Property owners: Be diligent, don't create hazards for Mitchell drivers

The welcome signs of summer are here: flowers are in bloom and the trees are full and covered in foliage. While we welcome these wonderful sights of summer we must also be aware of some dangers that arise from summer’s arrival.

Each property owner must be diligent in ensuring that their trees and bushes are not creating a hazard for drivers. Property owners should be aware of City Ordinances including the following:

City Code Sec. 37-11: Trees hedge, bushes and shrubbery near street intersection height limitation. No person, firm or corporation shall plant, maintain or permit to grow any tree, hedge, bush or shrubbery of any kind which has a mature growing height if greater than 24 inches within the triangle formed by the adjacent side lines of two intersecting streets and the line joining points distant 35 feet on each side line from their point of intersection. Any tree, hedge, bush or shrubbery planted or growing within the above defined triangle exceeding 24 inches in height is declared a public nuisance and hazard to public safety and shall be subject to summary abatement by the city by removal.

City Code Sec. 37.5: Types of street trees permitted; variety and spacing of trees to be approved by Park Board. Trees used for street tree planting shall be hackberry, American Linden or Basswood species; Hard Maple species; Oak species; Thornless Honey Locust; any species of Ash or other tree approved by the park board. The variety of such trees to be so planted and the spacing thereof in planting shall be subject to the approval of the Park Board.

City Code Sec. 37.6: Size of street trees. No street trees planted shall measure less than one inch in diameter of trunk one foot above the ground.

City Code Sec. 37.2: Trimming trees generally. The occupant or owner of any premises abutting upon any street shall keep all trees so trimmed that they comply with the specifications of the park board.

The City of Mitchell’s Traffic Division will be inspecting the intersections and roadways throughout the summer to ensure safety for those traveling the roadways.

Please be proactive and trim trees and bushes that are in violation, as the potential dangers of blocked traffic signs and intersections can be deadly.

It is through the cooperation of our property owners that we can keep drivers and pedestrians safe and on the road to summer fun.

Dick Figland is a traffic specialist for the city of Mitchell.

Tags: guest editorials, mitchell property owners, driver hazards, dick figland, opinion