I think that I shall never see a bylaw lovely as a tree.
Kudos to West Vancouver council for passing the first regulations to protect their trees in a century.
It’s unfortunate the regulations were greeted not with applause but with the buzzing saws of homeowners playing Beat the Clock with municipal law.
We are aware certain developers would prefer the free market determine how many trees are left standing. They have made their views clear both with their words and with their actions on the ground. But lack of regulation can have dire consequences for the community as a whole, particularly when large sums of money are involved.
We would argue that high housing prices in West Vancouver are not solely due to lot size.
They are also owed to that less tangible asset, “quality of life”, and the verdant cedars and Douglas firs that arch over the community are a valued part of that.
But not everyone agrees, and there will always be those homeowners who move into a forest and are aghast to see so many trees. These are the people who will wield axes and happily play Paul Bunyan to any vegetation violating their concrete and glass esthetic.
But even now, the district’s only recourse is a $1,000 fine that will likely be treated as a speeding ticket for residents with a net worth in the multi millions.
We call on the province to allow West Vancouver to charge fines that are hefty enough to keep trees from turning into stumps.
Please move quickly. We may not have another century to get this right.
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
