The Municipality of Kincardine is looking to create a private tree by-law for properties between 0.5 and 0.99 hectares in size.
Staff was directed during the last term of council to draft the by-law, which would implement rules and guidelines on how the tree canopy is managed and protected on such properties.
Bruce County already has a similar by-law, but it only covers properties over 1 hectare in size.
Director of Infrastructure & Development Adam Weishar says that they wanted to create something that would protect the tree canopy for smaller properties, and as staff was drafting a proposal, “Primarily, the concept of or the topic of tree retention surfaced as we started seeing trees being removed and harvested as part of development proposals.”
Councillor Beth Blackwell is hoping for a by-law for a comprehensive set of rules.
“I would also like to look at a draft tree by-law as part of an overall tree protection or urban canopy plan,” Blackwell offered during council discussion, “So it would look at things like the tree by-law but also the education around tree management, [and] encouraging people to plant trees through our subsidized tree sales and those kind of things.”
Staff had recommended that Council proceed with adopting the proposed by-law and look into ways for increasing the tree canopy coverage.
Councillor Mike Hinchberger and Deputy Mayor Andrea Clarke had proposed during the council’s discussion that it would help to have some friendly amendments to the draft by-law to define parameters including a timeline and whether an ad-hoc committee would be able to propose further ideas.
Kincardine’s tree canopy coverage is around 20%, which includes all lands within the municipality.