Street Trees, 



341 



Section i. Provides that in townships of the first class, and cities of the Com- 

 monwealth, there be appointed a commission of three freeholders, who shall serve 

 without compensation, and who shall have exclusive and absolute control of, and 

 power to plant, set out, remove, maintain, protect, and care for shade trees on any 

 of the public highways of their respective municipalities; the cost thereof to be 

 provided for in the manner hereinafter directed. Such commission to be known 

 and designated as the Shade Tree Commission, 



Section 2. Provides that it shall be optional with the governing body of any 

 municipality whether this act shall have effect and such commissioners shall 

 be appointed in such municipality; and when any such governing body shall by 

 resolution formally approve of this act and direct that such commissioners shall 

 be appointed, then, from that time, this act and all of its provisions shall be in 

 force and apply to such municipality, and such commissioners shall be appointed 

 for terms of three, four and five years, respectively; and on the expiration of any 

 term, the new appointment shall be made for five years, and any vacancy shall be 

 filled for the unexpired term only; and in cities, the said appointments shall be 

 made by the Mayor thereof; in townships by the commissioners, or by the chair- 

 man of the township committee. In towns and cities where a commission already 

 exists, the term and appointment of such Commission shall not be changed by this 

 act. Such Shade Tree Commission shall twice in each year report in full its trans- 

 actions and expenditures for the municipal fiscal year last ended. 



Section 3. Provides that when such commissions shall propose the setting out, 

 planting, and removing of any shade trees, or the material changing of the same 

 in any highway, they shall give public notice of the time and place appointed for 

 the meeting at which such contemplated work is to be considered, specifying in 

 detail the highways, or portions thereof, upon which trees are proposed to be 

 planted, removed, or changed, in one or more — not exceeding two in all — of the 

 newspapers published in said township or city, for at least two weeks prior to the 

 date of such meeting. 



Section 4. Provides that the cost of planting, transplanting, or removing of 

 any shade trees in any highway, and of suitable curbing, guards or grating for the 

 protection thereof, when necessary, and of the proper replacing of any pavement 

 or sidewalk necessarily disturbed in the doing of such work, shall be borne by the 

 owner of the real estate in front of which such trees are planted, and such amounts 

 as may be assessed to the different owners shall become liens upon the real estate 

 in front of which such work has been done and shall be collectible in the same 

 manner as the liens for taxes are now collectible against the property involved. 



Section 5 Provides that the cost and expense of caring for the trees after 

 having been planted and set out, and the expense of publishing the notices pro- 

 vided for in Section 3, shall be paid for by a general tax, to be levied annually in 

 the manner that taxes for the township, borough and city purposes are now levied, 

 such tax not to exceed the sum of one-tenth of one mill on the dollar on the assessed 

 valuation of the property. The needed amount each year shall be certified by the 

 Shade Tree Commission to the proper authorities charged with the assessment of 

 taxes in said township, etc,, and paid in the same manner as other taxes are paid. 



Section 6. Provides that the Shade Tree Commission shall have power to em- 

 ploy and pay superintendents, engineers, tree wardens, foresters, and other assist- 

 ants as its proper performance of duties shall require; and to make, publish, and 



