CO~TION OF THB CITY OF PORT COQUTTLAM
PARKS &

~TION COMMPITBB

A meeting of the Parks & Recreation Committee was held in the Parks &
Recreation Office on July 6, 1992.

In attendance were Alderman Mike Thompson and Alderman Michael Wright.

Also in attendance was Janna Taylor, Parks & Recreation Director, Pat Greer
Recording Secretary anci Colin Beardmore of the PoCo Tennis Club for item
number one only.

Item No. I
Colin Beardmore, of the PoCo Tennis Club, was in attendance.
He went over the Club's priority list at this tixne for Reeve
Street Park tennis courts. Their ftrst priority is washrooms,
second lights and third is a clubhouse. He advised that the club
is a social club and all members of the public are welcome to
Join.
It was pointed out to Colin that, at this point, the lights for
Reeve Street Tennis courts were in Phase III. Colin requested
that consideration be given to moving the lights at the tennis
courts to a higher priority.

Recomntendatltttt:

That the Parks & Recreation Director investigate the cost of
having working drawings done for the installation of lights, as
weII as getting a cost for lighting the tennis courts. A report will
be brought back to the Parks & Recreation Committee for
discussion.

Isem No. 2

The Committee discussed the information attached from the
Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Housing
regarding the protection of trees

Recommendatitttt;
To invite the Director of Planning to a Parks & Recreation
Committee meeting to obtain further information on the
protection of trees.

JUL 06

jap+

-2Item No. 3
The Parks & Recreation Director gave a report on the damage
that has occurred, this lacrosse season, at the PoCo Rec Centre.
Recommendafion:
To send an information memo, for the Council agenda, on the
damage caused and our change in policy of keeping the Rec
Centre doors closed until the lacrosse player's coach has arrived.
ADJOURNMBhrX't

JUL 0 6 1992

THE CORPORATION OP THE
CITY OP PORT COOUITLhH

MEMORANOVM
Nayor and Aldezmen
COPY:

DATE:

June 22, 1992

Z. Zahynacs, P.Eng.
lK;1 r; T~aiom
C~

Ee1ip

S. Hauh
A. de Boer
R. Criggie
FROM:

Bzyan R. Kirk

City Administrator

Protection of 'irees
Attached is an Information Bulletin from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs,
Recreation and Housing concerning the introduction of Bill 77 which would
provide municipalities with the authority to protect trees from cutting,
removal and damage by various means.

Furrier information on this issue will be supplied to you as it becomes
available.

B. R. Kirk
City Administrator

!dp

Att.

,jUL 06 1992

nxi

'.- '.-. ii:oz mlml[iiFuu 'r.

ip'= 8

c-uti oz

NINISTRV OP NUHICIPAL': AFFAIRS, RECREATION 'AND''NOUSIN13.:.'-

'ill

~"'INSORNATION 'SUL'LETIN '*~

l

.-TRROTECTION"OF TREES

77 has now been introduced in the Legislature. This Information Sulletin
gives an overview of the Sill's 'Protection of Trees" amendment.
The Amendment

The amendment wi 1 1 give to municipalities and the City of Vancouver general bylaw
making authority to protect trees from cutting, removal and damamge, by various
means.
8111 adds Divi sion (4. 1) to Part 28 of the Huni ci pal Act, en t i t ed
"Protection of Trees". The Division is incorporated by reference in the
Vancouver Charter .
The

1

Puroose

Various municipalities and members of the public have requested some local
authority to address the impact oF tree cutting and removal in their communities.
The amendment is intended to give to those municipalities which choose to use the
authority, some ability to control individual or small-scale tree cutting on
private land (i.e.'n relation to new urban development, or in relation to
landmark trees). As different communities have different needs and resources,
the new authority is flexible; it allows each municipality to cnoose a level and
type oF control that best meets its needs.

This is an "urban tree cutting" amendment; the authority is not intended to be
used to regulate Forestry pr actisas or "private land logging". As such, the new
authority does not apply to land which is classified as "managed Fores; land"
under the Assessment Act or which is located within a licence area under the
Forest Act.
~5co

e

new Division will grant a general regulatory authority; i t is not an
authority limited to development permits under Part 29. While the authority may
be required to protect, trees in areas of new development, it is not intended to
prohibit all development.
The

municipality wi 1 be authorized to make one or more byl aws wh ich apply in all
A bylaw may be different in relation to different
areas; speci es of trees; classes of trees; sizes of trees and types oF
"significant" trees. In other words, a municipality could choose to regulate all
trees over a certain diameter, or it could regulate only one species of tree, and
do either in only one area, or in all areas. oF the municipality.

