If you have a Town-owned tree in front of your residence, be nice to it or suffer the consequences.
That’s basically the message the Town of Oliver is giving homeowners who neglect or damage municipal trees.
At a recent meeting, council approved a recommendation to amend the municipal ticketing bylaw to increase the fines. For example, anyone who damages or cuts down a tree (without authorization) is liable to a $1,000 fine.
Corporate Officer Diane Vaykovich said homeowners are responsible for irrigating and maintaining boulevard trees, but they cannot cut, damage or remove these trees. Pruning is the responsibility of the Town.
Chief Administrative Officer Cathy Cowan said there have been instances where healthy trees were cut down and over-pruned. Therefore, the penalty for tree damage will assist the Town in protecting its tree inventory, she noted.
The amendment to the bylaw will increase the fine for neglecting street trees to $200 from $50. The old fine for damaging a boulevard tree was $150, now increased to $1,000.
Director of Operations Shawn Goodsell said a lot of people don’t want the trees in front of their property and have threatened to take them down. He acknowledged that some trees cause grief for homeowners because of their leaves, but it’s something everyone has to deal with.
Mayor Ron Hovanes said people can’t just go around cutting down trees.
“If we took away our trees, it would be a bleak place . . . trees are part of the landscape.”
The mayor admitted that trees can be a “pain in the butt,” but said maintaining them isn’t too bad when you keep on top of it.
Councillor Maureen Doerr said a lot of people don’t water the boulevards primarily because they are on water meters (which cost money).
By Lyonel Doherty
