[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township
of East Brunswick on 9-24-90 as Ord. No. 90-55. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
STREET TREES — Trees, shrubs, bushes, and all other woody vegetation
located in the public right-of-way along all streets, avenues, and
medians within the Township of East Brunswick.
B.
PARK TREES — Trees, shrubs, bushes, and all woody vegetation
located in parks, reservations, open space areas, and public purpose
areas owned by the Township of East Brunswick.
A.
The Division of Parks is responsible for the planting, maintenance,
and management of Street trees and Park trees located within the Township
of East Brunswick as defined in Chapter 3-59 of the Township Code.
It shall be the policy of the Township to maintain and preserve
all existing Street trees and Park trees within the Township. Only
upon an Act of God or the consensus of the Division of Parks personnel
may a Street tree or Park tree be removed.
A.
Trees that are heaving sidewalks and curbs will have the roots in
question "ground down" by the Parks Division at the property owners
request. The responsibility and cost to repair the sidewalks, if necessary,
will be at the property owners expense.
Additional precautions may be implemented to insure that sidewalk
and curb problems will not reoccur. Examples would be realignment
of the walk itself and the installation of root retardant fabric.
B.
Trees that are interfering with vehicular traffic and/or pedestrian
flow will be placed on a maintenance schedule to be pruned.
B.
Safety and Welfare.
1.
A tree in which the area it is located in is deemed unsafe due to
its interference with vehicular sight distance (refer to AASHTO standard).
2.
The area provided for growth is such that the potential after all
reasonable and practical preservation techniques have been considered,
is insufficient and presents a hazard to the health and welfare of
the community.
3.
The extent of roots which must be removed in order to correct sidewalk
heaving is such that the tree would become a potential hazard.
C.
The tree severely interferes with the growth and development of a
more desirable tree.
A.
The Township shall attempt to replace all trees removed in the proximate
location through the annual appropriations for shade trees unless:
B.
If trees cannot be placed in the right-of-way for any of the above
they may be planted on the residents side of the sidewalk under the
following conditions:
1.
No other location is feasible.
2.
The approval by the Planning Department and Parks Division is granted.
3.
The property owner is in agreement.
4.
The area between the sidewalk and curb is less than 72".
5.
The area provides ample space for full development of tree.
6.
The property owner agrees to sign a right-of-entry agreement and
assumes maintenance responsibilities for the tree.
C.
Distance from Utilities and Site Structures:
Street Trees shall be planted no closer than 10' to any
driveway, fire hydrant, or utility pole.
D.
Spacing:
The spacing between street trees will be in accordance with
the three species size classes listed in appendix A of this policy.
No trees may be planted closer together than the following; small
trees 30'; medium trees 40', and large trees 50'; except
in special plantings designed or approved by a landscape Architect.
E.
Property owners are prohibited from planting street trees in the
Township right-of-way.
F.
The size of replacement trees will be a minimum of 1 1/2" -
1 3/4" in caliper, bare root material.
A.
All new plantings will be paid for and installed by the developer
and held under bond for a period of two (2) years after the date of
installation, (Performance Bond release) guaranteeing survival.
B.
Location of all said trees will follow standards created by the Planning
Department (refer to appendix).
C.
Species of all new plantings and replacement plants will be selected
upon the approved plant list provided by the Planning Department (Refer
to Appendix).
D.
The size of all new plantings will be a minimum of 2 to 2.5 inch
caliper, 12' to 14' in height, balled and burlapped.
E.
Developer shall be responsible to install root growth barrier fabric
along curb line and sidewalk at each planting site.
F.
All trees shall be planted outside the right-of-way, on private property,
no closer than 6' from any curb, pavement, or sidewalk.
Editor's Note: The Appendix is included as an attachment to this chapter.
