White Rock Coun. Helen Fathers says it’s time for a tree bylaw that applies to the whole city.
Raising the issue at the March 5 governance and legislation committee meeting, Fathers said as things stand now – with rules that only govern what happens to trees on city property – the playing field is inequitable.
“Right now, some have to pay permit fees, some don’t… It should be for all and not just selected areas,” she said.
A motion to have staff report back to the committee on initiating a city-wide bylaw, including the process and associated costs and implications, passed with Coun. Larry Robinson opposed.
The city’s tree management bylaw and associated Policy 611, were first adopted in the spring of 2010.
Policy 611, developed with public input, became a source of contention after council granted a request in January 2011 for city trees on Royal Avenue to be removed because they had grown to block residents’ views.
It was the first test of the rules, and led to suggestions for revision – including the removal of an avenue for residents to appeal decisions – that were adopted by council two months ago.
Fathers, who represents the city on Metro Vancouver’s board, said White Rock is the only MV municipality with a tree bylaw that doesn’t apply to the whole city.
Paul Stanton, the city’s director of planning and development services, confirmed the current legislation only applies to about 40 per cent of the city. It came to be after draft city-wide rules “ran into significant opposition,” he said. Stanton noted the opposition came largely from people wanting to preserve views – reasoning Fathers said doesn’t hold water.
“To say that we’re doing it because we get backlash from people on the hillside is not good enough,” Fathers said. “It’s been 2½ years now. I didn’t support the policy in the first place because it wasn’t city-wide.”