What is the Street Tree Program?

The City of Montgomery has been awarded Tree City USA status by the National Arbor Day Foundation every year since 1997.

As part of its efforts to maintain both the City’s Tree City status and the many benefits provided by a healthy urban forest, effective December 1, 2009, the City of Montgomery is offering the Street Tree Program to provide a street tree to property owners for a $150 co-pay.

The co-pay covers a portion of the cost of the tree and the labor for planting it in the public right-of-way.

Street Tree Program For Planting Trees in Public Right-of-Way

Street Tree applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.  When the annual Street Tree Program budget has been exhausted, applications will be held for future consideration.

Each property owner may request one street tree per year; if the property frontage permits planting of more than one street tree, a second tree may be requested and may be approved, subject to the annual Street Tree Program budget and demand for the program by other residents.

All decisions regarding the Street Tree Program are at the discretion of the Public Works Director or his designee. This may include, but is not limited to, location for planting, species, size, timing of planting, and replacement of trees.

What the City will do:

1. Review the property owner’s selection of tree species. Species must be appropriate for the size of the tree lawn and must not interfere with utilities or traffic sight lines.
2. Purchase and plant the tree in the public right-of-way at an appropriate time for planting.
3. Provide the property owner with tree care instructions. Should the tree die within one year of the planting date, the City will replace it with a tree of comparable size and species to the one planted initially. One replacement tree may be requested per application.

What the property owner is responsible for:

1. Submit an application along with the $150 co-pay, requesting a street tree
2. Select a recommended species based on the conditions in the public right-of-way.
3. After the tree is planted in the public right-of-way by the City, it must be maintained in accordance with the City’s Tree Manual (available at City Hall). Care includes (but is not limited to) watering, pruning, properly maintaining, and mulching. Specific care instructions will be provided at the time of planting.

Definitions:

Urban Forest

All trees, shrubs, and vegetation on public property within the municipality, including the public right-of-way, easements dedicated to the City of Montgomery, street medians, public parks, landscaped municipal properties, nature preserves and undeveloped lands owned by the City of Montgomery.

Street Trees

Trees that abut a street or public place for which the planting site and trunk are located within the public right-of-way.

Public Right-of-Way

A public easement that extends from the street into a portion of the property on either side of that street or roadway.

Tree Lawn

That portion of the property lying between the edge of the public right-of-way and the edge of the paved street.

Any further questions, contact Mike Rogers by email or by phone at 513-792-8318.

Street Tree Program Application