§ 14-6. Maintenance/pruning.

(A)

It shall be the responsibility of the property owner, or in the event of a property transfer, the subsequent property owner's responsibility to maintain and ensure the survival of the plant material in perpetuity. Plants and trees that do not survive planting or for some reason succumb to injury, disease and/or insect infestation must be replaced during the first planting season following the death of the plant(s) in accordance with specifications of the unified development ordinance.

(B)

Tree topping shall be prohibited on all trees that are required by the provisions of the unified development ordinance, including perimeter buffer trees and parking lot landscaping. Topping is the severe cutting back of limbs larger than three inches in diameter to the stubs within the tree's crown so as to remove the normal canopy and disfigure the trees. Trees severely damaged by storms or other causes, or certain trees that interfere with or are imminent threats to utility wires or other obstructions where other pruning practices are impractical may be exempted from this ordinance at the determination of the planning director. All trees shall be pruned in accordance with American National Standard Institution (ANSI) Standards.

(C)

If plants or other screening materials are removed to repair underground utilities they must be replaced at the next appropriate growing season at the owners' expense.

(Ord. No. 30-2009, § 1, 7-20-2009)