10-15-7 Street Trees

River Heights City encourages the planting of trees within city parking strips and near streets. A. Acceptable Trees: Only shade trees shall be planted in parking strips or planted within 5 feet adjacent to a city street. 1. The following classifications describe general shade tree characteristics appropriate for an available space. a. Class I Trees - These are small trees which normally do not reach a height or spread greater than 25 feet with a small trunk diameter. They are authorized for planting in parking strips that are a minimum of four feet wide. Typical spacing between Class I trees is twenty-five feet. Many Class I trees are small enough to be planted beneath overhead utility lines. b. Class II Trees - This group consists of medium sized trees which may reach a height of 40 to 70 feet, a moderate trunk diameter and a spread of 15 to 40 feet. These trees are not for planting under power lines or in parking strips less than six feet wide. Typical spacing between Class II trees is thirty to forty feet. c. Class III Trees - Many of these trees are long-lived and attain a height of 50 to 90 feet, a large trunk diameter and a spread of 30 to 70 feet. When selecting a tree from this class, there must be ample room to accommodate it at maturity. These trees are not for planting under power lines or parking strips less than 10 feet wide. Typical spacing between Class III trees is 40-60 feet. 2. In most instances, Class I Trees are the most appropriate for parking strips in River Heights. In all cases, root barriers are recommended. No trees will be allowed in parking strips which are less than 4 feet in width. No trees shall be planted within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. 3. NOTE: The River Heights Tree Selection and Planting Guide brochure contains a list of trees within each class that are appropriate for our climate. This brochure is available at the City Office. B. Tree Placement within a Parking Strip: Trees shall be planted in the central space between the sidewalk and the curb or roadway to allow the maximum amount of growing space and reduce the potential for damage to sidewalks and curbs. C. Trees Prohibited within Parking Strips or Near a City Street: The planting of fruit or nut-bearing trees shall be prohibited in parking strips and within 5 feet adjacent to a city street. A list of trees prohibited for planting along streets or within park strips is found in the River Heights Tree Selection and Planting Guide brochure. D. Inorganic Mulch at Street Trees: Because rock, gravel and other hard surface materials as ground cover retain and emit heat during the summer months when water is scarce, it is recommended they not be used within a thirty-sixinch (36”) radius/seventy-two-inch (72”) diameter of any street tree, unless an operable irrigation system is provided. (6-2023, 10-3-23) E. Parking Strip Tree Maintenance: The immediately adjacent property owner is responsible for watering, pruning, and maintaining trees located in city parking strips. F. Maintenance of Trees Near Sidewalks and Streets: Pruning trees is required so that any overhang is at least seven feet (7’) above the elevation of the adjoining sidewalk or and fourteen feet (14’) above street to keep a clear view and not interfere with service vehicles. (2-2019, 5-28-19) (1-2023, 3-2123) G. Parking Strip Tree Remediation or Removal for Public Safety or Interference of Storm Water Drainage: 1. Damages to pavement, curb, and gutter, or sidewalk, or interference with storm water drains or sanitary sewer mains by park strip trees will result in remediation or, if remediation is insufficient, removal of said tree. The city and/or property owner will first submit a remediation design proposal to the city tree board and city engineer. Remediation may include but is not limited to the following: a. The removal of damaging tree roots and the placement of a root barrier adjacent to the replaced or repaired sidewalk, curb, or road structure. b. The raising of the adjacent sidewalk grade over the damaging tree roots. c. Reinforcing new concrete with rebar or welded wire mesh, so roots must lift several concrete slabs at once to not cause damage. d. Shave or grind the concrete to correlate with a contiguous slab. e. The pruning or removal of hazardous tree branches. 2. Remediation efforts must always consider tree health and maturity. Remediation efforts that will potentially weaken a tree such that the health of the tree will be compromised, or the tree becomes a risk for falling will not be considered. 3. To obtain assistance from the City, property owners must submit a request to the City Office to remediate or remove a parking strip tree. On a case-by-case basis, the City will consider the following factors in reviewing and prioritizing applications: a. Effects on public safety b. Effects on storm water drainage c. City budget ability 4. If remediation efforts have been exhausted or failed, The City reserves the right to remediate or remove trees from city parking strips at any time to preserve public safety or proper storm water drainage. (3-2008, 9-2308) (6-2022, 6-21-22)