Piedmont Municipal Code § 3.20 Violations and Penalties

prune or to remove a tree on public property in violation of the terms of this Article IV> It is also unlawful to damage vegetation on public property. A violation of this Article shall be subject to the imposition of a fine under either subsection (a) or (b).

a. Civil Fine. The unauthorized treatment, removal of a tree or pruning one or more parts of a tree, or damage to a tree, shall be subject to a fine of $1,000 per violation. The pruning of any single tree branch in excess of one (1) inch in diameter at the site of the cut shall be considered a separate violation, even if it occurs concurrently with the removal of other branches on the same tree.

b. Treble Damages. Unauthorized treatment, pruning, damage to or removal of a tree on public property shall be a wrongful injury to city trees under Civil Code 3346 and Code of Civil Procedure 733, and damages three times the amount that would compensate for the actual detriment shall be paid to the City. In addition, the person responsible for the violation shall pay to the City all expenses incurred by the city in connection with the violation, including but not limited to attorneys’ fees, all personnel costs relating to the violation (including costs to investigate the violation), and the costs of replacing a removed tree or restoring to health and reasonable shape a pruned or treated tree. (Ord. 617 N.S. 6/00)