Protecting trees in Saanich is everyone’s business, says the executive director of the Victoria Homebuilders Association.
“The point is that a tree canopy is a community issue,” said Casey Edge, who is keeping a close eye on a new bylaw being developed by the municipality.
“If there’s a problem with the tree canopy, then it’s something that everyone in the community will be impacted by.”
He said tree removal can be part of housing construction, but builders should not have to bear more than their share of the responsibility for tree replacement.
“Trees are an asset in a development. If a developer plants 50 trees in a particular area, why doesn’t that developer get credits if he has to remove 10 trees at another development,” Edge said.
The general measures proposed for builders would see one tree planted for every protected tree removed within a new building’s footprint.
Two trees would be planted for every one removed to construct an access to a building, site servicing or when putting in a driveway.
Edge suggested any “tree fund” include homeowners as well as developers.
“If they want to create a tree fund, maybe this is something that [adds] a small amount on property taxes.”
Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard said the municipality is already getting feedback on the proposed bylaw changes, which are “a long way” from being finalized.
“It hasn’t even come to council or an advisory committee yet. Usually these things, by the time they get to council, look a lot different than they do at the first open house.”
Trees and the loss of tree canopy made headlines in July when a Habitat Acquisition Trust study showed that Greater Victoria lost the equivalant of 12 Beacon Hill Parks worth of tree cover from 2005 to 2011. Cory Manton, Saanich’s manager of urban forestry, horticulture and natural areas, helped with the study.
Meanwhile, a study done for Saanich by Caslys Consulting revealed that the municipality lost 282.3 hectares, or 2.5 per cent, of its tree cover from 2005 to 2009, the equivalent of 70.6 hectares a year.
Saanich is looking at incentive programs for measures such as planting boulevard trees, said Manton, who is also calling on citizens to play a larger role is preserving trees. Privately owned land in Saanich accounts for three-quarters of the municipality.
Comments on the proposed change to the bylaw can be sent to [email protected].
