The Governing Body desires to promote public health, safety and welfare by requiring the proper location, maintenance and removal of trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation on property adjacent to any street, avenue, or alley in order to prevent a blighting influence and unsightly and hazardous conditions to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Except as provided in Section 14‑618 below, it shall be the responsibility of property owners adjacent to any street, avenue or alley to maintain trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation on their property and on the public right‑of‑way adjacent to the owner’s property in accordance with the following provisions.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

It shall be unlawful for the owner of the property abutting or adjacent to any street, avenue, alley or road:

(a)   To permit the branches and limbs of any trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation on the owner’s property or on the public right-of-way adjacent to the owner’s property to hang down lower than nine (9) feet over any sidewalk or lower than 14 feet over any street, alley or avenue, or to encroach within three (3) feet from the back of curb or edge of any public roadway.

(b)   To permit any dead or diseased trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation to remain standing in or lying upon the streets, alleys, avenues, public rights-of-way or private property.

(c)   To maintain or permit any trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation to obstruct the view of drivers of vehicles entering a street from an intersecting street.

(d)   To permit and maintain any trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation which is in an unsafe condition, or which by reason of its nature is injurious to sewer lines, electric power lines, gas lines, water lines, or other public improvements, or is affected with any injurious fungus, insect or other pest.

(e)   To permit and maintain any dead or broken trees or branches, or diseased and infested trees within the corporate limits of the City, which have become dangerous to public safety, to the occupants or to other trees and shrubs located on private or public property and are hereby declared to be and constitute a public nuisance.

(f)   To top any street tree, park tree, or other tree on public property. Topping is defined as the severe cutting back of limbs to stubs larger than three (3) inches in diameter within the tree’s crown to such a degree so as to remove the normal canopy and disfigure the tree. Trees severely damaged by storms or other cause, or certain trees under utility wires or other obstructions where other pruning practices are impractical are exempted from this Section.

(g)   For trees located on public property or public rights-of-way, no owner shall intentionally damage, cut, carve, transplant, remove, attach any rope, wire, nails, advertising poster or other contrivance, or allow any fire, gaseous liquid or solid substance which is harmful to come in contact with such trees.

(Ord. 2163; Code 2014; Ord. 2413)

When used in this Article, the term “Enforcement Officer” means that officer or officers of the City designated by the City Manager or otherwise charged with the responsibility of administering and/or enforcing the provisions of this Article and his or her assistants.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

The Enforcement Officer shall make inquiry and inspection of premises upon receiving a complaint or complaints, or upon a routine inspection when he or she observes conditions which appear to constitute a violation of this Article. Upon making any inquiry and inspection, the Enforcement Officer shall make a written report of findings.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

The Enforcement Officer shall have the right of access and entry upon private property for the purpose of making inquiry and inspection to determine if a violation of this Article exists. The Enforcement Officer, and the Enforcement Officer’s authorized assistants, employees, contracting agents or other representatives are hereby expressly authorized to enter upon private property at all reasonable hours for the purpose of cutting, trimming and/or removing such violations in a manner not inconsistent with this Article.

(Ord. 1450; Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

It shall be unlawful for any person to interfere with or to attempt to prevent the Enforcement Officer or the Enforcement Officer’s authorized representative from entering upon any such lot or piece of ground or from proceeding with such cutting, trimming and/or removal. Such interference shall constitute a code violation.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

Any owner found by the Enforcement Officer to be in violation of any provisions of this Article shall be served a notice of such violation. The notice shall be served in one of the following ways:

(a)   Certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested;

(b)   Personal service upon the person or resident agent for service.

(c)   Service by First Class Mail which contains a certificate of mailing showing proof of mailing to the owner in violation; or

(d)   In the event the whereabouts of such owner are unknown and the same cannot be ascertained in the exercise of reasonable diligence, an affidavit to that effect shall be made by the Enforcement Officer and filed with the City Clerk, and a serving of the notice shall be made by publishing the same once each week for two (2) consecutive weeks in the official City newspaper and by posting a copy of the notice on the premises where such condition exists.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

The notice shall state the condition(s) which is (are) in violation. The notice shall also inform the owner that:

(a)   The owner shall have ten (10) days from the date of serving the notice to abate the unlawful condition(s) or within five (5) days if determination is made that condition poses a hazard to public safety; or

(b)   The owner shall have ten (10) days from the date of serving the notice to request a hearing before the Governing Body of the matter as provided by Section 14‑611;

(c)   Failure to abate the condition(s) or to request a hearing within the time allowed may result in any or all of the following: a failed re-inspection fee; prosecution in the Municipal Court; and abatement of the condition(s) by the City as provided by Section 14‑622.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

Any owner found in violation under this Code of a like or substantially similar violation within 12 months after a conviction in a court of competent jurisdiction shall be served a Complaint and Notice to Appear in Municipal Court without the requirement to send notifications as stated in Section 14-607.

