ZBRRA

Street tree management

March 30th, 2009

 

7.1        PRUNING
 
 

  • Parks Department be responsible for the management of street tree maintenance.

  • Street trees will not be topped for view.

  • Pollarding is not an acceptable technique for street tree management. Where trrees have been pollarded in the past, and the health of the tree requires it, further pollarding will be carried out until the tree is replaced.

  • All applications to plant or remove and modify street trees must be in writing, so that

  • Council has a permanent record of the application.

  • It is essential that trees are pruned periodically to :

  •  Remove dead and/or diseased wood;

  • maintain the shape of the tree in an acceptable and safe condition;

  •  provide adequate clearance for motor vehicles to travel safely past;

  • Remove branches interfering with powerlines to reduce the likelihood of outages caused by branches touching the lines.

     

 
7.2        Removal
 
7.2.1     Council will consider the following issues when make decisions about street tree nuisances. Trees will only be removed if one of the following conditions pertain:
 
Any actual or potential danger to people’s life or health or applicant’s property, in terms of :
 
  •  Tree is dead, diseased or decayed;
  •  
  • is a hazard to any pedestrian or motorist in as much as the pedestrian has to walk in a carriageway or the motorist’s vision is obscured;  
  •  tree is causing structural damage to a property and root pruning has proved to be ineffective in overcoming the problem.
  •  
  •   location of the tree is inappropriate, given potential size and growth habit; or 
  •  where tree is part of a close planting of trees, and removal will allow other trees to develop fully. 
7.2.2     Every effort should be made to adjust planned development to preserve street trees wherever possible, but should this not be possible, the cost of removal of any trees shall be shared equally by the Municipality and developer/resident.
 
7.2.3     When street tress are required to be removed to permit the development of roads, for the provision of services or for the development of property and in the event of the Director : Parks objection to any removal, a report shall be submitted to the Council for consideration by the initiator of the removal request.
 
7.2.4     In considering undue interference by street trees, Municipality will consider the following factors :
 
The interests of the public in the maintenance of an aesthetically pleasing environment for the city.
 
  The desirability of protecting publicly owned trees.
 
The value of the tree as a public amenity.
 
 The historical, cultural or scientific significance of the tree.
 
The likely effect of the removal of the tree on ground stability, water table, energy use, wildlife habitat, airborne pollution, property values and airborne pollutants.
 

7.2.5     Physical works on eThekwini Municipality owned trees will be carried out by approved contractors or trained officials.
 

 

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