As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ABUTTER
One whose property touches or adjoins along a border, or with a projecting part, the property of another. The Village Board is the designated agency of the Village of Scottsville under whose jurisdiction the trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody plants on public property fall.
DRIPLINE
The area directly below the canopy of the tree out from the trunk to the greatest extent of the branches.
EVIDENCE OF TREE DECLINE
Including but not restricted to: large areas of dieback of the canopy, and poor live crown ratio (e.g., less than 30%), dead and decaying wood in trunk, sparse live canopy, substantial epicormic growth on branches and trunk, substantial insect attack, multiple areas of wood decay lesions in branches and trunk.
FORESTRY BOARD
The Forestry Board is created pursuant to General Municipal Law § 20. The Forestry Board shall be an advisory board to the Board of Trustees of the Village of Scottsville.
HIGHWAY
The entire width of every public way or right-of-way when part thereof is open to the use of the public, as a matter of right, for the purposes of vehicular, bicycle or pedestrian traffic.
LARGE TREES
Those species which habitually or at maturity attain a height of 45 feet or more.
MEDIUM TREES
Those species which habitually or at maturity attain a height of 30 to 45 feet.
NOTICE
A written or verbal announcement as given by authority of the Village.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, organization, or entity of any kind.
PROPERTY OWNER
The person owning such property within the Village of Scottsville, as shown by the Town of Wheatland Tax Assessor's records, unless proof to the contrary is available.
PUBLIC HAZARD
A condition of any tree, shrub, bush or other woody plant, or any substantial portion of a tree, shrub, bush or woody plant, which constitutes a hazard to life and property or harbors insects or disease which constitutes a potential threat to other trees, shrubs, bushes or woody plants within the Village.
PUBLIC PROPERTY
All property owned, leased, or occupied by the Village of Scottsville or any of its administrative agencies or departments.
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
The entire width between the dedicated boundaries of all public streets, roads, boulevards, alleys, and includes all sidewalks and public parking strips located within any such boundaries.
PUBLIC TREES
All trees, shrubs, bushes, and woody vegetation on public property, including Village parks and rights-of-way.
SMALL TREES
Those species which habitually or at maturity attain a height of 30 feet or less. Such trees shall be planted underneath where three-phase and single-phase electrical wires exist.
STREET
The entire width of every public way or right-of-way when part thereof is open to the use of the public, as a matter of right, for the purposes of vehicular, bicycle or pedestrian traffic.
STREET TREES
Trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation on land lying within public rights-of-way, streets, avenues, sidewalk, public ways, and public property within the Village.
SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF TREE HAZARD AND DECLINE
Including, but not restricted to: obvious instability of root plate, such as evidence of soil heave, loss of structural roots, root decay, poor structural integrity of trunk due to significant wood decay, large cavities, internal cracking, poor large branch attachments such as severe bark inclusions, poor attachment of regrowth after lopping and/or storm damage.
TOPPING
The severe cutting back of limbs to stubs larger than three inches in diameter within a tree's crown to such a degree as to remove the normal canopy and which disfigures the tree.
TREE AT MATURITY
A tree which is 25 to 35 years old.
UTILITY INSTALLATIONS
The physical apparatus which comprises, delivers, and supplies the following systems: gas, electric, water, cable television, internet, telephone, sanitary sewer, and stormwater.
VILLAGE
Shall refer to Village employees and/or elected officials with specific authority under this chapter.
WOODY VEGETATION
Trees, shrubs, plants, and any other vegetation with a woody stem.