The long process to create a tree preservation bylaw in The Blue Mountains is entering its end-game stage.
The Blue Mountains council saw the majority of the afternoon of its meeting on Sept. 18 consumed by a lengthy discussion about the proposed tree preservation bylaw. The bylaw, which has been percolating in the town for several years, divided council and required amendments and changes before finally coming to a vote.
The issue was in front of council after having been approved at council’s committee of the whole meeting on Sept. 5.
Ultimately, council voted 4-3 in favour of bringing the draft tree preservation bylaw forward to its meeting on Oct. 10 for formal approval and adoption. However, even if the bylaw is approved at the Oct. 10 meeting, it will not formally come into effect for 12 months - as the town works to set up permit fees and enforcement measures. Deputy Mayor Peter Bordignon and Councillors Paula Hope and Alex Maxwell voted against the motion to bring the bylaw forward.
Bordignon objected to a decision by council at its committee of the whole meeting on Sept. 5 to eliminate a clause in the draft bylaw that would see its rules only apply to properties in town settlement areas more than half a hectare in size.
“That now affects every single lot we have. That is a major change,” said Bordignon, who said throughout the multiple rounds of public consultation on the bylaw the half hectare lot size had been included in the draft bylaw. “I don’t even know if people know about [the change]."
Other members of council were anxious to bring closure to the issue and get a bylaw in place.
“Getting a tree bylaw passed is harder than getting a shovel into the ground for affordable housing,” said Coun. June Porter.
Councillors Alex Maxwell and Gail Ardiel said the intent of the bylaw should be to prevent the clear cutting of future development lands.
“Target the developers, not the home owners,” said Ardiel.
Maxwell agreed.
“It should not be on the backs of local citizens,” he said.
Coun. Paula Hope acknowledged the draft bylaw wasn’t perfect, but is still important.
“It’s not the most perfect bylaw in the world, but it’s a start. To not have a tree bylaw in this beautiful, beautiful municipality concerns me,” she said.
CAO Shawn Everitt suggested council defer the matter until after its upcoming Natural Heritage Study is completed.
“I’m concerned that there is still this much discussion,” said Everitt. “The dialogue is creating more questions.”
However, a motion of deferral did not come forward. Instead, Bordignon moved an amendment to the resolution that reinstated the clause stipulating that the bylaw would not apply to lots under half a hectare in size, unless there was building activity to take place on those lots.
“If you’re just living your life and you need to cut down a tree, you should be able to do that,” he said.
In response, Porter noted that the rules in the draft bylaw applied only in cases of residents cutting down five or more trees.
“You can take down four trees on your lot every year. That’s a very pivotal point,” she said.
Council approved the amendment and the bylaw. But the decision will have to be ratified at the next regular council meeting on Oct. 10.
