CITY OF NEWTON
IN BOARD OF ALDERMEN
ORDINANCE V -
March , 1996
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
OF THE CITY OF NEWTON AS FOLLOWS:

That the Revised Ordinances of the City of Newton, 1995, be and are hereby amended as follows:

Add the following Article III to Section 21 of the Revised Ordinances:
Article 111, Urban Tree Commission §§ 21-60 through 21-62.

Section 21-60 Establishment and purpose.

There is hereby established the urban tree commission shall be to advise and assist the tree

warden in carrying out his duties and responsibilities.  The purpose of the urban tree

commission shall be to advise the tree warden, the mayor, the board of aldermen and the

general public on all matters concerning public trees, including but not limited to, the

selection of trees for planting, planting and pruning of trees, the treatment of disease,

 and the preservation and regular maintenance of trees.

('noss reference: Tree wardcn, Chapter 21.  Am 1. Section 21.1

Section 21-61 Powers and duties.

(a)   The commission shall issue a city tree maintenance manual which Shall set forth the

standards for planting and maintaining all public shade trees in the city and which shall

also set forth the general policies in regard to those trees.  The commission shall regularly

 revise and distribute the tree maintenance manual and review the implementation of the

practices and policies it enunciates.

(b)   The commission shall annually review the needs of various geographical areas of the

city for the planting and replacement of trees and shall recommend priorities based on the

annual review to the tree warden and superintendent of urban forestry or such other municipal

officials as may hereafter be assigned the duties of tree warden and superintendent of urban

forestry,


(c)   Whenever a hearing is required to be held in regard to cutting down or removal of a tree,

 the commission may offer written recommendation(s) to the tree warden.

(d) Whenever the tree warden prepares an impact statement on the effect of any construction

project on existing trees or the ability to plant trees in that area ill the future, the tree

commission may submit its advice as part of a submission to appropriate city agencies and/or

to the board of aldermen for its review of the projects .

Section 21-62 Composition and organization.

(a) The commission shall consist of twelve (12) voting members who shall serve for three year

terms in accordance with Section 2-8 of these Revised Ordinances. Ten (10) members shall be

appointed by the mayor in accordance with Section 3-3of the Charter.  The commissioner of parks

 and recreation, in his capacity as tree warden, or such other municipal official as may

hereafter be assigned the duties of tree warden, shall serve, ex officio, as the eleventh

voting member.  The superintendent of urban forestry, or such other municipal official as may

 hereafter be assigned the duties of the superintendent of urban forestry, shall serve, ex

officio, as the twelfth voting member Three (3) of the initial appointees shall serve for a

term of one year; three (3) of the initial appointees shall serve for a term of two years; and

four (4) of the initial appointees shall serve for a term of three years.

(b)     Members of the commission, so far as practicable, shall be selected so as to provide

representation of citizens with expertise or interest in the preservation and care of trees,

Consistent with this requirement, whenever a vacancy occurs on the commission, the commission

shall offer a list of prospective members for the mayor's consideration in making appointments.

FURTHER, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

In making the initial appointees to the urban tree commission, the board of aldermen
requests that the mayor consider any active members of the urban tree task force who wish to

be appointed, it being the will of the board of aldermen that the urban tree commission be

 established as the successor to the urban tree task force.  The board of aldermen also re

quests that the mayor also consider appointing any such members of the urban tree task

force to the longest terms of office available prior to appointing person who are not

currently serving on the urban tree task force.