A

1

or part of the municipality.

JUL 0 b 1992

- 2

General Bvlaws

have authority, by bylaw, to regulate and prohibit the
municipality will 'of
trees; prohibit the damaging of'rees; and reguIate
cutting and removal

A

acti vities that may damage trees;
The bylaw may further require the replacement oF trees unlawfully cut, damaged
or removed; require maintenance of those replacement trees; and require cash or
other securi ty to ensure the replacement of trees and maintenance.
The bylaw may also specify circumstances for assessments and inspections, and
establish exemptions from the application of a bylaw.
Permits
of trees, and the
permits are the means for iegulating the cutting and removal
requirements
including
permits
such
bylaw may establish terms and conditions for
applicants.
from
permit
plans
requiring
for replacement of trees and
While the bylaw may set a fee =or such permits, that fee must not include charges
ed under the bylaw or permit.
For tree or site assessment. or nspections requii
or
inspection. it is conduc ed
assessment
an
sucn
directs
where a municipality
by
S

the municipality, at its cost.

loni Fi cant Trees

will have
addition to general tree protection authority, municipalities
ti ees
are
those
trees
authority in relation to "significant trees". Significant
to
important
are
because
they
significant
which council by bylaw identifies as
habitat,
or
wildl
ife
landmark,
hei
have
itage,
because
they
the community (i.e.
trees.
importance). The bylaw may also require the maintenance of significant
with
a
plaque).
marked
(i.e.
be
Such trees may, with the owner's permission,
[n

Hazar deus Trees

have authority
addition to protecting trees, municipal i ties wil I continue asto well
as hedges,
cut
trees,
or
remove,
trim,
to
occupiers
or
owners
to require
a serious
people's
to
safety;
a
hazard
bushes, or shrubs, where those plants are
public
property.
to
damage
or
likely
inconvenience to the public;
In

Limits on Authority
would have the effect
bylaw under the new Division will not apply to land iF it of
that land; in other
under
the
zoning
oF negatino all use and density permitted
of land.
or
development
all
uses
prevent
to
~ords, the bylaw cannot be used
A

provides compensation to the
exception to that limit is if the municipality
land to be used for its
for
the
means
alternative
land owner, or provides
In other words, the
tted density.
permitted use or develooed to its permicommitment
trees in those
protecting
to
its
community must be prepared to back up
owner's
rights.
on
a
land
impinges
severely
protection
that
extreme cases where

The

Other than that exception, municipalities will not be required to compensate land
owners for a reduction in the value oF their property resulting from a tree
protection bylaw or permit.

Enforcement

It is intended that municipalities will be able to enforce bylaws under the new
Division as 'ticketing offenses" under )4unlcioal Act s. 934.1. This will require
a regulation of the Lieutenant Bovernor in Council.
Nhere a person does not comply with a requirement to replace trees, or to trim,
remove or cut hazardous trees and shrubs, councils may serve notice that the
person must comply within a specified time, and if they do not, the municipality

take the action at the expense of the person given notice. This authority
is virtually identical to the current s. 935, but has now been extended also to
replacement of trees.

may

Existino Authoritv
As noted,

municipalities'xisting authority under s. 935 has been incorporated,

with slight modifications, in the new Division.

the authority under s. 978 was limited (i.e. to orotecting trees in hazard
areas), it has been subsumed in the more general authority of the new Division.
For those municipalities which currently have byl aws under s . 978, their byl aws
will be t'ated as" if they were made under the new Division.
As

Regional

districts wi11 retain the existing authority of s. 978.

Other authority which municipalities currently have in relation to trees
"nuisance" trees and shrubs) remains unchanged.

(i.e.

authority of municipal Boards of Variance will be extended to hear
"appeals'rom bylaws under the new Division, on the basis of "undue hardship".

The existing

For

further information, contact:

Norm HcCrinsaon

Erik Karlsen

Director

Director

387-4022

387-4039

Hunicipal Administrative Services

Hunicipal Development Services

c+
JUL 0 6 1%2