Editor:
I watched with incredulity, the regular White Rock Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 4 when council voted 5-2 to suspend Tree Protection Bylaw 611 and basically clear-cut a 100-foot section of trees, on city property on the 15600 block of Semiahmoo Avenue.
Bylaw 611 was formed to protect the “tree canopy” in White Rock. Lord knows we have very little tree canopy left.
For every development project in White Rock , pretty well the first thing that is done is they clear-cut the trees.
It makes no sense to suspend the bylaw because two homeowners come to council complaining about their views being obstructed. They actually blamed the city for creating the conditions for the “nuisance” trees to grow. How is that for mixed up?
A few months back, council refused to cut one tree and trim six others so that TransLink could run a “double decker bus” on that route. They wanted to “protect the tree canopy?”
Is there ever going to be any consistency regarding enforcing the city’s own bylaws especially on it’s own land?
In 2015, the council of the day clearcut the “Hump” for views. This may not be on the same scale, but the lack of public consultation and arbitrary type of decision are the same.
Sort of “echoes of the past” from a different group.
Garry Wolgemuth, White Rock