wire or nails to any tree trunk;
Use spurs or climbing spikes to prune a tree, except for complete removal.
All development projects, as defined in this Chapter, require tree preservation.
A Tree Survey and a Tree Preservation Plan, prepared by an ISA Certified Arborist, shall be submitted as part of the City's plan review process.
A Tree Survey shall be in map form and identify the location of existing individual trees greater than eight (8) inches in DBH, as well as each tree species, DBH and condition. Woodlands greater than ten thousand (10,000) square feet of contiguous tree canopy may be delineated as a group and described by forest type and total canopy area;
A Tree Preservation Plan shall be in map form and identify proposed actions to protect existing trees (public and private) and woodlands on site. Tree Preservation Plans shall show the proposed development and the location of all trees to be protected, as well as preservation efforts (protection fencing, signage, root pruning, retaining walls, etc.) to be installed to protect the critical root zone of existing trees. A limit of disturbance line shall demonstrate the extent of construction activities from protected woodland;
A Tree Survey and Tree Preservation Plan may be combined, provided such is first approved by the City Administrator or his/her designee.
A Tree Removal Permit is required if any tree eight (8) inches DBH or greater will be removed. A Tree Removal Permit is not required to remove trees that are dead, considered to be a nuisance tree as defined by this Chapter or considered to pose significant risk to public safety (as defined by the City). A Tree Removal Permit Application must be made prior to tree removal and must include:
Tree Preservation Plan;
The location, species, DBH, and condition of each individual tree eight (8) inches in DBH or greater to be removed;
Percent woodland to be removed;
A clear demonstration of how the proposed project will accommodate the loss of trees on site based on mitigation options defined in this Chapter.
Tree removal is discouraged but may be approved to allow for maximum use of a site. In these cases, required minimum woodland preservation, canopy replacement and approval by the City's Planning and Zoning Commission shall apply.
Where contiguous woodland is to be removed, the developer must retain a minimum thirty percent (30%) of existing woodland. Woodland preservation should prioritize riparian corridors, quality species composition and buffer zones.
Any woodlands kept beyond the required thirty percent (30%) may be counted toward the total caliper of individual trees to be replaced when individual trees are removed.
Where individual trees eight (8) inches in DBH or greater not located in a woodland are to be removed, trees must be replaced with new trees totaling one-third (1/3) of the number of caliper inches (i.e. 3:1 ratio of DBH removed and caliper inches replaced).
When possible, replacement trees shall be replanted on site in addition to the required landscaping. If the site cannot accommodate all required replacement trees, trees may be planted in public parks or public open space, as directed and approved by the City.
When no appropriate tree locations are available, a payment of one hundred twenty dollars ($120.00) per replacement caliper inch may be paid to the City's Tree Fund; the amount payable hereunder shall not exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) per acre.
If thirty percent (30%) woodland preservation, or a 3:1 individual tree replacement, is impossible, based on unique conditions or circumstances, a developer may request a variance from the City's Board of Adjustment. No variance will be granted that goes against the spirit and intent of this Chapter. Additional mitigation fees and accommodations may be applied.
Removal of trees on a development project prior to receiving a Tree Removal Permit will be in violation of this Chapter and subject to penalties stated in this Code.
Where trees preserved in a development die within one (1) year of project completion, the developer shall pay an assessment equal to the appraised value of the tree that died. Appraised value will be calculated based on direction from the most current version of the Guide for Plant Appraisal authored by the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers.
The provisions of Chapters 405 and 415 of this Code, as applicable, must also be adhered to during the course of development.
Violation of this Chapter, excluding violations to tree preservation, shall be subject to the penalty provisions of Section 100.100 of this Code.
If a person removes, damages or performs any prohibited act to any public tree without the authority provided by this Chapter or City approval, the City Administrator may require compensatory payments based on the appraised landscape value of the tree(s) removed.
Violation of Tree Preservation during development shall be fined as specified.
Payments shall be made into the City Tree Fund for future forestry efforts in the City. Compensatory payments may be in addition to other penalties.