Port Moody council plans public consultation over proposed tree bylaw
By Angela MacKenzie - Staff Reporter
The City of Port Moody is looking at revising its tree retention bylaw to further protect trees on private property.
At a meeting Tuesday, council voted unanimously to pass a resolution put forward by Coun. Mike Clay to clarify and update the wording in the city's current tree bylaw.
However, council defeated a proposed motion to bring forward a tree removal bylaw that would apply to private properties.
Clay said he felt the bylaw should be revised, and referred to incidents that involved the removal of trees from private property in the Heritage Mountain and Moody Centre neighbourhoods.
Instead, councillors voted to direct staff to first review and research tree bylaws adopted by other cities.
Mayor Joe Trasolini emphasized that consulting the community should not be overlooked in the process.
"I'd rather do the homework now than face the ire of the community later," Trasolini said.
Coun. Meghan Lahti said creating the bylaw without public consultation would not be "reasonable."
The issue of protecting trees on private property has been controversial in Coquitlam.
published on 06/15/2007