Purpose. No person shall maintain, plant or permit to remain on any
private or public premises situated at the intersection of two or
more roads, streets and alleys in the Town of Vinland any hedge, tree,
shrub or other growth which may obstruct the view of the operator
of any motor vehicle or pedestrian approaching such intersection.
Traffic visibility. On a corner parcel, no fence, wall hedge, planting
or structure shall be erected, placed or allowed to grow in such a
manner as to obstruct vision between a height of 2 1/2 feet and
10 feet above the center-line grades of the intersecting streets in
the area bounded by the street lines of such corner parcels and a
line joining the points along said street lines 25 feet from the point
of intersection. In the case of arterial streets intersecting with
other arterial streets or railways, the corner cutoff distances establishing
the triangular vision clearance space shall be increased to 50 feet.
Obstruction of signs. It is unlawful for any person to plant, cause
to grow, allow to grow or maintain any trees, bushes, shrubbery or
vegetation of any kind which is an obstruction to clear and complete
vision of any traffic sign in the Town. It shall be the duty of every
owner of such tree, brush, shrubbery or vegetation to remove such
obstruction.
Abatement procedure. Any shrub, tree or other plant which obstructs
the view at an intersection or the view of a traffic sign shall be
deemed to be dangerous to public travel, and the Town Clerk shall
notify the property owner in writing, describing the conditions, stating
the steps necessary to correct the conditions, and establishing a
reasonable time within which the corrective steps shall be taken.
In the event that effective steps are not taken within the time specified,
it shall be lawful for the Town to abate these conditions to the extent
necessary to assure compliance with the foregoing requirements, and
the costs thereof shall be assessed to the owner.
Removal of fallen trees. If any trees fall from adjacent land into
any highway, the owner or occupant of the land shall immediately remove
the tree from the highway. If the tree is not removed by the property
owner following notice from the Town, the Town may remove from any
highway any fallen tree or trees therein and charge the cost thereof
to the property owner pursuant to § 66.0627, Wis. Stats.
Planting trees and shrubs in highway. Any person owning or occupying
land adjoining any highway may, with the approval of the Town Board,
plant, cultivate and maintain trees, shrubs or hedges on the side
of the highway contiguous to and within 10 feet of his land. Such
trees, shrubs or hedges shall be cut or removed only by the owner
or occupant of the abutting land or by the public authority having
control of the highway.
Cutting or injuring trees on highway. No person shall cut down, break,
girdle, bruise the bark or in any other manner injure any public or
private trees, shrubs or hedges growing within the highway, except
the owner thereof or the public authority maintaining the highway
may cut down, trim or remove trees, shrubs and hedges for the purpose
of and conducive to the benefit and improvement of the owner's land
or the highway facility. When it is necessary for trees in a road
right-of-way to be removed, the adjacent property owner shall have
a right of first refusal to have the wood.
No person shall, without the consent of the owner in the case of
a private tree or shrub, or without written permission from the Town
Board in the case of a public tree or shrub, do or cause to be done
by others any of the following acts:
Permit any toxic chemical, gas, smoke, oil or other injurious substance
to seep, drain or be emptied upon or about any tree or shrub, or place
cement or other solid substance around the base of the same.
Remove any guard, stake or other device or material intended for
the protection of a public tree or shrub, or close or obstruct any
open space about the base of a public tree or shrub designed to permit
access of air, water and fertilizer.
Attach any sign, poster, notice and other object on any tree, or
fasten any guy wire, cable, rope, nails, screws or other device to
any tree; except that the Town may tie temporary "no parking" signs
to trees when necessary in conjunction with street improvement work,
tree maintenance work or parades.
All trees on any parkway or other publicly owned property near an
excavation or construction of any building, structure or street work
shall be sufficiently guarded and protected by those responsible for
such work as to prevent any injury to said trees.[1]