KAWARTHA LAKES-The City of Kawartha Lakes is examining a new Tree Preservation Bylaw and is asking for your input.
Under the bylaw private property owners may require a permit to remove mature trees if their property is:
- located 30 meters (98.4 ft) from shoreline and less than 0.5 hectares (1.2 acres) in size; or
- greater than 0.5 hectares (1.2 acres) in size.
The city says this By-law change aligns with the municipality’s strategic priority of a Healthy Environment and is in support of the Council-adopted Healthy Environment Plan 2019 and Lake Management Plans.
According to the proposed bylaw fees depend on your property size. The fees were determined based on the replacement cost of a mature sapling and would go to fund municipal initiatives in preservation and enhancement of tree and hedgerow cover in the municipality.
The bylaw would require the payment of $425 per healthy mature tree removed on shoreline/ environmentally protected property up to 0.5 hectares for any reason (including building a new dwelling or structure, clearing land for a backyard or driveway access to a property) and not replaced with a mature sapling. For tree removal on any property greater than 0.5 hectares, whether or not shoreline or environmental protection, the by-law requires a payment of $1,700 per healthy tree removed and not replaced with 4 mature saplings.
There would be fee exemptions for unhealthy trees, low-income residents, and affordable housing developments.
Exemptions to this by-law would include:
- Specific Operations (agriculture, aggregates, cemetery, golf clubs, tree nurseries, forestry)
- Trees that pose a hazard to structures
- Cutting down buckthorn (non-native invasive species)
- Cutting related to septic installation or repair within 30 metres of a shoreline
- Trees that are used as wood fuel to heat your own home.
Cutting down mature, healthy, non-hazardous trees in Environmental Protection areas will not be allowed at all. Click here to find out if your property will be affected by this change: Property and Planning map(External link)
Terms Defined
Mature Trees: 5 inches (12cm) in diameter. You can determine the diameter of a tree by measuring the circumference at 4.5 feet (1.37 meters) from the ground and dividing that number by 3.14.
Unhealthy tree: determined by a professional to be damaged, infected by something contagious to other trees, and/or will die.
Hazardous Tree: damaged or destroyed trees that should be removed in the interests of public safety, health and general welfare following any man-made or natural disasters, storms, high winds, floods, fires, snowfall, freezes or as a result of insects, disease or wildlife
Low income – “high need households” as defined under Ontario Regulation 370/11 to the Housing Services Act, 2011, upon receipt of sufficient proof of income. High need households and household income limits(External link): Bachelor Unit $16,500; One bedroom unit $20,400; Two bedroom unit $24,300; Three bedroom unit $27,000; Four bedroom or more unit $25,700.
Fill out the survey before December 22, 2023. Click here:https://jumpinkawarthalakes.ca/tree-preservation-bylaw/surveys/tree-preservation-by-law-survey
Council will receive your feedback and consider it to make the decision on the future By-law. Feedback on the proposed By-law can be submitted at any time by emailing [email protected](External link).