(Ord. 2413)

It shall be the duty of the owners of any adjacent private property upon which any violation of this Article may be located to cause the violation to be promptly abated. All dead and dying trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation shall not be left standing or lying on the ground, but shall promptly be removed.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

If a hearing is requested within the 10-day period as provided in Section 14-608, such request shall be made in writing to the City Clerk. Failure to make a timely request for a hearing shall constitute a waiver of the person’s right to contest the findings of the Enforcement Officer before the Governing Body. The hearing shall be held by the Governing Body as soon as possible after the filing of the request therefore, and the person shall be advised by the City of the time and place of the hearing at least five (5) days in advance thereof. At any such hearing, the person may be represented by counsel, and the person and the City may introduce such witnesses and evidence as is deemed necessary and proper by the Governing Body. The hearing need not be conducted according to the formal rules of evidence. Upon conclusion of the hearing, the Governing Body shall record its determination in the official meeting minutes of the Governing Body.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

(a)   Owner – Any person, agent, firm or corporation having legal or equitable interest in the property; or recorded in the official records of the State, County or municipality as holding the title to the property; or otherwise having control of the property, including guardian of the estate of any such person, and the executor or administrator of the estate of such person if ordered to take possession of real property by a court.

(b)   Park Trees – Trees, shrubs, bushes and all other woody vegetation in public parks, and all areas owned by the City, or to which the public has free access as a park.

(c)   Person – An individual, corporation, partnership or any other group that acts as a unit.

(d)   Street Trees – Trees on the public right-of-way or immediately adjacent to any public street, avenue or right-of-way within the City.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

The following list constitutes the official street tree species for the City. No species other than those included in this list may be planted as street trees without written permission of the Bonner Beautiful Commission.

Trees, shrubs, bushes, and all woody vegetation to be planted in parks and other City owned property or to which the public has free access shall be proposed by City staff and approved by the Bonner Beautiful Commission,

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

The spacing of street trees will be in accordance with the three (3) species size classes listed in Section 14‑613 and no trees may be planted closer together than the following: small trees, thirty (30) feet; medium trees, forty (40) feet; and large trees, fifty (50) feet; except Eastern White Pines, thirty (30) feet and Cannaertii Junipers, fifteen (15) feet. This regulation shall not apply to Oak Street.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

The distance trees may be planted from curbs or curb lines and sidewalks shall comply to the following: small trees ‑‑ four (4) feet from any curb or curbing, and no closer than two (2) feet from any City sidewalk (=6’ median); medium trees ‑‑ six (6) feet from any curb or curbing and no closer than four (4) feet from any City sidewalk (=10’ median); large trees ‑‑ ten (10) feet from any curb or curbing, and no closer than six (6) feet from any City sidewalk (=16’ median). This regulation shall not apply to Oak Street.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

No street tree shall be planted closer than thirty (30) feet of any street corner, measured from the point of nearest intersecting curbs or curb lines. No street trees shall be planted closer than 15 feet of any fireplug. This regulation shall not apply to Oak Street.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

No street trees other than those species listed as small trees in Section 14‑613 may be planted under or within ten (10) lateral feet of any overhead utility wire, or over or within six (6) lateral feet of any underground water line, sewer line, transmission line or other utility.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

(a)   The Governing Body shall have the right to designate certain areas within the City in which the City will assume responsibility for pruning, maintenance and removal of trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation within the public right‑of‑way that have been planted under the Bonner Beautiful Commission Tree Planting Program as follows:

(1)   Nettleton Avenue from Elm to Sheidley;

(2)   Front Street — south side from K‑7 bridge to Scheidt Lane;

(3)   Nettleton and K‑7 interchange;

(4)   K‑7 and K‑32 interchange;

(5)   Morse Avenue from K‑7 bridge to Cornell;

(6)   Cedar Street from Front to Nettleton;

(7)   Kansas Avenue from K‑7 to just west of 612 S. 130th Street, south side only;

(8)   Elm Street from Second to Nettleton bordering City parking lots only;

(9)   Oak Street from Nettleton to Front;

(10) Second Street from Cedar to Elm;

(11) Third Street from Cedar to Elm;

(12) Pratt from 138th to Twist, south side only;

