That tree bylaw - is it doing what people want it to do - some see it as a cash grab

Burlingtongazette.ca
Aug. 30, 2022

Burlington’s citizens have had significant differences of opinion over just what the tree bylaw should do for some time..

Some don’t want the city telling them what to do with trees on their property while others welcome the practice of requiring people to get permission to cut down a tree on their property.

Adding to the number of trees is an ongoing project -- keeping climate change at an acceptable level requires that everyone be on board.

Climate change is taking place and the canopy coverage is now not just a nice thing to have but something that is essential if we are to have any hope of how we individually manage climate change.

One Gazette reader said:

I’m not sure most people are aware of how expensive it is to have an unhealthy tree in Burlington now.

A good friend of mine has a large tree in his backyard that is hollow for several feet from the base and obviously in danger of falling.  He already had a similar tree brought down by a bad storm that took out a fence.  He contacted the city to access the tree and the city arborist said it was healthy.  A lay person can see it’s not.

For my friend to cut the tree down it will cost several thousand dollars and will require he pay an application fee to have it cut down.   He also has to plant 5 trees because of it’s girth that his yard cannot support.   Thus he has to pay a penalty because he can’t plant that many trees.   It’s hard to believe this is a democratic country right now.     In the past if a tree was sick or close to the house the fee was waived but no longer.   The bylaw was changed last year and now makes it nearly impossible to protect your property from a falling tree.   He is willing to let the tree fall now and damage his own or neighbour’s house than cut it down.   What a sad city we have become.

Not sure you have done any story on our tree loving bylaw recently but its worth a look on what the city has imposed with little communication.

Was it necessary to cut these trees ? The current tree bylaw would require getting permission and replacing five tree for each tree cut down

We are clearly not yet at the point where there s a wide consensus on just what a tree bylaw should do and who should pay the costs involved.

Is this an issue that should be given serious attention during the election campaign that will become much more active once the holiday weekend is over ?