2 - Sunday, November 25, 1990 - North Shore News West Van tree policy sparks debate A ONE-yvear trial night. Following a motion from Ald. Pat. Boname, the policy was handed over to the Parks and Recreation Commission to allow members to study it and consult with the newly-hired municipal arborist, Shirley Nicholson. “The parks director may have been living with this document for six months - I haven't,’* said Ald. Boname, following a submission from local forester Glen Patter- son. West Vancouver parks director Kevin Pike said his department has been working with the pro- posed policy for several months. “Our recommendation (for a one-year trial period) reflects our continuing concern that we be cautious in what we do and careful in what we do,’ said Pike. Such caution is justified in a community, wherc, 1s West Van- couver Mayor Don Lanskail has noted, there are people with a wide range of beliefs on the trees issue — from those who ‘‘don't want to cut a single twig,’’ to those who ‘‘want a view all the way around the compass.”’ “It’s not an easy middle ground to find,”’ said Lanskail. He called for more input from local ratepayer groups. Of 11 community groups that have received the draft document, only the British Properties Home- owners Association has_ replied with comments. {n his own submission, West Vancouver resident Glen Patterson said he favored the policy, but could see a number of deficien- cies. “It doesn’t deal with the major problem of trees obscuring other visual resources,”’ he said. A self-described ‘tree lover,” Patterson submitted that there are a number of other visual resources, such as the water and mountains, that are being blocked out by growing trees. “We should be selecting those locations where there are some views we want to save,”* he said. “Trees are like your children,”’ Patterson suggested, ‘““You often don’t realize that they’re grow- Specia Complete {Ski tune up only $1995 Offer expires Nov. 30/90 1192 Marine Dr. NVan. (at Pemberton) 986-1605 period for West awaited tree policy failed to win council approval Monday Vancouver's long- WEST VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL *Jaureen Curtis Contributing Writer a cautious means of addressing public concerns, without driving people into ‘taking tree action in- to their own hands.”’ The desire to retain or create views, has, in the past year or so, prompted people to attack trees standing on municipal and private property. Patterson said the tree policy should become part of a com- prehensive visual resource plan that would include a complete assessment of such resources throughout the municipality. He called the proposed policy In several cases, court actions ‘reactive’ to complaints from in- have been launched and hefty dividual residents. fines levied against residents who “This narrow approach is have chopped down neighbors’ bound to result in continued con- trees. flicts,’’ said Patterson. The draft tree policy mostly But Pike defended the policy as deals with complaints and safety trees on factors relating to municipal property. Applications for maintenance work on municipal trees would be evaluated by the municipal ar- berist. In cases of dispute or disagree- ment, appeals would be pursued with the park manager or the director of parks and recreation. Applications would be evaluated on the basis of hazard to people of property, views, screening, sunlight and shade, wildlife habitat, neighborhood identity and inconvenience caused by the tree. Tree topping would be kept to a minimum, Where an applicant might be successful in asking that a tree be removed from public property, the applicant wauld have to pay for its replacement on. site or elsewhere in the community. Friends of Cypress activist Paul Hundal noted the policy’s propos- ed requirement of posting the planned removal of a municipal tree (giving the public some weeks in which to react) should not ex- clude the removal of trees deemed hazardous or ‘‘for routine maintenance.”’ “In most cases, the danger is not immediate,”’ he submitied. Municipal Manager Terry Lester acknowledged that trees don’t become ‘‘hazardous” overnight. He said the municipality is not always informed of the potential hazard soon’ enough. MISS VIEWING THIS BUILDING AT YOUR OWN RISK. Nothing. 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