(b)   The adjacent property owners shall have no responsibility for maintenance of trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation planted by the City on the public right‑of‑way in any area so designated above, but shall remain responsible for trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation located upon the owner’s adjacent private property that may overhang the public right‑of‑way and within the right‑of‑way not planted by the City.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

The provisions of this Article regarding the planting of new trees, shall not apply to those existing trees, planted prior to the effective date of this code.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

All stumps of street and park trees shall be removed below the surface of the ground so that the top of the stump shall not project above the surface of the ground.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

(a)   The violation of any provision of this Article shall be deemed a Class C misdemeanor. Should any owner violate any of the regulations of this Article, and fail to comply with the notice to abate the violation(s) or request a hearing within the time allowed, the Enforcement Officer may file a complaint in the Municipal Court of the City against such owner. Upon conviction of any violation of provisions of this Article, the violator shall be fined in an amount not to exceed $500. Each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues after notice has been served shall constitute an additional or separate offense.

(b)   Re-inspection Fees. If any owner fails to abate a violation by the stated re-inspection date, the owner or agent will be charged a failed re-inspection fee for each unabated violation. Additionally, if a Notice to Appear is issued to the owner, a failed pre-court inspection fee will be charged for each and every court appearance. Payment is due within 30 days following receipt of the notice to pay and if not received, the costs will be assessed according to 14-624.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

(a)   In addition to, or as an alternative to prosecution as provided in Section 14-621, the Enforcement Officer may seek to remedy violations of this Article in the following manner. If a person to whom a notice has been sent has neither alleviated the conditions causing the alleged violation nor requested a hearing before the Governing Body within the time periods specified pursuant to 14-608, the Enforcement Officer may authorize the City or its authorized agent to trim cut or remove the violation and assess the cost, including a reasonable administrative cost, against the owner of the property.

(b)   The owner of the property will be given notice with an opportunity to pay the assessment, and, if not paid, it will be added to the property as a special assessment.

(c)   If there is a change in the record owner of title to property subsequent to the giving of notice pursuant to this Section, the City may not recover any costs or levy an assessment for the costs incurred by the trimming, cutting or removal of trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation on such property unless the new record owner of title to such property is provided notice as required by this Section.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

(a)   Any trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation standing or growing on, in or over any street, alley, avenue or public right‑of‑way of the City may be cut or trimmed by employees or by contractor of the City acting under the supervision of the Code Enforcement Officer when the same shall interfere with or be an obstruction to public travel thereon or to the other public uses or when the trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation shall be or become dangerous to public safety. All the cutting or trimming shall be done in a manner as not to unduly injure or destroy the tree, shrub, vine or hedge and no branches or parts thereof shall be removed which do not actually interfere with or obstruct the street or public way, unless the same shall be deemed imminently hazardous and likely to injure the public by falling on the traveled portions of any public way, including sidewalks.

(b)   If the owner or occupant of private premises after notice, and opportunity to be heard, as set out in Sections 14‑608 and 14‑611 herein, shall fail or refuse to abate such nuisance within the time specified in the notice, the City shall cause such nuisance to be abated and have the actual cost charged to and collected from the owner or occupant of such property in the manner set out in Section 14‑624 herein.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

If the City abates the violation pursuant to Section 14-622 and 14-623, the City shall give notice to the owner by First Class or certified mail of the total cost of the abatement or removal incurred by the City and/or the failed re-inspection fee pursuant to Section 14-621(b). The notice shall also state that payment of the cost is due and payable within thirty (30) days following receipt of the notice. The cost for abatement shall be determined by a compilation of personnel hours necessary to complete the work, equipment hours and a $25 administration fee. If the cost of the removal or abatement and/or failed re-inspection fee is not paid within the 30-day period, the costs shall be collected by any of the following:

(a)   Under provisions outlined in K.S.A. 12-1,115, and amendments thereto;

(b)   The cost of removal or abatement and any failed re-inspection fee may be charged against the lot or parcel of ground on which the violation was located. The City Clerk shall, at the time of certifying other taxes to the County Clerk, certify the costs as provided in this Section. The County Clerk shall extend the same on the tax roll and it shall be collected by the County Treasurer and paid to the City as other City taxes are collected and paid;

(c)   Uncollected abatement costs and failed re-inspection fees may be collected through the Kansas State Set-off Program or another collection agency.

(Ord. 2163; Ord. 2413)

Pursuant to the authority of Charter Ordinance No. 29, the Enforcement Officer or other City employee as designated by the City Manager shall have the authority to issue Notices to Appear for violations of this Article.

(Ord. 2413)