§ 4.7.4. Miscellaneous.

A.

Trenching and Boring within the Critical Root Zone on City Property. Trenching within the critical root zone of any tree on City property shall be prohibited. The critical root zone is considered to be the root system within the dripline. Boring, auguring, or other alternative method may be employed that allows for the installation of underground utilities within the critical root zone but stays three feet or more below the surface of the ground.

B.

Damage by City Trees . When, in the opinion of the City Arborist, roots of a tree on public property damage City curbs, gutters and sidewalks including the portions of driveways on public right-of-way, the City shall be responsible for appropriate corrective measures which are least damaging to the tree. In the event the portion of the driveway on public right-of-way must be repaired or replaced, the City Arborist shall make a report to the City Manager, Director of Public Works and the Risk Manager detailing the nature of such damage, and in such cases, the City Manager is authorized to approve repairs or replacement of such driveway portion on public right-of-way in an amount not to exceed $2,500.00.

C.

Required Permits.

1.

Actions Affecting Public Trees. Any person or organization shall not take any of the following action to or upon any public trees as determined by the City Arborist unless previously approved in a site development permit or without first obtaining the proper permit from the City Arborist:

(A)

Cut, prune, climb with spikes, break, damage, remove, kill, or cause to be killed;

(B)

Cut, disturb or interfere in any way with any root within the drip line;

(C)

Place or spray with, any toxic chemical as listed in the maintenance standards;

(D)

Fasten any rope, wire, sign, or other device;

(E)

Remove or damage any guard devices placed to protect any tree;

(F)

Conduct razing, removal or renovation of any structures if deemed by the City Arborist to be damaging to neighboring trees;

(G)

Maintain a stationary fire or device which vaporizes noxious fumes deleterious to tree health; or

(H)

Pave with concrete, asphalt or other impervious material within four feet of a tree.

2.

Topping of Public Trees. The topping of any City tree for any purpose, including sight clearance for billboards, is prohibited and a permit shall not be issued for such action.

3.

Permit Fees. A permit fee of $35.00 shall be assessed for each permit and shall be applicable to the particular job as specified by the permit.

4.

Permit for Removal of Trees on City Property. A request for a permit to remove trees on City property may be submitted to the City Arborist, if accompanied by a proposed landscape plan. The landscape plan must show the number, size, and species of plants and must replace all removed trees at a 1:1 ratio.

5.

Tree Planting Standards. All trees proposed shall adhere to Section 4.6.15 relating to standards for tree planting.

6.

Exemptions. The City and public utility companies shall be exempted from acquiring individual job permits to perform necessary tree maintenance on public rights-of-way or public lands.

D.

Public Utility Standards for Maintenance of Trees. All work performed by public utilities involving maintenance of trees on public rights-of-way shall adhere to the standards listed below.

1.

Nature of Work. The work shall be limited to the actual necessities required to maintain safe and reliable systems.

2.

Necessary Maintenance. Necessary maintenance shall be deemed the maintenance necessary to prevent regrowth into the wire zone during the established cycle length.

3.

Maintenance Standards. All maintenance shall adhere to American National Standards Institute Standard 300, as amended.

4.

Waiver. During the event of a natural disaster, such as an ice storm, tornado or hurricane, the public utility standards for maintenance of trees shall be waived.

5.

Coordination. The public utilities shall communicate and coordinate with the City Arborist when clearing or pruning within the rights-of-way.

E.

Licensure of Tree Experts.

1.

Application. To protect the public, the City shall require anyone who removes or maintains trees as a business on public or private lands to be licensed.

2.

Examinations by City Arborist. In order to be licensed, individuals shall be examined by the City Arborist to determine the ability to conduct such work before granting a license to practice as a tree expert.

3.

Other Examinations. Passage of the examination administered by the International Society for Arboriculture (ISA) for Certified Arborist or Certified Tree Worker may be accepted in lieu of an examination by the City Arborist.

4.

City Workers. Employees of the City responsible for maintaining public trees shall be examined in the field for their ability to properly prune, maintain, or remove trees but shall not be required to pay the application fee.

5.

Application. A $25.00 fee shall be made payable to Columbus, Georgia to accompany the application for examination for each applicant.

F.

House Moving Permits. To avoid damage to public trees, any building or other large objects which is to be moved along any street must obtain the following:

1.

Written permission from the City Arborist; and

2.

A permit from the Inspections and Code Enforcement Division.

(Ord. No. 14-2, § 2, 1-14-14)