The owners of real estate situated in municipalities abutting upon public streets and avenues in the municipality shall have, subject to the lawful supervision of the municipality over its streets, such title to and right to property in
1. Growing trees situated in front of such real estate, but within the boundary line of the streets and avenues, and within the curb line; or
2. Parking and ornamental shrubbery planted and cultivated within the curb line of the streets and avenues;
so as to enable the owners, in case of wrongful injury or destruction of the trees, shrubbery or parking, to recover from the person or corporation causing the injury or destruction the full damages which the abutting property in front of which they are situated may sustain by reason thereof, notwithstanding the fee title to the land in such streets and avenues may not be in the owner of the abutting property. The abutting property owners shall also have, subject to the limitations provided in this section, the right of action in any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin wrongful injury to or destruction of the trees, shrubbery or parking. The necessary trimming of such trees or shrubbery to permit the proper stringing and passage of utility and other wires shall not be considered as a wrongful injury. Nothing in this section shall deprive the municipal governing body of the ordinary supervision of its streets, or of the right to direct, by proper ordinance, the manner of planting or cultivating such trees, shrubbery or parking, on the part of the street where they shall be so planted and cultivated, and from exercising reasonable supervision of the same, and causing them to be trimmed and grown in such manner as not to interfere with public travel upon the streets and sidewalks or other public use.
Laws 1977, c. 256, § 36-106, eff. July 1, 1978.