Colwood has taken the first step in developing a new bylaw aimed at providing clear rules on when trees may be removed within the city.

At a regular council meeting March 27, council unanimously approved a motion by Coun. Cynthia Day calling on council to adopt a tree protection bylaw to ensure all trees covered under the cityB次元官网网址檚 existing urban forest bylaw are protected.

The bylaw would ensure permits to remove such trees would only be issued when removal is required to construct principal buildings, when the tree is dead or dying, when the tree is within two metres of a buildingB次元官网网址檚 foundation, or when the tree is an invasive species.

The bylaw would also allow for permits to be issued when it is not possible to mitigate or avoid impacts on structures, persons or property, infrastructure or that would pose a wildfire hazard.

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Day told council a key element of the bylaw would be a requirement permit applicants must provide professional reports from arborist when the treeB次元官网网址檚 health is at issue and other qualified professionals when infrastructure or structure risk is at issue, at the applicantB次元官网网址檚 expense.

B次元官网网址淭he current process has been that when a permit application is received, itB次元官网网址檚 more or less automatically approved based on the processes followed,B次元官网网址� said Day. B次元官网网址淏ut I think it is quite important that when trees are defined as being protected under our bylaw, that they are actually protected and are only removed if there is a problem.B次元官网网址�

Day said the hope is staff will return to council with a report outlining possible bylaw wordings which would bring the city more in line with other municipalities which represent current best practises when it comes to tree protection, citing Saanich and North Saanich in particular, having been updated in 2022, as having very modern bylaws.

During the short discussion of the motion by council, Coun. Dean Jantzen said he would want to ensure the staff report also looks at whether the city has the staff resources to accommodate the extra work such a bylaw would involve, especially when it comes to verifying the claims and evidence submitted by applicants.

Staff confirmed the report they return to council for consideration at a later date will include those potential consequences, and noted Colwood had the advantage of being able to benefit from the research and lessons learned in other communities which have pursued similar bylaws.

No timeline was discussed during the meeting for when the report and bylaw options would be brought to council.

READ MORE: Langford adds B次元官网网址榲ery restrictiveB次元官网网址� tree bylaw to council agenda at last minute

justin.samanski-langille@goldstreamgazette.com
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