Belmar Shade Tree Commission

Address

601 Main Street
Belmar, NJ 07719

County

Monmouth

Telephone

(732) 681-3700 x235

Email

ShadeTree@Belmar.com

Web Address

https://belmar.com/content.php?npid=68&npid1=84&pid=84&menu_id=20

Description

Duties of the Belmar Shade Tree Commission:

a. Exercise full and exclusive control over the regulation, planting and care of shade and ornamental trees and shrubbery now located, or which may hereafter be planted, in any public highway, park or parkway, except such as are excluded pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:64-10 in the Borough, including the planting, trimming, spraying, care and protection thereof;

b. Regulate and control the use of the ground surrounding the same, so far as may be necessary for their proper growth, care and protection;

c. Move or require the removal of any tree, or part thereof, dangerous to public safety;

d. Care for and control such parks and parkways; encourage arboriculture; make, alter, amend and repeal, in the manner prescribed for the passage, alteration, amendment and repeal of ordinances of the Borough Council, any and all ordinances necessary or proper for carrying out the provisions hereof:

e. Administer treatment to or remove any tree, situated upon private property, if the tree is believed to harbor a disease or insects readily communicable to neighbor-ing healthy trees in the care of the Borough and enter upon private property for that purpose, with the consent of the owner thereof, provided the suspected condition is first confirmed by certificate issued by or on behalf of the Department of Agriculture.

f. Study the problems and determine the needs of the Borough in connection with its shade tree program. Assist the properly constituted officials of the Borough, including the Mayor, Borough Council, and citizens of the Borough, in the dissemination of news and information regarding the selection, planting and maintenance of trees within the Borough, whether the same be on private or public property, and to make such recommendations as it may deem appropriate to the Mayor and Borough Council as to desirable legislation concerning the tree program and activities for the Borough.

g. Provide regular and special meetings as which the subject of trees insofar as it relates to the Borough may be discussed by the members of the Shade Tree Commission, officers and personnel of the Borough and its several divisions, and all others interested in the tree program.

h. Have the authority to promulgate the rules and regulations of the Arboricultural Specifications and Standards of Practice governing the planting, main-tenance, removal, fertilization, pruning, and bracing of trees on public areas in the Borough, and direct, regulate and control the planting, maintenance and removal of all trees growing now or hereafter in any public area of the Borough. The Shade Tree Com-mission, its designated agent, or a qualified alternate designated by the Mayor shall cause the provision of this Chapter to be enforced.

i. Formulate a Master Street Tree Plan, following a hearing and the approval of the Mayor and Council of the Borough. This Plan shall specify the species of tree to be planted on each of the streets or other public sites of the Borough. From and after the effective date of the adoption of the Master Street Tree Plan, or any amend-ment thereof, all planting shall conform thereto.

Consideration shall be taken of all existing and future utility and environmental factors when recommending a specific species for each of the streets and other public sites of the Borough.

j. Until such time as a Municipal Arborist is engaged by the Mayor and Borough Council, the Shade Tree Commission or its designated agent shall:

1. Supervise or inspect all work done under a Permit issued in accordance with the terms of this Chapter.

2. Affix reasonable conditions to the granting of a Permit in accordance with the terms of this Chapter.