Surrey bylaw officers are investigating the cutting of 11 mature trees — 10 cedars and one Douglas fir — on private property in the Lower Mainland community last weekend.
Homeowners can apply for a permit to cut trees, but the city's building manager said no permit was obtained for the property in South Surrey where the trees came down.
Under Surrey's tree protection bylaw, any tree wider than 30 centimetres in diameter is protected.A City of Surrey arborist measured the trees on Monday and said one of the cedars that was cut was 1.2 metres across.
If charged and convicted, the property owner could be hit with a fine of more than $100,000.
"We thought that he would do it the proper way, not realizing how hard it is to cut a tree down. We didn't like the idea, but once you sell, you know, you don't have control over things anymore."
CBC News has not been able to contact the new owner of the property.