§ 408-15. Dead or diseased tree removal on private property.

The City shall have the right to cause the removal of any dead or diseased trees on private property within the City when such trees constitute a hazard to public property or harbor diseases, fungus, insects or other pests which constitute a threat to the health of other trees within the City. The Community Forestry Working Group will notify, in writing, the owners of such trees. Removal shall be completed by said owners at their own expense within 30 days after the date of service of notice. In the event of failure of owners to comply with such provisions, the City shall have the authority to remove such trees and charge the cost of removal to the property owners, and those costs shall be a lien upon the property from which the trees were removed. Such costs shall be added to, and shall form a part of, the taxes and municipal charges to be assessed and levied upon the subject property and that sum total amount shall bear the same rate of interest as unpaid municipal taxes and shall be enforced in the same manner, including, without limitation, the manner that is set forth in Title 54 of the New Jersey statutes regarding the enforcement of unpaid municipal taxes, municipal liens and municipal charges.