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Mount Healthy council adopts ordinance to allow city removal of hazardous dead trees
Summary
The Mount Healthy City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance adding section 95.061 to the city code to authorize removal of dead trees and limbs and assessment of associated costs to property owners; council cited recent girdled trees and emphasized enforcement benefits.
The Mount Healthy City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance adding section 95.061 to the Mount Healthy Code of Ordinances to authorize the city to remove dead or hazardous trees and assess the expense to property owners.
City Manager Scott Bauer said the ordinance clarifies the city's authority to act when trees are a public-safety risk and described recent local examples that prompted the change, including two girdled trees on Warner and Madison streets that property owners subsequently removed. "This will just help give more teeth to property maintenance issues," Bauer said, describing the change as a way to make enforcement explicit.
The ordinance was presented as a second reading; Mr. Young moved to adopt and Mr. George seconded. The council took a roll-call vote and the ordinance was adopted unanimously.
Council members framed the measure as a tool to protect public safety and make clear the city's recourse when owners do not address hazardous vegetation. The council did not amend the ordinance during the meeting. The city manager said the measure is intended to streamline enforcement when a tree poses a safety hazard or a public-maintenance concern.
Next steps noted in the meeting: the city will apply the new code section in future property-maintenance enforcement; staff did not provide an implementation date beyond adoption and no funding appropriation was discussed on the record.
