Vecchiato's Voice - March 6, 2006 - My E-Mail Response from Township

The following is the complete text of a message received from Planning. (followup from my Feb 28 post)

----- Original Message -----
From: khoulden@tol.bc.ca Houlden
To: Cathleen Vecchiato
Cc: aneufeld@tol.bc.ca Neufeld ; jgeraghty@tol.bc.ca')";John Geraghty ; ebritton@tol.bc.ca')"&;Eric Britton
Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 5:10 PM
Subject: RE: Tree By-law

Dear Ms. Vecchiato

Thank you for your comments and previous email. I will respond on behalf of staff in an attempt to correct one apparent misconception about the tree protection “bylaw”.

The direction of Council to staff is clear and simple as quoted below:

“Whereas Council adopted a policy in 2002 on tree protection and replacement for development areas; Be it resolved that Council request staff to incorporate the Tree Protection and Replacement Policy as part of the Subdivision and Development Control Bylaw.”

This was clearly identified in the staff report that staff had provided to you and others upon request. The existing policy was not modified to any great extent by staff other than to make it best fit within the context and framework of the Subdivision and Development Control Bylaw (i.e. it will be put in effect in a slightly different manner, but the principles remain the same). In other words, the direction of Council to staff was not to draft a “stand alone bylaw”, nor was it to “expand the terms of tree protection”, so it would be inappropriate for staff to make such significant modifications.

Further, each of the points you mention below are covered by other federal or provincial statutes, or in a local context, managed in other documents or processes such as our adopted neighbourhood plans. I suspect others will have their perspective on tree protection and the Township’s role. Certainly staff would respond appropriately should Council determine that the scope of depth of the tree protection be increased (or decreased) in the manner that you or others suggest.

We will soon be getting to the “stakeholder” feedback portion, prior to the bylaw going to Public Hearing. Our staff are currently working on the logistics and documents to ensure that people who wish to respond prior to (or at) the public hearing have as clear as possible understanding of the both the scope of the bylaw and the general “mechanics” of implementation after it is adopted in its final form by Council.

Again we are appreciative of your perspective and early comments.

Regards,

Kurt Houlden
Director of Community Development

cc. Mayor and Council