Turlock Municipal Code Art. 1 Miscellaneous

The Council finds that:

(a) Street trees are of economic, environmental, and aesthetic importance to the City; and

(b) The City requires the planting of street trees as a part of subdivision developments and along streets to enhance the character of the City; and

(c) Street trees directly benefit the City residents by:

(1) Reducing erosion of the topsoil by breaking the summer winds;

(2) Reducing air pollution by producing oxygen from carbon dioxide;

(3) Increasing property values;

(4) Maintaining the ecological balance of the area;

(5) Providing shade and buffering noise and glare; and

(6) Providing energy conservation by the reduction of summer temperatures; and

(d) The health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens will best be served by regulating the removal, severe pruning, topping, and planting of street trees and encouraging the reforestation of areas in which street trees have been removed.

(1265-CS, Amended, 01/09/2020; Ord. 1344-CS, 6/25/2026)

For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:

(a)

"Director"

shall mean the Municipal Services Director or his or her designated representative.

(b)

"Street Tree Plan"

shall mean the officially adopted plan for the planting of certain varieties of trees in public rights-of-way, or planting easements.

(c)

"Planting easement"

shall mean an easement on private property of five feet in width along the frontage of the parcel for the purposes of planting and maintaining street trees.

(d)

"Parkway"

shall mean that portion of land within the public right-of-way between the curb or curb line and sidewalk.

(e)

"Street Tree List"

shall mean the list of street trees specified by resolution and approved for planting and maintenance as street trees.

(f)

"Maintenance" or "maintain"

shall mean and include pruning, spraying, watering, mulching, fertilizing, cultivating, supporting, treating for disease or injury, or any other similar act which promotes the life, growth, health, or beauty of street trees.

(g)

"Pruning"

shall mean the usual pruning, cutting, or thinning or otherwise the removal of branches, stems, and other parts of a tree.

(h)

"Person"

shall be defined as set forth in TMC § 1-3-13 and shall include a public utility company or similar entity.

(i)

"Property owner"

shall mean the owner of the real property, or the owner of the property adjacent to the right-of-way, on which the street tree is located or his authorized agent or representative.

(j)

“Trimming”

shall mean the minor cutting or removal of small branches or foliage for routine clearance or maintenance that does not materially alter the tree’s natural form, structure, health, or stability.

(Ord. 959-CS, Amended, 11/28/2000; 1265-CS, Amended, 01/09/2020; Ord. 1344-CS, 6/25/2026)