Brea Municipal Code Ch. 12.20 Street Trees

The Director of Maintenance Services shall have exclusive authority to inspect, maintain, plant, remove, prune, root prune, or otherwise alter street trees.

(1961 Code, § 20.60; Ord. 943)

The Director of Maintenance Services shall cause surveys to be made from time to time, to determine which trees are to be retained or removed in order to conform to the tree planning and maintenance program.

(1961 Code, § 20.61; Ord. 943)

The City Council shall, by resolution, adopt an official street tree species list designating specific species of trees which may be planted on any street. The Director of Maintenance Services shall periodically review said list and recommend changes therein as may be necessary or advisable.

(1961 Code, § 20.62; Ord. 943)

The City Council may, by resolution, adopt a master plan of trees for all streets within the city based on a study of local conditions and designed to fit the special street and tree factors involved. Upon adoption of such master plan, all street tree planting and removal shall be governed by the requirements thereof.

(1961 Code, § 20.63; Ord. 943)

The property owner shall not permit any vine or other growth on a street tree. The Maintenance Services Department will perform all other maintenance of street trees as deemed necessary by the Director of Maintenance Services.

(1961 Code, § 20.64; Ord. 943)

A. Any street tree removed shall be replaced if a replacement is deemed appropriate and if it is mutually agreed to by both the city and the property owner. The replacement tree shall be selected in accordance with the official tree species list and tree master plan.

B. In addition to replacing all removed street trees whenever possible, it is the responsibility of the Director of Maintenance Services to insure all vacant street tree locations are planted within the city. Such vacancies are to be planted in accordance with the official tree species list and tree master plan.

(1961 Code, § 20.65; Ord. 943)

A. No person, firm, partnership, or corporation shall cut, trim, prune, plant, remove, spray, injure or in any other manner interfere with any street tree within the city without first having secured the written permission of the Director of Maintenance Services. If the city is required to remove a tree placed in violation of this section or replace a tree damaged or removed in violation hereof, the responsible party will be billed for the costs incurred by the city.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person to permit or suffer to permit the branches of any tree to hang over the sidewalk or to cut down, girdle, destroy or remove any standing or growing tree or shrubbery or any ornament or improvement in any public street, alley or sidewalk within the city, without first obtaining written consent to do so from the Director of Maintenance Services.

(1961 Code, § 20.66; Ord. 943)

Parkway easement trees may be removed in the city when they meet the removal criteria set forth below:

A. The tree is dead, seriously diseased, or dying.

B. Trees planted near or growing into sewer lines or water lines.

C. Trees growing into power lines which cannot reasonably be trimmed.

D. Where surface roots are causing major disruption of the parkway causing the maintenance of the parkway itself to be different.

E. Where trees have become too large for the width of the parkway, causing major damage to the sidewalks or curbs and gutters, or where root pruning will damage the tree or make it subject to falling over in heavy winds.

F. Where trees are leaning to the point of being unstable in heavy winds.

G. Trees which are blocking any traffic-control device and simple trimming cannot remedy the visibility problem and may subject the city to liability.

H. If tree size, location or type present a hazard to the general public or cause a liability to the city.

(1961 Code, § 20.67; Ord. 943)

No person shall post or affix to any city tree any bill, poster, placard, picture, announcement, notice, advertisement or sign, or cut, paint, print or make any of the same upon such tree or affix or attach in any manner any other thing whatsoever, including any guy wire or rope to any such tree except for the purpose of protecting it or other purpose authorized by the city.

(1961 Code, § 20.68; Ord. 943)

No person shall dump, pour or spill any oil, salt, salt water or other deleterious matter upon any city tree or city tree space, or maintain within ten (10) feet of any such tree or tree space any receptacle from which such matter leaks or drips.

(1961 Code, § 20.69; Ord. 943)

A. City trees shall not be planted within the following distances of the following utilities and public improvements:

1. Sewer, gas or water lines - ten (10) feet.

2. Driveways - ten (10) feet.

3. Street lights - twenty (20) feet.

4. Power poles - ten (10) feet.

5. Intersections (curb radius area) - thirty (30) feet.

6. Fire hydrants - ten (10) feet.

B. The Director of Maintenance Services shall cause to be removed any city tree or part thereof which is injurious, or appears likely to become injurious to any utility or, other public improvement.

(1961 Code, § 20.70; Ord. 943)