Int. No. 1156
By Council Members King, Barron, Brewer, Chin, Dickens, Eugene, Gentile, James, Koo, Koppell, Palma, Richards, Williams, Wills, Mendez, Rose, Lander, Garodnick, Nelson, Rodriguez and Van Bramer
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the removal of trees downed as a result of a severe weather event.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 18 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 18-142 to read as follows:
§18-142 Tree removal protocol. a. The department, in consultation with the office of emergency management, department of sanitation and local electric corporations, shall develop a protocol for the removal of trees that have been downed or damaged as a result of weather or climate events. Such protocol shall require the department:
1. to establish effective means of communication with local electric corporations so that the department is notified in a timely manner of downed or damaged trees that have fallen on powered electrical wires or cables, and whether such trees are safe to be removed;
2. to effectively coordinate department personnel engaged in tree removal, including the office of emergency management and the department of sanitation, upon receiving information regarding the status of downed and damaged trees; and
3. to establish a system whereby each instance of downed or damaged trees is provided with a unique identifier or tracking number and a method to notify the electrical corporation when such downed or damaged tree has been removed.
b. the department shall publish such protocol on its website and submit a description of such protocol to the mayor and council by July first of each year.
§2. This local law shall take effect ninety days after its enactment.
KS
LS #4514
4/11/12