Surrey council has approved amendments to the city's tree protection bylaw, for a second time on Monday night, that are expected to shorten permit processing time, clarify tree protection barriers and create a "pathway" to stronger penalties for removing and damaging city trees.
Council on Oct. 21, and without debate, passed third reading on a related bylaw after receiving a corporate report from Ron Gill, Surrey's acting general manager of planning and development, and Philip Huynh, city solicitor, concerning changes "intended to improve administration, clarity and remove barriers to access" in the bylaw, which "regulates the preservation and maintenance of trees within the City."
The latest amendments, which council passed at third reading on June 9, are contained in a corporate report by Ron Gill, Surrey's general manager of planning and development, which notes a protected tree has a diametre of at least 30 centimetres, is a replacement tree or required by a subdivision/permit, is in a riparian area or classified significant, hosts raptor, osprey, or heron nests, is one of six heritage species including Arbutus, Garry Oak, Coast/Dawn/Giant Redwood, and Ginkgo, and is on City of Surrey property.
A permit is needed to cut or prune a protected tree and protective fencing must be installed during construction within 10 metres of one. The amendments will require a tree protection barrier to be installed only when the "proposed work may have a direct impact upon a protected tree.
"This approach will result in less tree protection barrier reviews, increasing staff capacity and reducing approval timelines for building permit approvals," Gill explained. "The amendment will also provide residents, builders, and developers with cost savings of not having to install tree barrier protection when their work is not impacting protected trees."
Gill advised council that his department along with parks staff is developing recommendations for stiffer penalties for illegally removing or damaging City of Surrey trees which will be put to council "in the near future."
The bylaw already exempted provincial, federal and city projects but the amendments extend this to schools as well. Gill explained this will speed up approvals for school projects "while also reducing the workload for staff. Reducing the workload by exempting school projects can contribute to increasing staff’s capacity to focus on development projects."
As it is, tree cutting permits are issued only after the City accepts a finalized landscaping plan. "This approach can limit early site works from occurring, including the opportunity for advanced excavation and site clearing works for large development sites," Gill explained.
"It is proposed that the tree protection bylaw be amended to enable earlier issuance of tree cutting permits to facilitate advanced work commencing onsite. To ensure appropriate compensation for the removal of protected trees earlier in a project, aligning with existing provisions in the tree protection bylaw, securities will be collected for replacement trees at a ratio of 2:1," Gill said.
