Tree protection will have to wait in 91原创 Township, as council voted down a plan for an interim bylaw at Monday night鈥檚 meeting.
Councillor Petrina Arnason鈥檚 motion was intended to bridge the gap to a planned long-term permanent tree protection bylaw, like the ones in 91原创鈥檚 neighbours Abbotsford and Surrey.
But the motion failed on a four-to-four tie vote, with one councillor away.
Arnason had hoped to use a previous temporary Brookswood tree protection bylaw, with minor changes, to cover the whole Township.
Arnason said the intent of a tree protection bylaw is not to micromanage property owners who want to cut down one or two trees, but to prevent wholesale clearing of land.
When properties are up for development, the Township has rules and even incentives in some areas for developers to keep significant trees.
But there have been accusations of landowners clearcutting their lands before they go to the development process to avoid having to deal with those rules.
Several councillors noted that there is a danger in even discussing a tree protection bylaw.
鈥淎s soon as you start talking about it, chainsaws start revving up,鈥� said Coun. Bob Long.
That鈥檚 why Arnason wanted to get an interim bylaw in place as soon as possible.
鈥淭he more there鈥檚 a time lag, in fact, we鈥檙e creating more peril for the trees,鈥� she said.
But some councillors worried the rules would be onerous for ordinary residents, or that a full bylaw should be implemented.
鈥淚t needs a more fulsome discussion than an interim bylaw,鈥� said Mayor Jack Froese.
Coun. Michelle Sparrow worried about how such a bylaw could be enforced with just four Township bylaw officers.
Long noted that other communities seem to get along fine with tree protection rules.
鈥淥ur neighbours have existing tree bylaws,鈥� he said.
The council is still planning to work towards a permanent tree protection bylaw, though it鈥檚 uncertain when it would come into force.
Any bylaw would not affect tree cutting for farming purposes in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
