Tree inventory plan in limbo

Published: May 12, 2009 7:00 PM Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star

Plans to protect landmark trees in Vernon continue to get a rough ride. Council decided Monday to seek more information before considering a bylaw that would create an inventory of significant and heritage trees on public and private land. Permits would be required before significantly altering or removing a tree on the list. “I don’t want to be intrusive on people and their right to manage their property,” said Coun. Shawn Lee. “These issues on private land should be handled by private citizens.” Lee first expressed concern about the bylaw when it went before council in April, and he wasn’t satisfied with city staff’s explanation Monday that the bylaw would only apply if land is being developed. “If I were a property owner that has a heritage tree, it’s functioning as a lien if I sell it to a developer,” he said. Brooke Marshall, environmental planner, believed the reaction from developers will be mixed.

“Some developers will see it as a complication and some will see it as a benefit,” she said. Coun. Buffy Baumbrough defends the proposal from the environmental advisory committee. “The idea of having a permit is more to track where the significant trees are and not about denying people from doing what they want on private land,” she said. “The committee was directed by council to look at this.” However, Lee suggests the process may have gone too far. “The bylaw was directed towards public land and it’s putting teeth in it for private land,” he said. A heritage tree is determined to be a tree more than 30 years old.