Langford tree bylaw approved as 'stop-gap' measure to prevent removal, mayor says

A Langford property where a developer has limbed all the trees in a rush to beat Langford’s new tree management bylaw. (CTV News)

Developers and landowners in Langford, B.C., have been cutting down trees in a race to get ahead of the city's new tree management bylaw.

In an attempt to get ahead of the practice, Langford council passed a temporary tree bylaw at a special council meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s a stop-gap so that in the new year we’ll be starting to work on a proper tree management policy,” says Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson.

Under the new temporary bylaw, a $1,000 fine will be issued if a tree is cut down without a permit. A minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $10,000 per tree in additional compensation can be pursued through the courts.

It’s a controversial bylaw with many residents in support and others who are not.

“My main concern over this is the lack of transparency and the way the process happened,” says Mike Wignall, an engineer at Westbrook Consulting in Langford.

Wignall is also a founding member of the West Shore Developers Association.

He has an issue with how the bylaw was brought in.

“It just seems so counter to everything the current council and the mayor was campaigning on,” says Wignall.

On the campaign trail, the mayor and many of those running for seats at the council table promised an open and transparent municipal government – holding public council meetings at 7 p.m., allowing more residents to have their say on government policies.

Wednesday’s council meeting took place at 2:30 p.m. The previous meeting was held on Monday at 1 p.m.

“It’s because of basically the urgency of the matter,” says Goodmanson.

During Wednesday’s council meeting, the mayor began by saying, "We did not want to be doing this now, just so everyone knows."

Goodmanson says, with all the trees coming down or being essentially killed through the practice of limbing, council had to act fast to bring in the temporary bylaw. That led to the irregular meeting times.

“We need housing,” says Wignall. “People are going to keep coming to the capital regional district to live.”

Another concern is what does the new tree bylaw signals to developers. Langford is a community that has been punching well above its weight during a housing crisis.

“If your land is zoned for x-number of units, does the tree retention take precedence?” says Wignall.

“We’re just changing the process of development, not ending development,” says the mayor.

Goodmanson says the interim measure will force developers and landowners to work with city hall on tree removal.

The temporary bylaw is set to expire in six months. By then a new permanent tree management plan will go into effect, one that mirrors other plans in neighbouring municipalities.

The mayor says the public will have their say on the development of the plan during regularly scheduled 7 p.m. council meetings.